General News

ENMU Names New Vice President for Academic Affairs
by Wendel Sloan
Communication Services

Dr. Robert A. Vartabedian, 52, has been named as the new vice president for Academic Affairs at Eastern New Mexico University. He will replace the retiring Dr. K. Paul Jones after the new fiscal year begins on July 1.

Vartabedian, who has a 1981 Ph.D. in communication from the University of Oklahoma, is currently the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Carolina University, and also served as the interim vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. He is also a professor of communication. As dean, he oversees 14 academic departments and four centers with 194 full-time and 90 part-time faculty members.

“We are extremely pleased to have attracted someone the caliber of Dr. Vartabedian,” said Dr. Steven Gamble, ENMU president. “With his years of experience in a variety of academic responsibilities, we feel that he is a great fit to continue and enhance Eastern’s innovative and progressive approach to education. We are also very appreciative of the contributions that Dr. K. Paul Jones made during his tenure, and look forward to Dr. Vartabedian providing a seamless transition in continuing Eastern’s outstanding academic reputation in serving the educational needs of the region.”

From 1988-99 Vartabedian worked at West Texas A&M University, serving as a professor of speech communication, director of Graduate Studies in Communication, and head of the Department of Art, Communication and Theatre.

Vartabedian has a 1980 master’s degree in speech communication from Wichita State University, and a 1974 bachelor’s degree in speech communication from California State University-Fresno.

He has also held positions at Wichita State University and East Central Oklahoma State University.

Among his many honors and activities, Vartabedian has received the University Teaching Excellence Award from West Texas A&M University in 1996, the 1994 Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year while at West Texas A&M, has delivered over 150 public workshops and presentations on public speaking, and was a public speaking consultant for the Department of Energy.

Vartabedian also attended the 2004 Harvard Institute of Educational Management.

ENMU Names New Dean for the College of Business
by Marc Schoder
Communication Services

Dr. Lee Weyant, assistant professor of management at Eastern New Mexico University, has been named to replace Dr. Gerry Huybregts as dean of the College of Business on June 1. Dr. Huybregts was dean for seven years.

Eastern conducted an internal search for a candidate to replace Dr. Huybregts with a committee comprised of COB faculty members, a representative from the COB Business Advisory Board, and a member from the Dean’s Council.

“When I take over the position on June 1st, I plan to build on the foundation started by Dr. Huybregts,” says Dr. Weyant. The newly incoming dean believes the strength of the COB has been the faculty. During Dr. Huybregts tenure as dean, the faculty recruitment was based on hiring doctoral-qualified faculty with work experience in the private sector. “We will continue this legacy to provide the students with faculty resources that can teach the theory and practical,” says Dr. Weyant. “We will also continue the movement that is being made toward Web-based programs that Dr. Huybregts started during his time as dean.”

Since there are advancements in technology in today’s society, Dr. Weyant says that the COB curriculum needs to incorporate technologies like the use of Personal Data Assistant (PDAs), laptops, as well as Web-based class formats. “Thanks to Dr. Huybregts for building a strong program over the last seven years, we will continue to build on that foundation and deliver the curriculum to meet the needs of today’s organizations.”, said Dr. Weyant.

Dr. Weyant sees several challenges facing the COB. One immediate challenge is to fill the two soon-to-be vacant department chair seats. “I will be looking to fill the department chair seat that I hold currently, as well as Dr. Jose Villarreal, who will be retiring,” says Dr. Weyant. “I will have those positions filled before the end of the semester.”

Another challenge includes the preparation for reaffirmation of the college’s professional accreditation. Finally, Dr. Weyant sees the marketing of the undergraduate and graduate business programs as a major challenge. “We have a quality business education program at ENMU. My challenge is to get that story out to potential students,” said Dr. Weyant.

To meet these challenges, Dr. Weyant plans on using his delegation-management style. “I see my role has articulating a vision, and providing the resources to the college to achieve that vision,” said Dr. Weyant.

When the former Pennsylvanian first came to Portales and ENMU four years ago, he didn’t think he would be taking on his new position. “I never thought about becoming dean so soon. It has kind of taken me by surprise,” said Dr. Weyant.

20th Annual Business Appreciation Luncheon Set for Saturday, April 23
by Sun Vega
Graduate Student in College of Business

The Eastern New Mexico University College of Business will host the 20th Annual Business Appreciation Luncheon at noon on Saturday, April 23, in the Campus Union Ballroom.

Congressman Steve Pearce is the featured guest speaker. Pearce was born in 1947 and raised in Hobbs, N.M. He attended New Mexico public schools, and graduated from New Mexico State University with a bachelor of business administration in economics and from ENMU with a master of business administration.

