WSU Spokane Campus Bulletin
Issue 2006-8 (April 26, 2006)


IN THIS ISSUE

Underline

Learning from the Past—Spokane Faculty Member Explores Florence’s Early Renaissance Architecture

When most of us look at Florence’s Basilica di San Lorenzo (at left), we see a beautiful church. When Matthew Cohen, assistant professor of architecture at WSU Spokane, looked at the same building some fifteen years back, he saw an opportunity to explore the church’s rich history by observing its architecture.

Last Friday, Cohen took an audience of WSU Spokane students, faculty, and staff and members of the community on a virtual journey to Florence as he described his 15-year study of the proportional systems used in the churches designed by Filippo Brunelleschi.

Cohen’s interest in the early Renaissance architecture of Brunelleschi first arose while he was working on his graduate degree at Syracuse University. Completing part of his studies at the SU Abroad Program in Florence, he spent some time doing basic measurements of the proportions of Brunelleschi churches. The initial results intrigued him enough to want to go back for a more detailed study.

Supported by a research grant from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Arts, he went back to Florence in the 1990s to study two of Brunelleschi’s churches: the Basilica di San Lorenzo and the Santo Spirito. Cohen performed precise measurements of the churches’ columns, nave arcade bays, and other facets, and carefully observed the detailing of the churches’ architectural elements.

A WSU faculty seed grant enabled him to go back to Florence in the summer of 2005 to take measurements of two buildings he thought might have inspired Brunelleschi: the Baptistery of Florence and the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte.

What he discovered from his studies was that the measurements exhibit very accurate numerical approximations of the irrational ratio one to the square root of two, which is found in rectangular forms throughout Brunelleschi’s churches. Cohen believes that these patterns of geometry and numbers are in effect medieval blueprints of the universe, and that the architects incorporated them in churches to bring the buildings closer to god.

Even though some scholars suggest that architects from the early 15th century were incapable of making these calculations, Cohen pointed out that Florentine school books from that era—which were written for 14-year old boys—are full of these types of fractional calculations.

Cohen also found evidence supporting the theory that San Lorenzo was constructed in two phases. He came to this conclusion after seeing distinct differences in the detail work in the two parts of the church. However, he does not agree with the common scholarly belief that the death of Cosimo de Medici—who funded the construction—marked the beginning of the second phase. Based on his observations, Cohen argues that the second phase started when Cosimo became aware of his ill health and rushed the project to completion to secure his burial place. (He is buried in front of the high altar of the church).

Most importantly, though, what Cohen gained from his study of Brunelleschi’s churches is an appreciation of historic buildings and the information they contain about times past. Cohen is trying to instill that same appreciation in his students, who do not need to travel far to look at historically significant buildings. “You don’t have to go to Florence,” he said. “You can do this right here in Spokane.” For example, a group of his students went out and measured the old Chamber of Commerce Building (pictured at right) and found that its geometry and architecture are similar to Brunelleschi’s design for the Ospedale degli Innocenti (Foundling Hospital).

As a member of the board of the Spokane Preservation Advocates, Cohen also works to have the community and the city realize the benefits of preserving Spokane’s historic buildings.

Cohen’s lecture was the last Third Friday Seminar of the semester. Sponsored by the Office of Research and the Health Research and Education Center, WSU Spokane’s Third Friday Seminar Series showcases the outstanding research of WSU Spokane faculty in a variety of disciplines. A new series of lectures will begin in the fall.

Return to the Top of the Page
 

Who’s Moving Where on the Riverpoint Campus

With the outside now mostly finished and the interior work coming along according to plan, WSU Spokane’s new Academic Center is nearing completion. At the official building dedication, planned for this coming September, the campus will celebrate another milestone and a marker of its accelerated growth in recent years.

The new Academic Center will provide added space to accommodate the continued growth of the campus—including 17 new classrooms and a permanent home for the Library—and will enhance existing work relationships. Starting in July, a series of moves will take place that will transform the campus.

Here’s an overview of who will move where when the new Academic Center is completed:

Academic Center
  • The first floor will house Student Services, ASWSU Spokane, and Human Resources.
  • The library will be located on the second floor, along with offices for library administrators and staff.
  • The third floor will be home to the Cooperative Extension administration, as well as IT staff involved in providing technical classroom support. Additional space for the library will also be located on this floor.
  • The fourth floor will house faculty and staff from several academic units including Criminal Justice, Education, and Health Policy and Administration. It will also be the home of WSICOP, WRICOPS, and the Division of Governmental Studies and Services (DGSS).
  • The fifth (and top) floor accommodates the Chancellor’s Office, the Office of Research, Communications and Development staff, and the Finance and Budget Office. It will also contain flexible-use offices for visiting faculty, staff, and administrators.

