WSU Spokane Campus Bulletin
Issue 2005-21 (December 21, 2005)


IN THIS ISSUE

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Students Present Designs for New Inland Northwest Natural Resource Education Center

As part of the Interdisciplinary Design Institute’s focus on people and place, design history, and service-learning, students in architecture, interior design and landscape architecture undertake a number of real-world community design projects each year.

In a recent design studio led by Suzanne Snowdon, three groups of six students from various design disciplines worked on the development of a concept for an Inland Northwest Natural Resource Education Center proposed for Peone Prairie.

The purpose of the proposed facility is to increase awareness of agriculture, forestry, wildlife, and water resource management; offer opportunities for education and practical experience for schools and colleges; provide a location for urban youth to complete livestock, crop, and natural resource projects, and provide a location for community-supported agriculture projects.

On Monday, December 12, the groups presented their designs to an audience that included five representatives from the Northwest Natural Resources Institute, which organized the project, and other steering committee members from the Ag Bureau of the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce, Community Colleges of Spokane, Spokane County Conservation District, Spokane County, and WSU Extension.

All three groups presented well-researched, innovative designs. Following the presentation, one group—Outlook Design—was invited to do a 30-minute presentation to the Ag Bureau of the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce in February.

Consisting of Nicole Witham, Christina Shawcroft, Kirsti Ferneding, Heidi Kachele, Colin Anderson and Yuko Kawaguchi (at left, from left to right), Outlook Design presented a concept that incorporated various sustainable techniques and the region’s cultural and natural history in a three-phase design. The first phase would consist of an education center, barn, and shop, with an opportunity to add a greenhouse, arena, shed, and caretaker house in subsequent phases.

Referring to an old Native American quote that “we do not inherit the earth from our parents; we borrow it from our children,” Outlook Design emphasized the use of sustainable materials and techniques, as well as minimal site disturbance. Sustainable features in their design include a bioswale, grass-paved areas, a green roof, an efficient masonry heater, and a geothermal heat pump. Interpretive trails highlight the natural, cultural, and historical aspects of the area. Outlook Design also incorporated revenue-generating opportunities into the design, including a gift shop and a kitchen and dining area that could be used for special events.

David Bauermeister, executive director of the Northwest Natural Resources Institute, was pleased with the results. “These presentations met a level of professionalism that all three groups should be proud of. I believe elements of each design group will be utilized as the project moves forward. We are fortunate to have this resource available in our community,” he said.

The stakeholders participating in the Inland Northwest Natural Resource Education Center will be having a planning session in early 2006. During the session, the student projects will be reviewed and a preliminary design for the project will be created that will be based on components from all three student projects. At that time, the mission and goals for the project will also be further articulated, and a timetable for implementation of the project will be discussed. Return to the Top of the Page


WSU Spokane Prof Named Community Pharmacist of the Year

Brenda Bray, clinical assistant professor of pharmacotherapy at Washington State University’s Spokane campus, was named the Community Pharmacist of the Year for 2005 by the Spokane Pharmacists Association. The award, presented at the organization’s annual banquet on November 28, cited Bray's contributions in teaching, as well as in practice in both community and hospital settings.

Bray serves as the primary instructor and coordinator for the third-year Pharmaceutical Care Lab, where students in the Doctor of Pharmacy program learn hands-on professional pharmacy skills. She is also involved with early practice experience, in which students gain pharmacy experience in the local health care system.

In addition to her work at WSU Spokane, Bray, a licensed pharmacist, works as an on-call staff pharmacist at Group Health Cooperative and Shriners Hospital for Children.

Those nominating her for the honor wrote, “Brenda is absolutely dedicated to preparing our student pharmacists to be competent, well-prepared pharmacists. Her past experiences and current expertise bring a real-world perspective to each student. In addition, she extensively networks with various pharmacy practitioners in our community to assist with enhancing the student's learning not only in the practice lab on campus, but also via experiential learning in the community. Though her personal practice sites vary, her impact on community pharmacy is immeasurable.”

Larry Cohen, chair of the WSU Department of Pharmacotherapy, said, “Brenda is one of the hardest working, most dedicated members of our department. She has done an outstanding job with the Spokane Pharmaceutical Care Lab, early practice experience, critical thinking papers and other activities. She also has developed working relationships with a variety of community-based programs for the benefit of our students’ experience.”

WSU Researcher Explores Growing Use of Herbal Medicine

Do you feel a cold coming up? Take some Echinacea! Ginseng might help you battle physical and mental fatigue. And if you’re feeling blue, St. John’s Wort could get you smiling again. These are just a few of a wide range of available products that claim the ability to cure common ailments in a natural way.