The function is open to everyone. If you plan to attend, please call 562.2342, stop by the College of Business Room 205, or e-mail Kathie.Brunson@enmu.edu to reserve tickets. The reservation deadline is April 12. Tickets are $8 for the public and $4 for students. Please make checks payable to the College of Business and mail to:

Eastern New Mexico University
College of Business
c/o Kathie Brunson
Station #49
Portales, NM 88130

Noted Author, Retired from National Park Service, to Speak at ENMU
by Shelley Gilmore
Communication Services

Bill Dunmire, a noted author who is retired from the National Park Service, will speak at Eastern New Mexico University on Monday, April 18, at 7 p.m. in the Becky Sharp Auditorium in the College of Business.

After 28 years with the National Park Service, Dunmire retired as Superintendent of Carlsbad Caverns National Monument and the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. He is now a full-time writer, lecturer, and professional photographer, with recent research trips to Spain, Mexico, and throughout the Southwest.

The free public program, sponsored by the Roosevelt County Museum and supported by the New Mexico Council for the Humanities, will be illustrated with slides taken during research field trips to Spain, Mexico, and throughout the Southwest.

Dunmire’s illustrated talk tells the story of how plants and foods made their way from Spain to the Southwest, especially colonial New Mexico, and how native Indians brought the new crops and foods into their own cultures. Our menus today connect back to those Hispanic colonial times.

When plants, foods and agriculture from the Old World made their way from Spain to Mexico up the El Camino Real with explorer Onate to the colonial frontier in northern New Mexico, the Southwest would be changed forever. Dunmire’s presentation will focus on the positive contributions the Spanish colonizers and missionaries from Columbus, to Cortes, to Onate made to New Mexico’s agricultural heritage.

“Most people understand the story of how foods from America, such as corn, beans, and chile traveled around the world after the arrival of the Spaniards, but the integration of Old World crops into Puebloan and other native cultures and eventually into our own is an account that previously had been missing from literature. This event represents nothing less than the most significant cultural fusion of agriculture and cuisine in human history,” said Dunmire.

His book, "Gardens of New Spain: How Mediterranean Plants and Foods Changed America," was recently released by the University of Texas Press and will be available for purchase and author signing at the program. He has previously co-authored two books on wild plants and their use by native peoples of our region.

For more information, contact Dr. Donald Elder III at 562.2601.

ENMU Professor Signs Contract for Book on Interdisciplinary Examination of Opportunity

Don Morris, associate professor of accounting, recently signed a contract with Prometheus Books for the publication of his book "Recognizing Opportunity: Engaging the Future©."

The majority of the research for the book was accomplished while Morris was on sabbatical from ENMU during the 2003-2004 academic year. According to their Web site, Prometheus is a leading publisher of non-fiction works in contemporary issues, history, religion, politics, philosophy, popular science, and critical thinking. Prometheus has more than 1,500 books in print and produces an average of 100 new titles a year. The publisher is located in New York.

The book is an interdisciplinary examination of opportunity, seeking to bring together insights on the elements of opportunity recognition from diverse arenas including: entrepreneurship, sociology, religion, history, business, law, criminology, philosophy, economics and psychology. Fourteen of the book’s fifteen chapters are complete and Morris expects to finish the project this summer. Release date for the book is expected to be sometime in 2006.

Willie Nelson to Appear in Concert at ENMU
by Wendel Sloan
Communication Services

Country singer Willie Nelson will appear in concert in the Campus Union Ballroom at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11. Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 2. The opening act will be Billy Joe Shaver.

The concert is standing-room only, with no chairs provided.

General admission tickets are $30 each, with a limit of six tickets per person. Tickets, if available, will be $35 on the day of the show.

Ticket can be purchased at the ENMU Bookstore, at Joe's Boot Shop in Clovis, by phone at 800.462.7979, or online at www.enmu.edu/concert.

Nelson, born in 1933 in Abbott, Texas, has recorded over 200 albums, appeared in several movies, been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and received the prestigious Kennedy Center honor for preemininent performing artists. He is also known for Farm Aid, an annual concert which raises money and awareness for American family farmers.

Nelson’s latest CD is “Milk Cow Blues.” It combines the talents of Nelson, an array of special guests, and the cream of the Austin, Texas, blues community. Guest stars include B.B. King, Dr. John, young singer-guitarist Susan Tedeschi, Keb' Mo', Francine Reed (who usually duets with Nelson's fellow Texan, Lyle Lovett), and blues prodigies Johnny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Legendary singer/songwriter Billy Joe Shaver will open the show. Shaver wrote all but one of the songs on Waylon Jennings' "Honk Tonk Heroes" album which started the outlaw stage of country music in the '70's. Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Billy Joe Shaver and David Allan Coe were considered the outlaws of country music. Shaver's songs have been recorded by Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, The Highwaymen, The Allman Brothers Band, Kris Kristofferson, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Ely, Robert Earl Keen, Johnny Rodriquez and many others.

