The Reporter

Wednesday, February 4, 1998 > FORUM: An open letter to the trustees, 4a Volume 110, Issue 17 tfijg^^s..."™] The Word showed unparalled energy during a recent performance. Life, page 1b The SURE Grant program allows students from all disciplines to do research projects during the summer—such as investigating the home range of turtles. HANGING OUT: A very alive and happy turtle dries after a radio transmitter was attached to its back by a SURE grant recipient. The project tracked movement of the creatures. "hat started as a tradition in the science departments has become a campus wide phenomenon. Undergraduate experimentation during the summer session was commonplace in the science departments for students looking to gain experience in their field of study. That is, until two years ago, when the Hollis Renaissance Program took the initiative of the science departments to other departments. The idea for expansion of the program originated from Dr. Terry Farrell of the biology department. The Stetson Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program was founded as a pilot program in 1996. With the help ofthe Hollis initiative, the university funded six undergraduate research positions the first summer. The requirements were few: a competitive application process, a faculty mentor, and an off-campus talk presenting the results ofthe experience. Within two summers, the results of the SURE pilot program were so impressive that Dean Gary Maris made the program a permanent fixture in the curriculum and began funding it through the university. One testament to the success of the SURE program is Ryan Murden, a physics major. His research, completed in the summer of 1997, won him recognition at the national level. His project, entitled "Auger Electron Spectroscopy," received the Marsh J. White award for the best student paper presented at the Fall 1997 Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Physics Society. SURE participant Julie Siefkas spent this past summer studying Florida box turtles. She spoke very highly ofthe program and said, "it gave me direction." At the time, Siefkas was a third-year pre-med student. She later switched her career focus after her SURE experience. Now pursuing a career in law, Siefkas credits the SURE experience for her change of heart. "It's the reason that I'm applying to law school instead of medical school, because ofthe experience I received in the field," said Siefkas. Siefkas also said that the program "opens doors for a lot of people. It offers the diversity [of experience] that many graduate schools are looking for." The SURE program is also available for students outside ofthe natural science department. Since its inception, the program has awarded six ofthe eleven positions to majors outside of the sciences. Previous recipients of SURE funding include Elisabeth Simmons for English with "The Female Police Officer in Detective Fiction," and Brande Martin for Sociology with 'The Social Organization of Market P: The Effects of Gender, Race, and Ethnicity on Work." ' Students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business Administration, and the School of Music are invited to apply for the SURE program for the summer of 1998. However, eligible students must have at "We'cfeHfesko 4§!>[the high np[tpet^f;.^m.urdX sdene#Jappij<cisi|s] change|.;J|4'd Hf^Jtb see more apglicitm^l/from across^the --umyelsity." v*-Kevi0- jtiggV least sophomore standing as of the spring of 1998 and must not be graduating until after the fall term of 1998. This year's summer session begins June 1,1998 and ends July 24,1998. The SURE program awards a $2,000 stipend to be completed only within the eight- week summer session. Students may also apply for up to $500 for research-related expenses and up to $300 for travel to an appropriate professional meeting to present results. Students may also request free on-cam- pus housing for the summer term. Applications are available from Dr. Kevin Riggs. The applications must be entered along with a proposal, a copy of the student's aca demic transcript, a recommendation by the proposed faculty member, and a recommendation by another faculty member. All completed applications are due no later than Friday, Mar. 20,1998, to Dr. Kevin Riggs. The applications will be reviewed by a panel of Stetson University faculty members, and successful applicants will be notified no later than Monday, Mar. 30, 1998. When asked about the tendency for the SURE program applicants to be students of the natural sciences. Dr. Riggs pointed out that at least half of the recipients to date have been from outside the department. 'We'd like to see that change," said Riggs. "We'd like to see more applications from across the university.*' Riggs noted that "very few" applications had come from the School of Music, and no applications had ever come from the School of Business Administration. . Some 1997 winners ofthe SURE grant included Suzanne Hartley, who studied how race relations have evolved in St Augustine, Florida, since the pivotal events of 1963-1964, and Amanda Marder, who studied how the encapsulation and protection of bioactive lysozyme occurs through unilamellar phospholipid vesicles. Angela Hamel, a history major, received a SURE grant in 1996 to study the feminist literature of Egypt, and Orenda Lyons' topic was "Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Glial Cell Formation within the Central Gustatory System of Rats During Development." The SURE grants have been dominated by natural science or psychology students for the past two years—although this trend may change. Written by Lauren -Fernandez Technology ° The Intranet, a secure web server, was also opened to students and faculty last Thurs. Last Thursday the Intranet became available for general use by students, faculty members, and staff members. The Intranet, according to a written communique from the Center for Information Technology (CIT), is "an internal web site available only to the Stetson students, faculty, and staff." According to this same information, the Intranet "is a vehicle used to enhance communication and the distribution of information within the