WSU Spokane Campus Bulletin
Issue 2005-18 (November 2, 2005)


IN THIS ISSUE

Underline

Can Design Professionals Play a Role in Promoting Health?

“Absolutely,” would be the response from anyone who attended the Design Institute’s annual Design Research Focus Week, held October 17 through 20.

Through lectures, presentations, and other events, the week fostered a dialogue about health and the built environment. Supported by WSU’s Office of Research, the week aimed to demonstrate the relationship of research and practice in the design process and increase the interaction between the design and health sciences disciplines.

One of the highlights of the week’s events was a keynote lecture by Dr. Richard Jackson, professor of environmental health at the University of California, Berkeley, former public health officer for California, and former director of the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health. Dr. Jackson delivered his lecture, “Creating America’s Future—Good jobs, good food, safe homes, safe neighborhoods, short commutes, and real vitality,” to students from the Spokane and Pullman campuses, faculty, staff, and members of the community.

In his lecture, Dr. Jackson discussed trends that have been adversely affecting Americans’ health, including urban sprawl; the “supersizing” of food and drinks, homes, vehicles, and schools; and longer commutes. Emphasizing the need to design and build healthy places, he identified two lessons that can be learned from famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted: First, architects, planners, and builders shape health profoundly and for generations; and second, decision makers in the built environment must hear from health advocates.

The week also featured a charrette challenge for students, who used the inspiration they got from the events to design a community facility for the North Hill neighborhood. The Honor Award went to the team that conceptualized Park to Park, a connection between Franklin and Clark Parks that would provide the neighborhood with a resource for physical activity and inspire community involvement.

The charrette designs will be on display in the Gallery of the Phase 1 Classroom Building through Wednesday, November 9.

At left: Students participating in the charrette challenge during Design Research Focus Week.

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Sleep Scientist Expands WSU’s Sleep and Performance Research

Hans Van Dongen, Ph.D., an internationally recognized scientist who focuses on the areas of sleep and cognitive performance, recently joined Washington State University Spokane as associate research professor and assistant director of the university’s new sleep and performance research center.

The sleep and performance research center includes a state-of-the-art sleep research laboratory that is currently under construction at the Riverpoint campus in Spokane. Housed in the South Campus Facility, the lab is slated for completion by the end of this year.

In addition to serving as a base for staging field studies related to sleep and performance, the lab will be one of only a handful in the world that can accommodate carefully controlled experiments to study the effects of sleep and sleep loss on human cognitive functioning. Van Dongen will be managing these experiments, which address important, unresolved questions, such as why sleep is so important for daytime alertness and productivity.

Formerly a research associate professor of sleep and chronobiology at the University of Pennsylvania, Van Dongen has considerable experience conducting laboratory research and a track record of experimental and theoretical contributions to sleep research. He headed studies funded by a number of government agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and NASA.

Van Dongen's first studies at WSU Spokane—which are being funded by NIH and the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research—build on an observation made in earlier studies that the degradation of performance due to sleep loss is much different from one individual to the next. “I aim to find out why the cognitive response to sleep loss can be so different among people and how this response can be predicted for a given individual,” said Van Dongen, adding that “this work will have important implications for everyone who occasionally or routinely loses sleep, whether it’s due to occupational demands, medical condition, or life style."

Campus Librarian Lured away by Harvard

The Cooperative Academic Library System (CALS) that provides service to students of WSU and Eastern Washington University will lose head librarian David Buxton to Harvard in mid-November. Everyone is invited to share cookies and punch and bid David farewell on Tuesday, November 8, from 1 to 2 p.m., in the auditorium lobby of the Phase I Classroom Building.

Buxton, who came to the position in 2001, previously served in higher education library services at institutions ranging from Harvard and Princeton to the University of Arizona and Gonzaga University. At Harvard he will head circulation services for the Baker Library in the Business School.

He says of his time with CALS, “I’ve had the good fortune to be in this position during a period when the campus has grown and evolved in several ways. I can’t claim responsibility for any of the changes that have occurred here, but I have tried to position the library and fashion the library’s services to meet the new demands of a changing environment.”