For more information on the concert, call 505.562.2631.

Clarification About Student Tickets for Willie Nelson

The $22.50 student tickets for Willie Nelson are for ENMU students only. Student ID will be required at the gate for these tickets. Please do not purchase tickets for anyone who does not have a valid ENMU student ID. Additional tickets for non-ENMU students are $30. The Bookstore is only accepting cash payment for tickets. Tickets may be purchased online with credit cards. Online tickets purchased at $22.50 are also only for student use. If you have further questions, please call 562.2632 or 562.2631.

Eastern Awarded TRiO Student Support Services Grant
by Shelley Gilmore
Communication Services

Eastern New Mexico University has been awarded a TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) grant for 2005-2009. SSS, or the College Success Program (CSP) as it is known at Eastern, will bring $1,387,000 to Eastern over the next four years.

ENMU TRiO director Nico Cameron says, “We are delighted we have been granted this money so CSP can continue to serve at-risk students.”

The CSP program provides instruction in basic skills; tutorial services, academic, financial and personal counseling; assistance in securing admission and financial aid for enrollment for four years; assistance in securing admission and financial aid for enrollment in graduate and professional programs; information about career options, mentoring; and special services for students with limited English proficiency.

The U.S. Department of Education federally funded the TRIO and CSP programs to assist students graduate from college. Two-thirds of the students participating in the program’s activities must come from families with incomes under $24,000 and where neither parent graduated from college. First-generation or income-qualified students are the other third. Students with disabilities are also included in CSP.

A member of this first-generation, low-income, or disabled population nationwide has only an 8 percent chance of graduating from college while an individual from an upper income family (over $67,000) has a 79 percent change of earning a baccalaureate.

Ms. Cameron says, “Eastern has had this grant for 35 years, making it one of the longest-running programs at Eastern.”

While 70 percent of the student body meets the criteria for participation, CSP programs has been funded to actively serve 300 students per year who are academically at-risk. Frequently, these students had low ACT scores, less than a 2.35 high school GPA, have not been in school for five years, or have other indicators that make success difficult to achieve.

The CSP program at Eastern is contracted to work with 300 students. Most are freshman or students having problems that will keep them form succeeding academically. The Department of Education requires TRiO to submit an annual performance report every year. The 2003-2004 report include some highlights in which the average ACT score for the 300 participants was 17.21; the retention rate from the first year to the second year of eligible participants was 67 percent; 74 percent of the eligible participants were in good academic standing at the end of spring 2004; and 11 percent of the 1999 cohort graduated in four years.

The TRiO and CSP had a total of 693 students enrolled at ENMU last year and tracked an additional 120 students who were formerly enrolled at ENMU but had either planned to return to ENMU during the 2004-2005 academic year or who had transferred elsewhere to complete their degrees. Ms. Cameron feels that CSP has been very effective in helping its participants succeed in school.

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A Discussion with Alfie Kohn about Parenting
by Michael F. Shaughnessy and Douglas Main
Eastern New Mexico University

Alfie Kohn is a well-known author who writes and speaks widely on education, parenting, and human behavior. His tenth book, UNCONDITIONAL PARENTING: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason, has just been published. Among his others: PUNISHED BY REWARDS (1993), NO CONTEST: The Case Against Competition (1986), THE SCHOOLS OUR CHILDREN DESERVE (1999), and THE CASE AGAINST STANDARDIZED TESTING (2000). His books have been translated into Japanese, Korean, German, Swedish, Dutch, Portuguese, Hebrew, Thai, Malaysian, and Italian. For more information about his latest book, or to participate in an on-going discussion of parenting questions, log on to www.unconditionalparenting.com.

In this interview, he responds to questions and issues regarding parenting and his latest book.

1) Your latest book is about “unconditional parenting.” What prompted you to write about this topic?

I figured now that the whole education mess has finally been sorted out to everyone’s satisfaction, it was time to move on to a new topic.

But seriously. As the father of two children, ages 9 and 5, I’ve become increasingly frustrated by the quality of advice that’s offered to parents – and, more broadly, by the conventional wisdom about discipline and child development. I began to question the premises, to read the available research, and to think about how I might try to combine serious analysis with practical guidance.

2) What, in your mind, is wrong with “traditional parenting” (however one defines it)?

