Staley lecture
Ken Medema will perform for this year’s Staley Lecture Tuesday, Feb. 28, in Douwstra Auditorium at 8 p.m. Medema is an internationally known Christian singer, pianist and songwriter who has been blind from birth. His vivid imagination allows him to come up with creative, impromptu songs based on people’s experiences and stories. Medema will also perform at the chapel service at 11 a.m. The events are free and open to the public.

Spring break trips
Would you like to spend some time in the southern sun during spring break? How about in the mountains near Yellowstone? It’s time to sign up for spring break mission trips. This semester campus ministries is sponsoring two trips — one to Mississippi to help with hurricane relief and one to Montana to work with Habitat for Humanity. Informational brochures can be found in the lower chapel, or e-mail Leanne Halma at halmal@central.edu for information. Spaces are limited so sign up soon!

Help Central College Auxiliary
The Central College Auxiliary is looking for photographs, paper records or other memorabilia for their archives collection. If you have an item you are willing to donate, please contact Christine Peery in the Central College archives at 641-628-5170, or send items to Christine Peery, Campus Box 6500, 812 University St., Pella, IA 50219.

Alumni award nominations
The Central College alumni office currently is accepting nominations for 2006 alumni awards including alumni achievement, alumni stewardship and service, Mr. and Mrs. Alumni, fellowship of service and honorary alumni.

For more information including award descriptions, past winners and an online nomination form, go to www.central.edu/alumni and click on alumni awards or log onto the alumni community. Deadline for nominations is March 1.

PLACES receives C.O.O.L. award
Central College ’s Program for Learning Awareness of Cultures in an Experiential Setting (PLACES) has been selected to receive the 2006 Campus Outreach Opportunity League (C.O.O.L.) Idealist “Building Bridges” Award. The award is presented each year to a college’s campus program that demonstrates exceptional leadership in the area of building strong collaborative relations on and/or across campuses and within the surrounding community, that lead to deeper and more dynamic programs.

Central College ’s PLACES program seeks to engage students, faculty and community members in sustained partnerships that foster collaborative learning and civic participation in a diverse society.

Central will receive the award, along with a $500 gift certificate to Powell’s Books, Friday, March 3, during the 22nd Annual All Conference Celebration of C.O.O.L. Idealist National Conference at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. The C.O.O.L. Idealist National Conference is the largest convening conference in the country of campus community members involved in service, activism, politics and socially responsible work.

Strategic Planning
The strategic planning process is beginning in earnest. The goal for strategic planning this year is to build a bridge between the existing plan and the new one, which will include four or five large categories followed by several major objectives on which Central College will dedicate energy over the next three years. Our recently completed self-study for the AQIP Systems Portfolio will inform the strategic planning process.

Small groups throughout the college will contribute to the planning process by addressing questions such as “What are the most important issues Central must address in the next three years?” and “What major objectives shall we set for ourselves to accomplish within the next three years?”

Central College has committed faculty and staff, whose common purpose is educating and mentoring students for citizenship in the broader world, as well as academic and co-curricular programs designed to challenge students holistically in a nurturing environment. The active strategic planning process will give greater clarity to what we can do to strengthen the college and will culminate in a draft by the end of the semester.

Nominations for Faculty Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for annual faculty awards. Descriptions of each of the awards and a complete explanation of the nominating procedures can be found in Chapter 10 of the Faculty Handbook.

Nominations for the Outstanding Performance Awards in the areas of effective teaching, professional growth and development, institutional service and community service should be sent to Robert Franks (computer science), chair of the personnel committee. Last year’s recipients were: Bob Maurer (accounting), community service; JimZaffiro (political science) and Wendy Weber (mathematics), effective teaching; Lois Smith (library), institutional service, and Gabriel Espinosa (music), professional growth and development.

Nominations for the Huffman Award for Outstanding Support of International Education should be sent to Steve Ybarrola (anthropology), chair of the off-campus programs committee. Last year’s recipients were David Purnell (English) and Anya Butt (environmental studies).

Nominations for the David Crichton Memorial Teaching Award should be sent to Paul Naour (academic affairs), provost and dean of faculty. Last year’s recipient was Louise Zaffiro (chemistry).

The deadline for nominations for all of the awards is Monday, April 3.