Jae KennedyWhether or not you believe in their healing powers, a growing number of Americans regularly use herbal products and dietary supplements to maintain or improve their health and treat a variety of medical conditions, says Jae Kennedy, associate professor of health policy and administration at WSU Spokane.

Kennedy recently published "Herb and Supplement Use in the U.S. Adult Population" in the November 2005 issue of Clinical Therapeutics. Based on data from the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) supplement to the National Center for Health Statistics’ 2002 National Health Interview Survey, the study provides the first detailed national profile of the most commonly used types of CAM. The article also discusses reasons for use and the perceived efficacy of herbal products and dietary supplements.

Based on his findings, Kennedy estimates that 38.2 million adults in the U.S. used one or more herbs or dietary supplements in the preceding year. Representing 18.9 percent of the population, this is nearly double the rate (9.6 percent) reported in 1999. The most commonly used product is Echinacea, followed by ginseng, ginkgo biloba, and garlic supplements.

Examining the sociodemographic characteristics of the survey participants, Kennedy found that use rates were significantly higher among women, middle-aged adults, college graduates, and residents of the western United States. Differences between racial and ethnic minority groups also existed, with multiracial adults, Asians, and Native Americans reporting a higher rate of use than other ethnicities.

One of the study results that has Kennedy concerned is the fact that only a third of those using herbs and dietary supplement informed a physician about their treatment decision. “Most users take herbs with good safety profiles, either for general health and well-being or to treat relatively minor and transient conditions. However, those who use herbal supplements in conjunction with prescription or over-the-counter medications may be at risk for serious drug interactions and complications,” he said.

Kennedy called for increasing communication about herbal and natural products between patients and their physicians. “Physicians and other health professionals should be aware that herb use is now widespread, and they should understand how herbs may influence conventional treatment regimens," he said. He also suggested that future research assessed the role of pharmacists in educating patients about the risks and benefits of herbal medicines. Return to the Top of the Page


Designs by WSU Spokane Students Selected for Habitat for Humanity “Green Home”

Students at the Interdisciplinary Design Institute at Washington State University Spokane have completed designs for the first-ever sustainable green Spokane home for Habitat for Humanity, and the winning designs have been selected in a juried competition.

A home to be constructed at a site on Union was designed by Carson Schultz, architecture student, and interior design students Anna Robbins, Anna Brayton, and Jennifer Frost. Habitat for Humanity plans to construct the house during the next few months, using primarily student labor.

A second design was selected for future consideration on a site on Hatch; the house was designed by interior design students Angela Reeves, Lindsay Mellum, and Adrianne Serroels, and architecture student Celeste Isensee.

Both designs selected incorporate straw-bale construction techniques, thus utilizing a locally grown agricultural byproduct.

Habitat for Humanity hopes to recruit students, faculty, staff, and alumni of WSU to participate in construction of the project. For information on volunteering, contact Habitat for Humanity Spokane, 534-2552, ext. 21.


Serving Native American Communities through Speech-Language Pathology

For nearly 20 years, the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences’ Native Americans in Communications Disorders program has helped relieve the critical shortage of qualified individuals to provide speech, language, and hearing services to Native Americans, promoting the university’s values of community service and multiculturalism.

Communication disorders are much more prevalent in the Native American population—5 to 15 times more, according to one estimate—than in the US population in general. Yet, only a fraction of those Native American individuals who are affected receive adequate services for speech-language impairments. Adding to the extent of the problem are the increasing Native American population and the regional and national shortages of speech-language pathologists.

The quality of service delivery to Native American communities is a particular problem. “Native American children and adults often receive services not adequately accounting for cultural characteristics,” said Ella Inglebret, assistant professor and director of Native Americans in Communications Disorders program. As an example, she mentioned that cultural differences in communication are sometimes mistaken for communication disorders, threatening the success of the educational process.

In addition to providing Native American students with the educational and social support necessary for professional preparation as speech-language pathologists, the Native Americans in Communications Disorders program prepares non-native American students to work in diverse cultural settings.

A. Noelle PhillipsThe Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences has received much recognition for its efforts to recruit and retain Native American students. They were the only academic unit invited to participate in last month’s Multicultural Student Retention Summit, which was sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Student Services, Student Affairs, and the Office of Equity and Diversity.

The department was also prominently featured in the November 29 issue of The ASHA Leader, the publication of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The issue, which focused on multiculturalism, contained a front-page article by Inglebret on the university’s and the department’s efforts to build connections with Northwest Native American Tribes. A. Noelle Phillips, an Alaska Native currently enrolled in the department’s graduate program, also contributed an article describing her perspective on service delivery to Native communities.