Most “how to” books and articles for parents bother me not only because the advice they offer tends not to work very well, but also because they’re fundamentally disrespectful to children. The basic question they’re trying to answer is, “How do we get kids to do whatever we want?” rather than, “What do kids need – and how do we meet those needs?” Even the newer, groovier approaches, with methods that seem less harsh, are still traditional deep down because the goal is still control. Whether it’s sugar-coated control, secured by saying “Good job!” when children obey you instead of by smacking them when they don't -- that's almost beside the point.

3) In today’s stressful society, it is more important than ever to “get kids to do what they are told.” How do we convince them of this, particularly in this age of sexual predators and child molesters?

I’m afraid I’m going to have to disagree with the premise of your question. What’s more important than ever is to help kids become independent thinkers who are committed to good values and have the ability to think critically about what they hear. Sure, most parents want their children to be assertive . . . with their peers. But to help kids cope with unpleasantness and threats out there, we have to welcome their independence and opposition in here – that is, at home. Children who are micromanaged by their parents, raised to do what they’re told and obey authority, will continue to do whatever they’re told, even when the people doing the telling aren’t us.

4) What DO kids need and what do parents need to actively DO to help them get their needs met in a socially acceptable manner?

First of all, it’s not enough for us to love our kids. What matters is how we love them. My book takes its title from the key insight that kids need to be loved unconditionally -- which is to say, for who they are rather than for what they do. They need to believe; deep down, that they don’t have to be well behaved or impressive in order for us to care about them. Even when they screw up or fall short, our love is undiminished. Sadly, much of what parents are encouraged to do has exactly the opposite effect. It leads kids to believe they have to earn our love, which is psychologically devastating.

Second, the way kids learn to make good decisions is by making decisions, not by following directions. To act in a way that’s socially acceptable, or that meets an even higher ethical standard, requires that children come to take responsibility, which they can’t learn if we’re insisting they conform to our standards and jump through our hoops. That’s why one of my favorite slogans for parents – and for teachers, incidentally – is “Talk less, ask more.”

5) A clean, neat, organized room is something that all parents want. Why is it so hard to convince children of this?

Well, I’d have to say the more important question is why it’s so hard to convince parents that the child needs a space to call his or her own, and that he or she should have some discretion about what to do with that space. This is a good example of how, when children don’t do what we tell them, our first step should be to consider whether the problem might be with what we’re telling them rather than with the child. We’re so focused on getting compliance that we’re unwilling to take a step back and rethink the reasonableness of our requests. That’s why there are so many books urging us to treat our children like pets, to bribe or threaten them – whatever it takes to make them clean the room. And that, in turn, explains why kids react with either excessive defiance (fighting back against our excessive control in order to reclaim their autonomy) or excessive compliance (losing a sense of who they are in a desperate effort to please us). The bottom line is that our relationship is more important than a clean room.

6) What is wrong with parents withholding their approval when a child misbehaves?

What’s wrong is that the cure (love withdrawal) is far worse than the disease (misbehavior). What’s wrong is that this tactic is rarely effective at stopping misbehavior over the long run and may even make it worse. What’s wrong is that withholding approval is a way of hurting rather than teaching. What’s wrong is that when children are made to feel unhappy, unsupported, and alone, it’s harder for us to get to the root of the problem, the cause of the misbehavior. What’s wrong is that it gets them so focused on their own needs (specifically, figuring out how to get Mom and Dad to love them) that they become less concerned about other people’s needs.

7) Do parenting styles differ by class, race, ethnicity? What do professionals need to know about this?

Yes, I review a fair amount of research on this in the Appendix to Unconditional Parenting. Descriptively, there is a wide variation across cultures and subcultures in the extent to which conformity is valued, and punishment, including physical punishment, is used to bring that about. Prescriptively, it appears that this orientation – and a focus on exercising authoritarian control over children -- is undesirable regardless of cultural context.

8) Much of your work has focused on the abuse of stars, bribes, candy, checks, smiley faces, scratch and sniff stickers and the like. What reinforcers are parents using that perhaps they should not use?

The problem isn’t with particular types of reinforcers. The problem is with the whole construct, the temptation to say, in effect, “Do this, and you’ll get that.” The problem is with behaviorism, a reduction of people to the actions we can see and measure, and the methods that emerge from that truncated theory, which amount to doing thing TO children instead of working WITH them.

In an earlier book (Punished by Rewards), I reviewed a boatload of research demonstrating that rewards, including verbal rewards, tend to reduce people’s intrinsic motivation. The more you reward kids for doing something, the more they come to lose interest in whatever they had to do to get the reward. (The type of reward is irrelevant, except that the more the child likes it, the more damage it ultimately does.) Thus, for example, we have two studies showing that children who are frequently rewarded or praised tend to be less generous and helpful than other kids – and the effect is most pronounced for the kids who were rewarded or praised for being generous or helpful. In the new book, I argue that there’s an additional problem with dangling goodies in front of kids: Positive reinforcement for behaving – along with love withdrawal (like time-outs) for misbehaving -- amounts to conditional parenting.