Several efforts stand out as highlights of his four years here:

  • Supporting new and expanded programs as the Health Sciences Building opened, particularly the Doctor of Pharmacy program at WSU and the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at EWU, while not losing sight of existing programs and their evolution, e.g., the master’s degrees in the design disciplines, and the Doctor of Design.
  • Implementation of new technologies and expansion throughout the WSU Libraries of online library resources, such as full-text delivery to e-mail inboxes.
  • Service on the Academic Center Building Committee.

Buxton says, “New technologies and new resources have meant a greater need for educating the library’s users to utilize these new resources effectively. For me there has been nothing more satisfying than introducing these new features to students and faculty and seeing them come to understand their utility and importance to their studies and research.”

CALS will move into greatly expanded space when the Academic Center opens next fall. Buxton says one his main regrets about leaving WSU Spokane is that he will not here to participate in the opening of the new library. In parting, Buxton says, “I have great expectations for the Riverpoint Campus, and I hope to watch those expectations become reality from my new perspective on the East Coast.”

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New Director of Finance and Budget Appointed to WSU Spokane

Washington State University Spokane recently welcomed WSU alumnus James Dalton as its new director of finance and budget.

As the campus’s chief financial officer, Dalton is responsible for overseeing WSU Spokane’s strategic and operating budgets, developing and implementing funding strategies to support growth initiatives, and supporting community partnership opportunities. “It is my goal to ensure that the university is fully funded to execute its mission of teaching, research, and service to the community,” said Dalton.

Dalton has more than 20 years of experience in finance. Starting his career in banking, he subsequently served as senior financial/MIS analyst with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Thrift Supervision for six years. Before joining WSU Spokane, he spent nine years with the Port of Seattle–Seattle Tacoma International Airport as operations business manager and senior business development analyst. He also served as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve Supply Corps, which enabled him to gain additional experience in governmental budgeting and finance, as well as hone his leadership skills.

Combined Fund Drive Event Factoids

  • A total of 81 employees attended the October 27 Combined Fund Drive Event. Everyone had a great meal and a good time while raising money for a good cause.

  • The scarecrow competition raised $222. Congratulations to Pharmacotherapy for their winning entry, "Biker Bob" (pictured at right).

  • 25 auction baskets were created and raised a total of $913.00.

  • Cy Parker from EWU won the chili cook-off.

All together, about $1,700.00 was raised for the Shasta Groene G.E.T. (College) Fund!

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Healthy Fare Fosters Community, Health, and Sustainability

The October 19 Healthy Fare drew a number of students, faculty, and staff to the Health Sciences Building to explore healthy choices related to what we eat, from food ingredients and agricultural practices to the types of packaging we consume. In addition to a variety of exhibitors, a showing of the movie Supersize Me and a health-related version of Jeopardy, the fare also featured a potluck and recipe exchange that was attended by faculty and staff from both WSU and EWU.

The Riverpoint Campus Wellness Collaborative, which was the driving force behind the Healthy Fare, will continue to foster a thriving culture of wellness. In an effort to bring together various groups who have an interest in fostering campus culture, community, health, and sustainability, a permanent Blackboard course with discussion forums has been set up. Please take a look and pass along to students and others who might be interested. All of WSU Spokane staff and students are in the Blackboard system. ASWSUS is also encouraged to use this space.

To access the course, go to http://www.blackboard.wsu.edu/, log in, and click on the "courses" tab. In the course catalog, select Spokane, then Campus Community, then Riverpoint Campus Community or search for "community". Anonymous posting is available.

If you have any suggestions for improvements, please notify Sicco Rood by e-mail or at 358-7976 or post them directly on the forum.

For more information on the Riverpoint Campus Wellness Collaborative, which includes representatives of EWU, SIRTI, and WSU, contact Kelly LaGrutta.Return to the Top of the Page


Research First Friday to Cover "Common Future Statistical Methods in Nursing"

Bob Bendel, research professor with the WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing, will be the speaker at Research First Friday on Friday, November 4, from 3:10 to 4:30 p.m. at room 166 of the ICN building. The topic of the session, which is open to faculty, graduate students, and the community, will be “Common Future Statistical Methods in Nursing.” Wine and refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Kathy Bridwell by e-mail or at 324-7258.