The most important measure of the department’s success may just be the high percentage of Native American speech-language pathologists who received their degree from WSU—close to 6% of those practicing nationwide and 27% of those in the Northwest. Return to the Top of the Page


WSU Veterinary College Featured on Animal Planet Network

Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine will be featured on December 22 and 23 programs on the Animal Planet Network.

On Thursday, December 22, at 7 p.m. PST, Steve “The Crocodile Hunter” Irwin showcases WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine in his new series “New Breed Vets.” The show will feature several internationally recognized clinical care and research programs at the college.

Declaring WSU as one of the “greatest in the world” for its research and dedication to helping animals, Irwin highlights:

  • Dr. Claude Ragle and a team of staff and veterinary students using the equine treadmill and a flexible scope to examine a thoroughbred racehorse’s airway for breathing problems while the animal is running at full speed.
     
  • Dr. Kelly Farnsworth and his team of staff and veterinary students anesthetizing a quarter horse for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. WSU’s medical imaging team discovers a problem in the horse’s foot causing chronic lameness.
     
  • Dr. Erik Stauber and his staff joining WSU’s medical imaging team to examine a broken wing on a bald eagle with the college’s MRI. Multiple fractures are revealed that place the bird’s return to the wild in jeopardy.
     
  • Drs. Lynne Nelson and Charlie Robbins taking Irwin into the den of sleeping grizzly bears to examine their remarkable heart function during hibernation. Robbins, his students and staff, and the bears are part of WSU’s College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Resource Sciences.

On Friday December 23, at 6 p.m. PST, “The Animal Planet Report” on the same network will feature Dr. Nickol Finch releasing a bald eagle back to the wild near Kettle Falls, Wash. The bird had been found by rafters and local residents; it was unable to fly and had been mauled by a dog before coming to WSU’s veterinary teaching hospital for care.

Times and channels for the broadcasts vary with cable and satellite service providers, so viewers are reminded to check local listings.


WSU Spokane Pharmacy Students Help Make Sense of Medicare Part D

Students in Washington State University’s doctor of pharmacy program stand ready to help seniors and others who qualify for Medicare Part D, along with their family members, sort out their options for prescription benefits. From December 20 to January 6, student volunteers at the Spokane campus will review prescriptions and utilize the official Medicare Web site to develop comparisons of the top plans that cover an individual’s current medications.

The half-hour appointments will generally be available 9 a.m.- 3 p.m., in the computer lab of the Health Sciences Building on the Riverpoint campus, 310 N. Riverpoint Blvd. To make an appointment, call student organizer Cris Duvall, 509-389-9922. Clients need to bring a list of their current prescriptions.

“People who don’t have access to a computer, or who don’t want to wait two hours on hold when they call the 800 number, can come to us for help in seeing what plans will meet their needs,” said student organizer Cris DuVall. “It’s important for them to act as soon as possible to get coverage established, since their current coverage may run out at the end of December.”

DuVall added that the students are not selling any plans, and will not sign anyone up for anything. Clients will receive a printout comparing up to three plans at a time that they can take away and study before reaching a final decision.

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Celebrating the Season—Pictures from the Riverpoint Holiday Party

Piano music by Melissa Ahern, delicious David's pizza, and a West African drumming performance by Kumba provided the setting for the Riverpoint Holiday Party on Friday, December 9. Organized by the Area Health Education Center, the party was enjoyed by more than 80 employees, spouses, children, and guests, many of whom returned home with one of the baskets filled with sumptuous goodies that were put up for raffle by the different campus departments. At the end of the evening, honoring holiday party tradition, chancellor Brian Pitcher handed over "the purple tennis shoes" to the Interdisciplinary Design Institute, putting them in charge of organizing next year's holiday party.

New Campus Map Available

For your convenience, an updated Riverpoint Campus map that includes the latest building additions is available online. Please use it in place of any other maps that may currently be linked to your Web site, to help direct visitors to campus, and so on.

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Community Connections

  • WSU vs Arizona Men's Basketball Pre-Game Event—Join the Alumni Association for food, fun, no-host beverages, door prizes, and special guests from WSU Athletics on Thursday, December 29, 2005, at 5 p.m. (game time is 7 p.m.) Spokane Arena, Les Schwab Room, 720 W. Mallon, Spokane.Tickets for the pre-game event are $25 each, or $22 for Alumni Association members. This does not include the game ticket. All net proceeds benefit the Student-Athlete Scholarship Fund at WSU. Please RSVP to Lori Olson at 509-358-7541 by December 22 to secure a spot.
     