The more we praise them for doing what we want, the more desperate they become for the kind of love that doesn’t have to be earned.

9) Elisabeth Kubler Ross once said that parents send messages such as “If you grow up to be a lawyer or a dentist, I will love you, and if you grow up to be a doctor, then I will REALLY love you.” How do we get kids to really utilize their potential and abilities?

We can start by making sure that our children never get those messages from us. Erich Fromm put it this way: “Few parents have the courage and independence to care more for their children’s happiness than for their success.” Our love shouldn’t depend on doing well any more than it should depend on being good. In fact, it’s precisely when kids are struggling that they most need our support and encouragement. Whether WE think we love our children unconditionally isn’t important; what matters is whether the kids agree – or whether, by contrast, they feel as though our affection rises and falls in response to how well they’re doing at school, at sports, or at anything else we value. It’s when they know that our love is a given that kids feel freer to take chances and throw themselves into activities they love. To oversimplify a bit: Excellence comes from interest, interest comes from freedom, and freedom comes from not having to worry about whether failing will cause your parents to pull away.

10) How do you best reason with children when they want immediate gratification and have low frustration tolerance?

You’ve just offered an excellent description of the style of parenting we need to avoid – a low tolerance for being frustrated by children’s needs and a need for kids to comply with our demands immediately. The issue I struggle with is how best to reason with grown-ups who bring that impatience – or that need for control – to their parenting.

With kids, we need to be patient and recognize developmental limitations for what they are. Of course a preschooler has trouble waiting until tomorrow, or even until supper. It’s heartbreaking to see parents cracking down on little kids for being little kids. All we can do is offer gentle guidance, sympathize with them, and accommodate them whenever possible. They don’t need us to say “no” unnecessarily just to teach them to deal with frustration, that’s for sure. They have plenty of frustrations without our adding more. People don’t get better at coping with unhappiness because they were deliberately made unhappy when they were young.

ENMU Debaters Recognized at National Tournament

Eastern New Mexcio University debaters were recently recognized at the 20th Cross Examination Debate Association National Tournament in San Francisco, Calif. Thomas Howard was honored as an All-American and Joshua Wilson as an Academic All-American.

Howard was recognized for his consistent excellence in debate, his willingness to be of service to his team and university community, and his potential as a future competitor.

Wilson was recognized for his service to his debate team, his willingness to accept a position on a varsity team in second semester of competition, his excellent novice record (20-2 in the Novice Division with three tournament wins) and his excellent academic performance in his first semester of college.

Previous honorees are Darrick Matthews, who in 2004 was recognized a CEDA All-American for his service to his university community and perseverance in debate spite of dyslexia, Scott Fuqua, Matthew Barreto and John Foy.

The Cross Examination Debate Association has recognized outstanding individuals for their academic achievements and dedication for forensic competition since the mid 1970’s.

International Banquet Set for Friday, April 15
by Oscar Hua Wen
Communication Services

Eastern New Mexico University will host its annual International Banquet at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 15, in the Campus Union Ballroom.

The theme for this year's banquet is "A journey around the world," according to Rosa Zamora, director of International Affairs at Eastern.

About nine countries will be represented: Cameroon, China, Ghana, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Mocorro, Romania and Saudi Arabia.

Performances will include a dance from Cameroon, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, India and BIDA, variety music numbers from China, and ENMU's Ballet Folklorico to represent Mexico, said Zamora. Other talents will contribute to the fashion show, such as guitar playing.

Food styles will come from Chinese, Cameroon and Indian.

The price of the Banquet is $15 per person. To RSVP, contact Diana Cordova at 562.4914.

The Seagull Soars onto ENMU Campus, April 13-16
by Stacy Allen
College of Fine Arts

The Seagull, a comedy overflowing with love triangles, was written by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov in 1896. Set by a magic lake in the countryside of Russia, The Seagull is in four acts: the first three occur within a week while the last takes place two years later. The Seagull is an interesting play for it has many symbolic images woven into the various love affairs.

Chekhov loved to write sketches so The Seagull, like many of his plays, deals with a variety of characters and a scattered plot. One plot includes a young playwright named Constantine Treplev, played by Ryan Jason Cook. Constantine’s mother, Madame Arkadina, is a famous actress who is having a love affair with the author Boris Trigorin, played by Antonio Delgado. Things get complicated whenever Constantine’s love, a young and naïve actress named Nina, is seduced by Trigorin. Many more characters exist in The Seagull, guaranteeing fun for all who take the time to enjoy the play.