Service standard awards
It is that time again when we ask you to nominate a Central colleague who best represents one or more of our service standards. Please take a few minutes and reflect on the numerous interactions you have had with fellow employees, as well as observations regarding their actions or comments made by others to select those among us who set the best examples. E-mail sutphena@central.edu or send a memo to the President’s office at box 6300. Please use a separate e-mail or memo for each person nominated for recognition for each service standard. The e-mail or memo should include the name of the person nominated, a short narrative of why she/he is being nominated including specific instances when she/he truly exemplified the service standard, and your name and phone number as the nominator. The following description of each standard should be used as a reference. To beconsidered we need nominations in the President’s office by 10 a.m. Monday, March 6. All those nominated will be recognized at the “college update” in April, and those chosen as most exemplary, based on the information in the nominations, will be identified as this year’s Service Standard Award recipients. Selection as a Central Service Standard bearer entails a cash award that will appear in May’s paycheck.

Integrity — definition: “moral uprightness, honesty, wholeness, soundness.” Strategic plan: “We need at all times to be honest, candid and accountable in our dealings with students and each other.”

Safety — definition: “the condition of being safe, freedom from danger or risk.” Strategic plan: “Our campus must be a safe place for all who study, learn, work, grow and visit here.”

Respect — definition: “regard with deference, esteem or honor; avoid interfering with, harming, degrading, insulting, injuring or interrupting.” Strategic plan: “All persons who are a part of our community or visitors to it should be accorded full respect, as is their right as fellow human beings.”

Responsiveness — definition: “responding readily, answering.” Strategic plan: “All of us, individually and collectively, need to be responsive to the needs, wants, fears, concerns, dreams and aspirations of our students and colleagues.”

Energy — definition: “force; vigor; capacity for activity.” Strategic plan: “The pace of events and change in the world around us is accelerating, thus expectations are that ‘things’ happen more quickly these days. Meeting such expectations requires a high level of energy to be brought to the fore.”

Thus far, the following current employees have received an award:

Integrity — Dianne Redden (controller’s office), Lowell Olivier (conference services), Mona Roozeboom (business and finance), Keith Yanner (political science), MikeLubberden (facilities management), Tom De Young (facilities management), Garry Laidlaw (athletics), Lisa Hetzel (student life), Chevy Freiburger (admission), Anne Aalbers (facilities management)

Safety — Dave Pavlat (exercise science), John Roslien (athletics), Mark Howard (dining services), Deb Randol (facilities management), Sharon Haning (human resources), Gwendolyn Krueger (Vermeer Science Center), Bob Ibbotson (facilities management)

Respect — Chris McConville (education), Pam Richards (exercise science), Dianne Redden (controller’s office), Jana Sietstra (controller’s office), Cyndi Atkins(marketing and media relations), Del Wichhart (facilities management), Anna Boat (IT services), Jim Cadwell (facilities management), Eric Bumgardner(marketing and media relations)

Responsiveness — Deb Bruxvoort (IT services), Jane Friedman (library), Steve Sanchez (academic affairs), Anna Boat (IT services), MarilynVrban (academic affairs), Terri Crumley (admission), Diane Schuring (campus services), Cindy Wilson (advancement)

Energy — Cheri Doane (academic affairs), Kevin Sanger(athletics), Leslie Duinink (athletics), Lisa Hetzel (student life), Terri Crumley (admission), MartyFeeney (communication studies), Mary Benedict (admission), Dave Sutphen (advancement), Susan Schippers (dining services), Mike Ross (IT services)

Special categories:

Service — Donna Newendorp (financial aid)

Special Mention— John Edwards (athletics), Lisa Roberts (facilities management), Mona Roozeboom (business and finance)

Note: The nominations received for faculty will be forwarded to the Faculty Personnel Committee which is responsible for selecting faculty outstanding performance awards.

Goodman and Carr at math meetings
Russ Goodman (mathematics) and student Diana Carr ’06 attended the joint meetings of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America Jan. 12-15 in San Antonio, Texas.

As a part of the meetings, Goodman presented a talk titled “The Mathematics Seminar at Central College.” The presentation was in a session of talks on “Getting Students to Discuss and to Write About Mathematics” and outlined what the mathematics/computer science department does to develop the technical communication skills of their students.

Goodman also served as a judge for the MAA’s Undergraduate Poster Session, of which Carr was a contestant. Carr’s poster related the details of her research at her summer 2005 REU at Cal State-San Bernardino.