These moves will give rise to more moves, as the following units move into some of the space vacated by other units moving out:

The Child & Family Research Unit (CAFRU) and informatics and professional development faculty will be moving into the Phase I Classroom Building.

The South Campus Facility will be housing the Center to Bridge the Digital Divide (now located downtown) and MESA. In addition, part of the Interdisciplinary Design Institute will be relocating to the South Campus Facility. The Design Institute will continue to have a presence in the Phase I Classroom Building.

Pharmacotherapy and the Applied Sciences Lab will be moving to new space within the Health Sciences Building.

Return to the Top of the Page
 

Sixteenth Class Honored at WSU Spokane Commencement Ceremonies

Washington State University Spokane will celebrate 16 years of tradition when diplomas are handed out Friday, May 5, at WSU's Spokane commencement ceremony. The program, which includes graduates of the WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing and some programs of Eastern Washington University, begins at 2 p.m. at the Spokane Opera House.

The ceremony will honor 442 students earning undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in computer engineering, criminal justice, the design disciplines, education, engineering management, exercise science, health policy and administration, human nutrition, nursing, pharmacy, social sciences, speech and hearing sciences, and technology management. This includes 16 students who are receiving the post-graduate school psychology certification from WSU and EWU.

For the first time in the Spokane ceremony, the processional of faculty and graduating students will be led by the WSU mace, a traditional symbol of authority. The two-foot, nine-pound scepter— cast in silver and bronze and designed and crafted by Tim Doebler of WSU’s Department of Fine Arts—will be carried by Ken Struckmeyer, faculty senate chair.

Ben Cabildo, founder and executive director of AHANA Business and Professional Association, will serve as the Commencement speaker. He has 30 years of experience in founding and directing non-profit organizations that advocate for minorities. Cabildo founded AHANA in 1999 to focus on business and economic development for African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American communities in the region. Governor Christine Gregoire recently appointed him to the board of trustees of Community Colleges of Spokane board of trustees and as a member of the Washington State Global Competitive Council.

Jessica Herbes, who will receive a bachelor’s degree in nursing from WSU, will serve as student speaker. Herbes grew up on an alfalfa Farm in Deer Park, Washington. She is a Whitworth consortium student who originally majored in music, but changed her career aspirations after she had the opportunity to go to Africa, where she visited a rural hospital and worked with a nurse. While her college career was filled with many great experiences, one of the most memorable was the time she spent setting up triage clinics for primitive Amazon tribes in Peru.

The graduating class includes 147 students receiving baccalaureate degrees in nursing from the WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing and its consortium partners EWU, Gonzaga University, and Whitworth College. All baccalaureate nursing graduates in Spokane receive joint degrees from WSU and from the institution at which they completed their first two years of study. Students receiving a master of nursing degree from WSU total 16 this year.

Return to the Top of the Page
 

Informatics Program Offers Proven Relevance, Exemplary Courses

Approved in 2005 as WSU Spokane’s newest undergraduate degree completion program, the Bachelor of Science in Informatics offers an interdisciplinary curriculum that focuses on technology and its role in effective business decision-making, helping students secure a successful future in the world of business, information, and technology.

A recent article in Computerworld has established just how relevant this combination of skills is in today’s world. Based on a report by the Society for Information Management, which describes a study conducted among 96 IT managers, business skills are a highly prized asset among staff in technical positions. They accounted for five of the 10 attributes organizations want from their employees in the next three years.

In addition to providing students with the necessary technical knowledge and those highly desirable business skills, the informatics program also boosts students’ writing skills. WSU’s All University Writing Committee recently voted Informatics 491 and 492—Senior Project I and II—as the best new Writing in the Major courses from the last academic year. The committee praised these courses, which were developed by professional development faculty member Margaret Mortz, as outstanding examples of what writing-intensive course in the major should look like.

Both Mortz and Paul Schimpf, coordinator of the informatics program, will be representing the unit during the award ceremony, which will be held in Pullman this Friday, April 28.

Return to the Top of the Page
 

On Stage! Presents Two Events in Celebration of Mental Health Month

On Stage!, a recovery program for people with psychiatric disabilities will present its eighth annual production “Shine” on Friday, May 5 at the Lair at Spokane Community College. Two shows—a free matinee at 1 p.m. for students and people with disabilities and an evening performance at 7 p.m.—will showcase the talents of Theatre Extraordinaire, a musical theatre company comprised of mental health consumers and volunteers.

The evening event is open to the public with admission being a $10 tax deductible donation to benefit the expansion of the On Stage! program. “Shine” features a variety of show tunes, a western medley, and a special opening number, “Shine on Your Shoes.” No reservations are taken—attendees will get their tickets at the door.