  • Chat with the Superintendent—The first Tuesday of every month, Spokane Public Schools Superintendent Brian Benzel hosts an online chat. The public is invited to submit questions at any time by going to their Web site and clicking on “Interview with the Superintendent.” Dr. Benzel will answer questions from 12 to 1 p.m.
     
  • The Spokane Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Needs Volunteers!—The Spokane Ronald McDonald Care Mobile (RMCM) is seeking immediate dentists and dental volunteers to perform preventative dental screening exams and minor restorative treatment half or full days once a month (or more) for 2006. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering their time, please contact the RMCM Manager Chris Riebe at (509) 324-7217 or program coordinator Julie Shapori at (509) 324-7291.

    Interested individuals are invited to attend a January 6 Open House to learn more about the RMCM, tour the dental and health portions of the vehicle, obtain volunteer paperwork, meet other volunteers and visit with the RMCM staff. The event will be held from 9-11 a.m., at the WSU ICN campus located at 2917 W. Fort George Wright Drive, Spokane.

    From July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005 the RMCM had 1,723 medical and dental visits providing more than $173,000 of health-related services. Dental screenings and preventative exams were provided to 278 children; additionally, 143 children had fluoride applied by WSU ICN family nurse practitioners, totaling 421 dental-related visits.

  • Emerging Growth and Innovation Series—Connect Northwest in partnership with Washington State University and Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute presents the Emerging Growth and Innovation Series: “Healthcare and Biomedical Research” featuring Dr. Lura Powell, chair of the Washington State Life Sciences Discovery Fund on January 12, 2006 from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the new SIRTI Technology Center. Admission is $20 and includes hors d’oeuvres and beverages at their quarterly networking event, held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

    This series features industry-specific trends, emerging technologies, and leading-edge research and is designed to build strategic relationships among institutions, capital providers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs. Please join us as we hear from industry and technology experts, venture capitalists, researchers, and business leaders on the topic of health care and biomedical research. For more information and to register, visit their Web site. Return to the Top of the Page

Campus Bulletin Holiday Schedule

The Campus Bulletin will be published on a holiday schedule through mid-January. Look for the next issue on January 11. As usual, the deadline for contributing (much-appreciated!) stories and photos is Friday, the week before publication.

Personnel & Staffing Changes

Goings:

  • Darlene Septelka, Assistant Professor, Construction, effective 12/16/05
  • Dan Stewart, Assistant Professor, Professional Development, effective 12/31/05

Searches:

  • Research Associate/Research Scientist, Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research & Training, review of applications has begun
  • Assistant/Associate Professor, WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing, review of applications began 10/01/05
  • Associate Professor/Associate Dean, WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing, review of applications began 10/01/05
  • Assistant/Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, review of applications began 10/15/05
  • Clinic Services Manager, WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing People's Clinic, review of applications began 10/21/05
  • Events Manager, Campus Advancement, review of applications began 11/21/05
  • Assistant/Associate Professor, Architecture, review of applications begins 1/1/06 
  • Business Development Specialist, Small Business Development Center in Yakima, review of applications begins 1/16/06
  • Assistant Professor, Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, review of applications begins 1/17/06
  • Clinical Assistant Professor (three positions, two in Spokane, one in Yakima), Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, review of applications begins 1/17/06
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Way to Go!

“All of us at EWAHEC would like to express our gratefulness to all of the Riverpoint Holiday Party guests who pitched in to help put tables and chairs away and clean up following the party! You folks are absolutely great!” (from Charlotte Hardt)

Here's where you make someone's day a little brighter by extending your thanks for a job well done. Send your “Way to Go!” comments to Laura Scholtens, scholtens@wsu.edu, and watch for your thanks to be published in an upcoming issue of the Campus Bulletin!

Find It on the Web

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The Bulletin is usually published on Wednesday biweekly during the academic year, every three weeks during breaks and summer session. the exact publication date may shift due to holidays. If you have an item that you'd like us to include, send it to us by Friday in the week before publication.
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The Bulletin covers news of interest to the faculty, staff, and friends of Washington State University Spokane, and associates on other WSU campuses and on the Riverpoint Campus.

Regular columns cover professional accomplishments, opportunities for involvement in the campus community and the Spokane community, notices of new developments on campus, upcoming events, personnel changes, and other news.

The Bulletin also serves as a source of information for external communications directed to alumni, future and current students, and friends of Washington State University Spokane. You'll read it here first!

Subscribers welcome! Send an e-mail to Judith Van Dongen, jcvd@wsu.edu, to request the WSU Spokane Campus Bulletin.

Editorial staff