Webber presents
Phil Webber (modern languages) recently gave the media-enriched PowerPoint presentation “ Iowa’s Cultural Kaleidoscope” in Perry, Iowa, as the opening lecture in the series Voices from Iowa Past and Present, funded by Humanities Iowa and sponsored by Hometown Perry, Iowa. Also present for the event was Keith Yanner (political science) and Steve Ybarrola (anthropology) who are involved in ethnographic research under the aegis of the nonprofit foundation Hometown Perry, Iowa. In addition to Webber’s kickoff presentation, the series features many of Iowa’s major ethnic groups.

Cross and Peery named to auxiliary board
Connie Cross (Media and Marketing relations) and Chris Peery (library) have been named board members of the Central College Auxiliary. Cross is cookbook marketing chair while Peery is recording secretary. Other executive board members are Diane Wegter ’73, president; Marlene Rempe ’60, vice president; Dorothy VanderLeest ’72, corresponding secretary; Lois Allen ’70, treasurer; and Laura Meyer, past president. The auxiliary welcomes new members from the college community at any time.  If you have interests in joining and would like more information, contact Diane Wegter at 641-628-3098.

Sodd named Who’s Who
Mary Jo Sodd (theatre) will be included in the 10th edition of Who's Who Among America's Teachers 2005-06. Sodd also appeared in prior editions of this publication.

No news.

No news.

Debora Hunt joined international student services as coordinator.

Executive summary
An executive summary of the AQIP Systems Portfolio is currently being shared with groups across campus and will soon be posted on the academic affairs’ Web site. The summary focuses on key results, which have been collected under the categories of “Primary Positive Findings” and “Opportunities and Challenges” for each of the areas AQIP asked us to address. Central’s many strengths are evident in this report. It is also clear we have taken significant steps toward building the improvement process into our planning cycles.

The Systems Portfolio is an important component of the reaccreditation process, but it also serves to guide the strategic planning process internally. It has served as a catalyst for changes to our institutional planning process and leadership structures and helped us to identify areas for new AQIP Action Projects such as the one launched this fall for “Building Community.”

Feedback on the Systems Portfolio is expected from the Higher Learning Commission in March. That feedback will also be shared with numerous groups and made available in full and in a summarized version.

Pella Corporation Scholars program
On Jan. 31, this year’s Pella Corporation Scholars dinner and program was held at Pella Corporation. Each year, this particular evening provides a special highlight of the year for all who attend: members of the Kuyper and Farver families who have made the scholarships possible, senior executives of Pella Corporation and spouses, Central’s senior leadership team and spouses, and a faculty representative, who this year was Phil George (education) joined by his wife Kathy.

Some of the graduating seniors, in saying thanks to Kuyper and Farver family members who were there and to Pella Corporation, related the tale(s) of their four years at Central. Their comments were moving and inspirational and served to build optimism for the future in the hearts of all present. Joan Farver, chairperson emeritus, Pella Corporation, gave the new scholars their certificates as they have been initiated into this special society of scholars. This year’s Pella Corporation Scholars are: Joan Kuyper Farver Scholarship/Fellowship* — Amy Ugulini ’06, Miriam Clemmons ’06, Katy Fuchtman ’07, Anna Abney ’09; H.S. Kuyper Scholarship/Fellowship — Gwen Waddingham ’06, Dawn Nissen ’07, Jered Wells ’07, Sean Boyce ’09; P.H. Kuyper Scholarship/Fellowship — Jacquelyn Johnson ’06, Sarah Schlager ’06, Trevor Jones ’06, Emily Kuecker ’06, Tyler Schipper ’09; Pella Rolscreen Scholarship/Fellowship — Justin Brueck ’06, Andrew Kinney ’06, Heidi Miksch ’06, Alisa Scarrow ’06, Tina Shimak ’07, Robert Tanzer ’07, Sarah Wilson ’07, AndreaKapusinski ’07, Chase Ungs ’07, Diana Carr ’06, Kendi Beyer ’06, Lindsey Kelderhouse ’07, Blake Scott ’07, TomHartshorn ’08, Whitney Taylor ’06, Amanda Roling ’08, Brittany Waack ’09, Leanna McBride ’09, Evan Olson ’09 and LindseyVan Genderen ’09.

The Central College Fellows Program recognizes Central’s most distinguished scholarship recipients. Our fellows have proven their academic and leadership potential, and have prospects for prestigious post-baccalaureate fellowships. Fellows are paired with faculty mentors who assist in identification of personal goals and opportunities in study abroad, community service, student-faculty research and the honors program. Participants also develop peer mentoring relationships within the cadre of fellows. Mentors and fellows meet individually and as a group regularly for socializing, scholarship and service activities.