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Reminder: 2006 Open Enrollment Going on Now!

The annual Open Enrollment period for benefits started October 24 and runs through November 30, 2005. Valuable information can be found on the Open Enrollment 2006 section of the Benefits Services Web site. You may also visit HCA's website to download the entire open enrollment packet. If you have questions, contact Karen Erp or Diane Wick in the Human Resources office.

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Community Connections

  • "A Breath of Fresh Air," a talk with Dr. Michael Kraemer about asthma, will be held on Thursday, November 10, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the NE Community Center, 4001 N. Cook Street, Spokane. This talk is sponsored by CHAS NE Clinic, Inland Northwest Asthma Coalition, American Lung Association of Washington, Genentech, and Forest Laboratories. For more information, contact Tenny Sanelli at 444-8200 or Dan Robison at 325-6516.
     
  • “Sacagawea/Sacajawea and the Lewis and Clark Expedition: American Indian Perspectives”, will be presented on on Thursday, November 17, 7:00 p.m., at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC), 2316 W 1st Ave, Spokane. Sponsored by WSU's Department of History, this event is open to the public and free of charge.

    You've heard the history book version of the Lewis and Clark expedition -- this is an opportunity to get the American Indian perspective. Dressed in full costume, Dakota historian and performer Dr. Jeanne Eder will portray Sacagawea, the Shoshone woman who accompanied the Lewis and Clark expedition. Eder’s performance examines the myths about Sacagawea's life and presents an often overlooked historical perspective of American Indian women.
     

  • The Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center is hosting a benefit luncheon on Thursday, November 17, at 11:30 a.m.in the Pennington Ballroom at the Davenport Hotel. The theme this year is “Living the Legacy of Dr. King -- Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders”. Currently the MLK Family Outreach Center serves more than 1,200 children and families annually. By strengthening the capacity for at-risk children, youth, and families to access and participate in all aspects of community life, the center helps develop “Tomorrow’s Leaders”, who are able to carry Dr. King’s legacy for generations to come. If you are interested in taking part in this luncheon, please email Bonnie Wagner.Return to the Top of the Page

Personnel & Staffing Changes

Comings:

  • Judy Boone, Office Assistant II, Area Health Education Center, effective 11/01/05

Goings:

  • David Buxton, Campus Librarian, Cooperative Academic Library Service, effective 11/10/05
  • Cathi Lamoreux, Conference Manager, Area Health Education Center, effective 11/11/05
  • Kristen Bailey, Research Coordinator, effective 11/18/05

Searches:

  • Research Associate/Research Scientist, Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research & Training, review of applications has begun
  • Assistant/Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, review of applications begins 10/15/05
  • Clinic Services Manager, WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing People's Clinic, review of applications begins 10/21/05
  • Assistant Professor, Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, review of applications begins 01/17/06
  • Clinical Assistant Professor (three positions: two in Spokane, one in Yakima), Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, review of applications begins 01/17/06
  • Assistant/Associate Professor, Architecture, review of applications begins 1/1/06
  • Assistant/Associate Professor, WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing, review of applications begins 10/01/05
  • Associate Professor/Associate Dean, WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing, review of applications begins 10/01/05

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Way to Go!

"I would like to thank everyone who came to the CFD event and showed their support. A big thanks goes out to all the great scarecrow makers! I would like to thank the following for all of their hard work: Al Pignataro, Joel Lohr, Dori Roberts, Brian Delong, Mike Reitemeier, Sandi Baldwin, Barb King, Dennis Snider, Michael Norman, Kenny Bisagno and Jon Schad. Thank you, and job well done." (from Teresa Kruger)
(And an even bigger thanks to Teresa Kruger for all her planning, hard work, and dedication to make the CFD event the huge success that it was.)

Congratulations! Twenty individuals donated 16 units of blood at the Riverpoint Campus Blood Drive on October 13, with five of those donors donating for the first time. (from David Buxton)

"This is the first issue of the Campus Bulletin under the editorship of Judith Van Dongen. It's a delight to have her writing talents and fresh editorial eye on this as well as the other pieces she's been writing for us. Great to have her aboard!" (from Barb Chamberlain)

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!Return to the Top of the Page
 

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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