Ryan Jason Cook and Antonio Delgado are graduating seniors who are using The Seagull as their senior projects.

Directed by Anne Beck, The Seagull will be presented at the University Theatre on April 13-16 at 8 p.m. Admission is five dollars.

For more information, call the Theatre Box Office at 562.2710.

Planning Ahead for Future Fine Arts Events

"The Seagull"
April 13-16, 8 p.m., University Theatre Center, Studio
Contact: Anne Beck 505.562.2711
Admission: $3

The Darren Feldberg Violin Recital scheduled for Monday, April 18, at 7 p.m. in Buchanan Hall has been cancelled.

ASAB Presents Music Madness Featuring 'Full Blown Rose' on April 13

The Associated Students Activities Board will present "Full Blown Rose" at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, in the Campus Union Ballroom as part of Music Madness during Spring Fling. The concert is free and open to the public.

"Full Blown Rose" performs the theme song to Fox's "Tru Calling," songs in "The Seed of Chucky" (newest of the "Chucky" series), and music on the upcoming "Elektra" soundtrack (the follow up to the film "Daredevil").

Their music video has also been played on national television, and they have performed with groups such as "Puddle of Mud," "The Offspring," "Papa Roach," "Lit," and the "Kotton Mouth Kings."

Music Madness

Music Madness is similar to a battle of the bands with a few twists to keep it exciting. It is an annual event put on by the Associated Students Activities Board (ASAB). The bands must contain at least one ENMU student and be chosen by ASAB to perform. ASAB is happy to get such a high profile band as "Full Blown rose" to host this year’s event. They will also judge the competition.

Any students that wish to perform should contact Shem Peachey or Jeff Blake at 562.2242 or bring a demo and bio to Room 104 in the Campus Union Building.

ENMU Has Ballet Folklorical Dance Group
by Oscar Hua Wen
Communication Services

Eastern New Mexico University has new members in its Ballet Folklorico de Danza Aztlan (BIDA) dance group.

"They are beginners, but they learn very fast," said Martha Lemus, coordinator of BIDA. The dance group has approximately 10 to 15
people. Members come from university students, the faculty and outside community, said Nancy Varelas, director of Hispanic Affairs at ENMU.

"There are no professional skills required when joining this group. We invite all people who are interested in it to join us," said Ms.
Varelas.

BIDA was established two years ago, according to Ms. Varelas. "The main purpose of this group is to promote Hispanic culture and traditions," she said. "We perform Mexican and Hispanic dances, including every Hispanic country and tradition."

The outfit for this kind of dance is an interesting point of the Hispanic culture. "The dress will be different depending on what state we are representing in a particular performance," Ms. Varelas said. "Even very simple dresses have their meaning. And every step or
movement of one kind of dance will present something of its own specific culture. The group performs at every opportunity. It is a small group, but it's growing."

For more information, call Diana Cordova at 562.4914.
(photo by Lavonda Franco)

ENMU Video Airing on Amarillo TV Stations

A video promoting ENMU as part of a program called "Touring Your Future" is scheduled for the following airdates on Amarillo TV stations: (all airings are Central Time) KAMR – April 30 at 12 noon; KCIT – April 23 at 1p.m.; KCPN – April 22 at 7p.m. Future airings will be aded.

Call Goes Out for Entries in First Communication Festival at ENMU
by Helena Rodriguez
Graduation Assistant in Communications

Eastern New Mexico University and Clovis Community College students have an opportunity to have their writing, video, photography and design work recognized during the first annual Communication Festival at ENMU on May 5-6.

Entries are now being taken for the first-year, two-day event which will feature receptions, exhibits, a video festival and an awards ceremony to recognize all student winners in each category. All ENMU and CCC students are eligible to enter any work that has been produced during their college studies. The work can be published or unpublished.

Entry forms and guidelines are available in the ENMU Department of Communicative Arts and Sciences, Room #177 in the College of Business. Students may enter one time in each category. There is no entry fee. The entry deadline is at 5 p.m. on April 29.

All entries will be judged by a panel consisting of students, faculty, professionals in the field and community members. Judges will evaluate each entry and supply students with written feedback on all works submitted.

The inaugural Communication Festival is being planned by students in Dr. Janet Roehl’s Public Relations Cases and Campaigns class at ENMU. Graduate students Helena Rodriguez and Trista Penhey are serving as the project managers. The ENMU Student Film festival, which has been held on campus for many years, will now be a part of the annual Communication Festival. The goal of the communication department at ENMU is to expand the Communication Festival every year to eventually make the festival a regional event which will include high school and college-level onsite competitions, much like the ENMU Drama Festival, and speech and debate tournaments.