RAs attend conference
Scott Hendricks (student life), Lyndi Beeman ’08 and Krystal Harthoorn ’09, resident advisers of Graham Hall, and Cathy Heaton ’07, resident adviser for Scholte Hall, attended the 16th Annual RA Conference at the University of Northern Iowa on Jan. 27-29. During this conference they were able to meet other RAs and residence life professionals from schools in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas. The theme for the conference was “Kicking It Up A Notch.” Central was able to kick it up a notch by attending various programs that will be brought back to Central to be used within its programming. Also, the five facilitated a program called “It’s 2006. Are you with us?” in which they discussed diversity issues within our society today and how we can overcome the stereotypes. During the program, they demonstrated diversity stereotypes usages and breakdowns through a simulated exercise called “Dutchie Bunkers Neighborhood.” Conference members who attended the program received excellent reviews.

Journalists win awards
Kristen Siert ’06, Lisa Kirby ’05 and Stephanie Petchulat won first place in the Best Front Page Design for the 2004-05 publishing cycle at the Iowa College Media Association conference in Des Moines, Feb. 2-3. Petchulat was praised for her striking pregnancy photo. Kirby won a third place award in the sports story category and received honorable mention for her tsunami news story. D-MTV, The Ray and CentralMania.com competed in more than 25 categories against 14 Iowa colleges and universities.

Harassment Training
The law requires that employers provide harassment training to all employees (full time, part time and/or temporary). Therefore, mandatory training will be conducted at the following times and locations:

Tuesday, Feb. 28
10-11:30 a.m. Boat, Moore, Weller Rooms
3-4:30 p.m. Boat, Moore, Weller Rooms

Thursday, March 2
8-9:30 a.m. Graham Room 1
1:30-3 p.m. Graham Room 1

Wednesday, March 8
9-10:30 a.m. Graham Room 1
3:30-5 p.m. Graham Room 1

Please mark your calendar for the session that best fits your schedule. A sign-in sheet will be available at each meeting time to record your attendance.

Since the training is mandatory, employees that are paid on an hourly basis will include the time as worked on their time sheet.

New voluntary group benefit
The College Benefits Committee is excited to announce a new voluntary group benefit to all employees, spouses, adult children, siblings, parents (in-laws) and grandparents (in-laws). The benefit is long-term care insurance.

Everyone needs to consider long-term care insurance to provide financially for a worry-free retirement; to eliminate being a burden to your family; to have care available if you do not have family members living close to you; and to remain independent for as long as you are able.

• Today, the average nursing home stay can cost more than $50,000 a year. In some regions, it can easily cost twice that amount.
• Bringing an aide into your home just three times a week (two to three hours per visit) to help with dressing, bathing, preparing meals and similar household chores can easily cost $1,000 per month or $12,000 per year.

Our benefits consultant and representatives from UnumProvident Corporation, the long-term care insurance provider, will be on campus Monday, March 6. The informational and enrollment meetings will be in Graham Conference Center, Room 1 and Room 2 at the following times:

8-8:45 a.m.
9-9:45 a.m.
10-10:45 a.m.
11-11:45 a.m.
1-1:45 p.m.
2-2:45 p.m.
3-3:45 p.m.
4-4:45 p.m.

Please let Sharon Haning know which time works for you to attend by calling ext. 5199. Additional information on the benefit has already been distributed through e-mail.

Flex spending
Please submit any flex spending claims for 2005 to Marsh Tax Saver. The reimbursement forms are available on the internal Web site or in the human resources office. You have until Friday, March 31, 2006, to submit your 2005 incurred medical/dental/dependent care expenses to Marsh Tax Saver. Medical/dental/dependent care expenses incurred in 2006 should be submitted to FlexAmerica. The reimbursement form is on the human resources Web site at http://www.central.edu/humanresources/forms.html.

Open positions
Central College invites applications for an assistant professor of education to begin August 2006. This is a full time, tenure track position. Please consult the college's Web site at www.central.edu for a full position description and the application process.

Dean of Student Life

Director of Intercultural Life

Director of Development

Director of Paris Study Program

Please click on the position that interests you to see a detailed description. If you would like to download an application click here or visit the college Web site at www.central.edu for more information.

Central College is strongly committed to creating a diverse community. In furtherance of that commitment, the college encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds, under represented groups, and/or have had experience working with and/or interacting with individuals from diverse populations to apply. Central College is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and actively seeks a diverse pool of candidates.