“This performance is an opportunity for the cast to display their talents, abilities, and accomplishments they are achieving on the road to recovery,” said Donna Douglass, director of On Stage!. “In addition, this event educates the public through reducing stigma and dispelling the myths that are so often associated with mental illness.”

The Mental Health Resource Fair, open to the public from noon to 5 p.m., will bring together displays by a variety of agencies and organizations serving the mental health community. This fair is sponsored by the Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research and Training (WIMIRT) and Spokane Community College.

Many community volunteers will be involved with both events. The evening production will feature guest artists, including mime students from the Whitworth Theatre Department and Four the Good Times, a barbershop quartet featuring a father of one of the cast members. Emcee for the evening will be Dr. Rick Hornor, chair of the Whitworth College Theatre Department. The show is co-directed by Donna Douglass and Katherine Crow, both of WIMIRT at WSU Spokane.

Return to the Top of the Page

 

WSU College of Pharmacy to Access INHS Meditech® System

Courtesy of VPnet News

WSU and INHS are integrating the Meditech® system as a component of the education experience for the students enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Washington State University (and ultimately other health science programs offered by Eastern Washington University and Washington State University at the Riverpoint Campus in Spokane).

Access to Meditech® will be beneficial to the students and the health care providers in the region. Developing this type of partnership between INHS and WSU Spokane creates a win-win situation for the health care facilities, students and our community.

The implementation of the Meditech® system, leveraging the Virtual Possibilities Network (VPnet), allows the integration of healthcare information technology within the curriculum and provides the students with a stronger foundation that should better prepare them for experiential education and should decrease the training time required by the employer after their graduation.

VPnet is a private, collaborative broadband network that connects Inland Northwest higher education institutions with each other, as well as with other educational-based organizations, healthcare organizations, research organizations and corporate partners. To learn about the latest developments related to VPnet, sign up for their quarterly electronic newsletter, VPnet News. Contact Steve Trabun by e-mail or call him at 509-495-2829.

Return to the Top of the Page

 


Unique Data on US, Canadian Cities Enables World-Class Research at WSU

Survey data donated to Washington State University by Seattle-based Leigh Stowell & Co. has given WSU, home of the Thomas S. Foley Institute and the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication, a unique advantage in the area of social capital research. According to WSU researchers, this gift has made it possible to do analyses that could never be done before.

“We’ve had a lot of compelling theory in social science without much data to test it,” said Nick Lovrich, professor of political science and director of the Division of Governmental Studies and Services at WSU. “A good theory is still just a plausible speculation if you don’t have the data to test it. The Stowell data set gift has changed that. This is really important.”

Leigh Stowell & Co. is a proprietary market research company that specializes in local media market consumer research and analysis that helps local advertisers more effectively target the customers they really want to reach. Stowell survey data sets are unique because they include a wealth of information such as psychographic characteristics (values, beliefs and attitudes), extensive demographics, purchasing behavior, media consumption, internet use, leisure time activities and zip codes. This type of data allows marketers to link the attitudes and value characteristics of their target customer in local markets with their behaviors and media consumption. Stowell’s method for getting at the attitudes and beliefs of consumers and connecting them to their behavior is particularly insightful.

The data, in its unedited form, allows researchers from a wide array of disciplines to extrapolate information vital to their particular research needs. The data extends back to the early 1990s, is market-specific, and covers most major metropolitan areas of the U.S. and Canada.

Utilizing a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, WSU researchers Mike Hendryx, associate professor and director of the Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research & Training, and Melissa Ahern, associate professor of health policy and administration, have researched the responsiveness of health systems to uninsured people.

This project is just a one of those that have been conducted and represents a small fraction of the research that is possible. Lovrich is perhaps the biggest champion of the Stowell data sets and is already engaged in an active marketing campaign to WSU professors and their classes to promote student-engaged research.

“I have focused on using the data for the study of political science, environmental studies and criminal justice issues, but the data sets are also a tremendous benefit to those researching business strategies,” said Lovrich. “By analyzing purchasing behavior for durable goods they are able to determine how psychographics influence that behavior.”

According to Lovrich this research puts Washington State University in a select league with about a half dozen universities, including Harvard, the University of Michigan, UC Berkley and a few others, who have digital archives of this scope and caliber.

“Additionally, the emphasis on building digital archives among university libraries is a relatively new development and again puts Washington State on par with only a handful of the best,” Lovrich said.


Lovrich Honored with Dean's Distinguished Contribution Award

Nick Lovrich, professor of political science and long-time director of the Division of Governmental Studies and Services (DGSS), was in for a surprise when he attended last week's College of Liberal Arts Awards Reception. During the ceremony, Dean Lear announced that Lovrich was the recipient of the Dean's Distinguished Contribution Award, which is presented each year to an employee who completes a project or activity that makes a singular contribution to the college and the community. As is the tradition of the college, the name of the award recipient had been kept secret until the ceremony.