For more information contact, Ms. Rodriguez at 562.3873.

Annual Foundation Banquet Honors Two Retired ENMU-Roswell Instructors
Story and photo by Donna Gutierrez
ENMU-Roswell

Two of ENMU-Roswell’s retired instructors, Clara Mae Smith and Eloise Blake, were the guests of honor at the Fourth Annual Foundation for the Future banquet, hosted by the Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Foundation on Tuesday, April 5 at the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art. The annual dinner gives the foundation an opportunity to publicly recognize and thank those who have helped the university to move forward. ‘Harris Awards for Distinguished Service to ENMU-Roswell’ were presented to Blake and Smith, who both have demonstrated a long history of community service and support for the university. Roswell Mayor, Bill Owen, was the keynote speaker at the banquet.

Blake began her career at ENMU-Roswell as a nursing instructor in 1974. She was appointed to Chair of the Division of Health and Director of the Nursing Program in 1988. She also taught Psychiatric Nursing until 1998, when she began devoting her full time to the Health Division Chair position. Blake retired from ENMU-Roswell in June 1999. She remains an active supporter of ENMU-Roswell, assisting with various projects and campaigns

Blake became an R.N. at the School of Nursing, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1955. She studied Neurological Nursing in 1957 at McGill University, Montreal Neurological Institute. She attended the University of Pennsylvania from 1957 to 1959 and received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Delaware in 1969. She received an M.A. in Psychology from ENMU in 1978 and an M.S. in Nursing from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1987. Blake also has extensive military background. She began serving in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps Reserve in 1965 and retired in 1994 as a Colonel, during which time she served five years on the Advisory Council to the Army Surgeon General.

Blake has received numerous military commendations and is a member of a number of professional, military, and community organizations. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Eastern New Mexico Medical Center. She is also a CASA volunteer and a New Mexico Ambassador for the Chief of the Army Reserve.

Smith began teaching Communication and Theatre at ENMU-Roswell in 1965. She received her bachelor’s degree in Speech/Drama from Southwestern University in 1950 and a master’s degree in Communication from ENMU in 1977. She also completed graduate work through the Speech Communication Association and ENMU. While on campus, Smith held a number of offices, including Faculty Senate President, Theatre Director, and Chair of the Faculty Evaluation Committee. She has presented workshops for students in the RISD and made community presentations on topics such as Organizational Communication. Smith received the Kosa Award in 1989-90 and the ENMU Spirit of Eastern Award in 1997. She was named to “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” in 1992 and 1996. She retired from ENMU-Roswell in June 1999, but has remained a strong supporter of the campus, working on numerous bond issue and mill levy election committees.

Smith is also very active in the community and serves on the Roswell Symphony Board and the ENMU-Roswell Foundation. She is a member of First United Methodist Church and sings in the Senior Choir, the Silver Chords, and in the main church choir. She is a life member and remains active in the Roswell Woman’s Club and Chapter K of PEO, where she is Past President. Smith is a member of the Social Order of the Beauceant, where she serves as Director of Music and has served two terms as President. Smith is a life member and was also Grand Marshal of New Mexico for the Order of Eastern Star. Smith and her husband, Frank, have three children, Terry, Douglas, and Jeffrey. They also have one son in-law, two daughters in-law, and six grandchildren.

Bob Cates, Foundation president, presented a special Staff Recognition Foundation Merit Award for Excellence to Trish Jones, Technician II at ENMU-Roswell. Three scholarships-- the Nancy Breeden Memorial Scholarship, the Earl Ray Phelps Memorial Scholarship and the Wilbur Shackelford Memorial Scholarship--were presented to deserving students: Sonya Andazola, Lance Kloefkorn, and Daniel Rodriguez.

Domestic Violence Summit to be Held at ENMU-Roswell
by Donna Gutierrez
ENMU-Roswell

The Domestic Violence Project, a three-month community awareness campaign, will host a panel of national, state, regional, and local leaders and domestic violence professionals to discuss the state of domestic violence in Southeast New Mexico. The event is open to the public and will be held Tuesday, April 26, at 3 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at ENMU-Roswell.

The summit will offer discussion about domestic violence law in New Mexico and victim services in Chaves County. The goal of the summit is to enhance public education of general domestic violence issues in our area.

The panel of leaders and domestic violence professionals expected to participate include Roswell Mayor Bill Owen, Roswell Police Chief John Balderston, and representatives from other organizations: Homeland Security, New Mexico State Legislature, Chaves County Commission, Children, Youth and Families Department, Roswell Refuge, Counseling Associates, Legal Aid, Chaves County CASA, and many others.

For more information regarding, contact Joseph Flores at 624.7206.

Read the April Issue of 'The Grapevine' from ENMU-Roswell – [read]

General Comments and Compliments

A special thank you to Don Elder for having names and numbers put on two sets of jersies for the noon-time hoopsters in preparation for their upcoming annual battle against ENMU-Roswell.

Merlene Olmsted Shares Example of Generosity of ENMU Students – "Our annual state meeting for the New Mexico Association of Family and Consumer Sciences was held in Las Cruces on April 7 and 8. We took a total of 17 FCS students to this meeting. At the meeting a number of very nice gifts were made available through silent auctions, raffles and drawings. Two items in which our students were particularly interested were (1) a certificate to pay for the professional, nationally normed Family and Consumer Sciences exam (worth $115). Our students are particularly interested in this as our department uses this as an exit exam required of all graduating seniors. (2) A beautiful zirconia diamond pendant.

"Prior to when the final drawings would take place, the ENMU students decided that if any of our group were to win either the certificate or the diamond, they would donate the gift to the ENMU FCS student organization as a fundraiser to help FCS students at Eastern. And, amazingly, both of these items were drawn by ENMU FCS students. Then, as a ripple effect, the FCS professional who won a zirconia diamond ring decided to donate her diamond ring also to the ENMU student group. Rita Estrada and Jamey Gallegos were the two ENMU students who spearheaded this idea; through their leadership and altruistic attitude, they were able to persuade the rest of the ENMU students to be willing to make this donation.

I am so glad for this type of non-competitive, spirit-filled generosity of ENMU students." – Merlene Olmsted

Don't Forget!

The Spirit of Eastern Awards ceremony is at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, in the University Theatre. Refreshments will be served before the ceremony.

Quote of the Week

""It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." – Upton Sinclair

Employee Briefs

Trio Encantada, featuring Tracy Carr, oboe; Jeanie Ornellas, lyric soprano; and Mark Dal Porto, pianist and composer, spent their spring break performing at the University of Colorado, Denver and at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The faculty ensemble also has been invited to perform at the International Double Reed Society, June 4-8, at the University of Texas at Austin and at the College Music Society International Conference, June 13-17, in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain.

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Dr. Mark Dal Porto, associate professor of music, had his biography selected for inclusion on April 4 in the “International Who’s Who Historical Society” publication.

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Communication Services won two awards at the District IV Conference of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in Houston, Texas, on April 2-6.

“Eastern Magazine” won a “Special Award/Pewter” in the category of university magazines. Its staff includes executive editor Ronnie Birdsong, graphic artist Dave Ortega, editor Wendel Sloan, and supervising editor Jennifer Poyer. Other winners in the category included Texas State University San Marcos, Abilene Christian University, and Northeastern State University (Oklahoma).

Wendel Sloan, director of Media Relations, won an “Achievement Award/Bronze” for feature writing for an article in “New Mexico Magazine” on world-renowned science fiction writer and retired ENMU professor Jack Williamson. Other winners in the category included Abilene Christian University, Louisiana State University and Texas A&M University.

Ronnie Birdsong served as track chair for Marketing and Janice Cowen chaired Evaluations. Adam Morrison was selected as Webmaster for next year's conference in New Orleans.

District IV of CASE includes all member universities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mexico, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Candid Camera

Goodbye to Sigrid (photo by Marc Schoder)

Goodbye to Sigrid – Former presidential secretary Alma Lyle Bilberry drove in all the way from Elida to wish retiring Academic Affairs secretary (right) Sigrid Jonsson bon voyage at Sigrid's recent retirement reception in the SAS atrium.

Nice Turnout for Sigrid's Farewell (photo by Marc Schoder)

And for the free food...

Alumni Reception in Houston (photo by Jillian Butler)

Bringing a Taste of Home to Big City – ENMU recently hosted an Alumni Reception for ENMU graduates living in the Houston area. Staff members from ENMU included President Gamble, Ronnie Birdsong, Janice Cowen and Adam Morrison.

(photo by Wendel Sloan)

(photo by Wendel Sloan)

(photo by Wendel Sloan)

Photographer Thought They Were Bluebonnets (photo by Wendel Sloan)

But They Were Just Weeds – The Monday Memo photographer spotted these "flowers" behind Lincoln Hall this weekend and thought they might be bluebonnets, but James Chacon informed him that they are nothing but nasty old weeds.

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The Monday Memo is published by the Office of Communication Services Editor Wendel Sloan Monday.memo@enmu.edu 505.562.2253 Staff Writers Marc Schoder Shelley Gilmore Helen Carroll Oscar Hua Wen Staff Photographer TBA ENMU-Roswell Contributing Editor Donna Gutierrez ENMU-Ruidoso Contributing Editor Michael Elrod Technical Support ENMU Web Team