Lovrich was chosen for his involvement in a multitude of important projects, including his role in facilitating the donation of the Stowell data set and in organizing the Conference on Global Oil Depletion and Implications for the Pacific Northwest, held last October in Spokane. Additional factors included his service as interim chancellor of WSU Spokane and the high research and grant activity DGSS has experienced under his leadership, including the Washington State Patrol racial profiling study and a study on the use of forensic DNA analysis in investigating criminal felony cases.

Return to the Top of the Page

 

STEP TO IT, Riverpoint―And Be Quick about It!

The Riverpoint STEP TO IT challenge launches May 1, leaving only a scant few days to register! Hosted by the Riverpoint Campus Wellness Collaborative, STEP TO IT is a year-long challenge geared to all levels of fitness. Participants will establish personal goals for being active, track their progress, and compete with others for team or individual incentives. Progress is reported via a convenient online tracking system administered by the Inland Northwest Business Coalition on Health.

The cost for registering for the yearlong challenge is $19 per person. Don’t let that stop you from participating. STEP TO IT could actually save you money! As a participant, you automatically become a member of health@work, an organization that makes health-related products and services more accessible to participants.

Consider these savings:

  • Membership savings at 24 Hour Fitness, Gold’s Gym, Global Fitness, and YMCA
  • Reduced lift ticket or lesson costs at 49 Degrees North, Lookout Pass, Mt. Spokane, and Silver Mountain
  • Product discounts at Argonne Cycle, Bicycle Butler, Fitness Fanatics, Runners Soul, Sport Town, and The Walking Company
  • Yoga class discounts at Harmony Yoga, Positive Power Yoga, Radha Yoga Center, and Yoga FSG
  • Massage discounts at Abundant Life Massage & Holistic Center, Back in Touch Therapeutic Massage, South Hill Massage Center, and Valley Massage Clinic
  • Various discounts at Fresh Abundance (save on membership fee $15), Eagles Ice-A-Rena, the Meal Maker, and REI rentals.

So don’t delay; time’s a wasting. Contact Kelly LaGrutta, STEP TO IT team captain, today and register: call (509) 358-7942 or e-mail her at lagrutta@wsu.edu.

Return to the Top of the Page

 

Ronald McDonald Care Mobile on Riverpoint campus

The WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will be on the Riverpoint campus on the west side of the Phase I Classroom Building on Thursday, May 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are offering medical services for children and youth, age birth to 21.

This is an opportunity to get children ready for those summer camps, or to get sports physicals, kindergarten physicals, or well-baby checkups and immunizations. Medical services are available at no cost to the family, no insurance is needed and there are no income criteria. To schedule appointments, please call 324-7291—you can download the intake/consent form at www.spokanecaremobile.org. For information about medical and dental appointments at other sites, please call 324-7291.

Return to the Top of the Page

 

Community Connections

  • AHANA Minority Youth Leadership Entrepreneurial Program:
    AHANA (African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native-Americans) has received a grant to draw on both professional expertise and the advice of prospective youth members to create a year-long program of study and mentorship in business. The program has two parts, one encompassing youth ages 16 to 24 and the other focusing on young adults ages 25 to 30.

    The first part will be to identify a group of diverse youth (10 high school and 10 in college or the work force) to develop a leadership development curriculum. This youth advisory group will work with a consultant to put together a curriculum covering topics such as the history of different cultures living in Spokane, challenges facing young people of color in our city, and the different manifestations of leadership. Youth are needed from various areas of Spokane, with special attention paid to East Central, Hillyard, North Central, West Central and Chief Garry.

    The second part will be to grow a new cadre of minority business owners by providing extensive training and support for young entrepreneurs ages 25 – 30. The goal is to work with as many as 20 young entrepreneurs during its first year, including developing business plans, developing micro-loan application packages, mentorship, and developing an entrepreneur’s network.

    Young people or parents who are interested in participating in the program should call AHANA at 509-838-1881.

    Return to the Top of the Page

 

Personnel & Staffing Changes

Recruitments:

  • Media Technician Lead, Information Technology, apply by 04/28/06 at www.hrs.wsu.edu
  • Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT), Sleep and Performance Research Center, apply at www.hrs.wsu.edu, position is open until filled

Searches:

  • Assistant/Associate Professor, Architecture, review of applications began 1/1/06
  • Associate Professor/Associate Dean, WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing, review of applications began 10/01/05
  • Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Program in Health Sciences, review of applications began 4/1/06
  • Sleep Study Coordinator, Sleep & Performance Research Center, review of applications began 4/1/06

Return to the Top of the Page


Way to Go!

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

------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------

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