Stetson community." Kelly Kannon, a senior member ofthe CIT staff, said the Intranet was released at a technology fair on Jan. 29 in the Stetson Room of the Carlton F^floTlIlrvfo^^ The Stetson Intranet is located at https://beret.stetson.edu. After typing in this URL, you'll be required to enter the same username and password that you use to access your e.mail in the computer labs, through EudoraPro, or through HyperTerminal. Union Building from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The conference was mostly attended by faculty members and staff members interested in observing CIT's new technology releases. "The purpose ofthe technology fair was to display the new technology on campus...one of those technologies was the Intranet," said Kannon. "The other technologies were the new electronic whiteboards and video conferencing." The Intranet, according to Kannon, was developed by CIT student and professional employees in an attempt to "further enhance campus communication and create a new fo- rum. Techno-fever The Intranet is on a secure web server, labeled "beret." "Most of our servers are named after hats...like tophat," said Kannon. "The response...[to the Intranet]...at the technology fair was overwhelming...itwas so exciting and the response was great. People just think it will be a great avenue to enhance communication on campus. Currently, the Intranet is filled with options, like a course schedule for all Stetson classes, an e.mail directory to search for Stetson constituents, discussion groups, classified jobs bulletin, and a link to E-DeLand, the comprehensive web site about the university's hometown. In the future, the Intranet will have an employee handbook posted on it, along with Connections, the official handbook released by the Department of Campus Life. After more, protective security measurer are added, students will be able to access unofficial copies of their own transcripts, individual schedules, financial aid information. Employees, with an extra identifier like a social security number, would be able to access their vacation and sick leave as well as their class rosters. The new electronic whiteboards, one of CIT's releases, are located in the basement of the Lynn Business Center and in room 205 of See TECHNOLOGY, page 2a lAtv. i\uiiiaii Rodriguez and Matt Hackert learn about new technology at . CIT's expo in the Stetson Room last Thursday. The expo was held to showcase new technology the department is working with. By STEPHANIE ADDUCI Associate News Editor The Gualala Foundation, the organization which controls the Edmunds full-scholarship program, announced that the program would be expanded from two to four scholars per year. The J. Ollie Edmunds Distinguished Scholarship Program is a full, merit-based scholarship program that was established this past academic year. The scholarship covers full undergraduate tuition for four years, including tuition, room, board, books, and fees. In addition, the scholars are given the opportunity to participate in a summer internship with a $1,500 stipend and are given the option to study abroad for a semester or year. Based on the success of the scholars this past semester, the Gualala Foundation decided to increase the number of scholars from two to four. They also felt that they had the resources to expand this generous scholarship. Ten to twelve finalists will be selected from a competitive collection of students to compete in an interview with a faculty committee. These finalists will be visiting our cam pus on Mar. 13-14. This academic year marked the first set of Edmunds Scholars. The two scholars are Trinity Hundredmark and JeffHamrick. There are certain criteria which a student must possess before being awarded this scholarship. The first step in the scholarship process starts in high school. The principals of schools which consistently produce an excellent caliber of students are invited to nominate two candidates. The candidates must have a secondary G.P. A. of at least 3.5, must be ranked in the top 5% of their graduating class, and have a minimum of a combined SAT score of 1300 or an ACT composite of at least 30. However, candidates also need to exhibit leadership skills, communication skills, an outstanding character, as well as active participation in athletics and the arts. The scholarships are awarded based solely on a student's outstanding merit, not on their intended major, financial need, race, ethnic origin, religion, or sex. The deadline for the acceptance of applications this year was Jan. 1. The candidate pool for the next Edmunds scholars is comprised of over 110 applicants. The next step in the selection process is to narrow down the candidate pool based on their application and essay on leadership. The finalists will be brought to campus for a weekend to explore Stetson and to interview for the four spots. While here, the finalists will get an opportunity to meet members of the Gualala Foundation who are funding the scholarship, as well as students and faculty and the 1997 Edmunds Scholars. On Friday, Mar. 13, the finalists will be given the opportunity to attend classes that are of interest to them. This will allow the finalists to get a taste of what Stetson has to offer. Dean Mary Worland Napier, head of the office of admissions, feels that this part ofthe process is very important. "I think it's a two way fit. They can't just want to be at Stetson because they want full tuition and room and board scholarship. They've got to want to be at Stetson because they want to be at Stetson," she said. The finalists will be given the chance on Friday to see what the university has to offer them. The second day will be the reverse of the first day: the university will be given the chance to see what the finalists have to offer it. The finalists will be interviewed by a faculty committee comprised of five faculty mem bers. Napier said that she felt the purpose of the scholarship is to "attract and reward excellent students, who at this level of competition often...have every opportunity in the world to go to every institution." According to Napier, the Gualala Foundation feels that this scholarship program will help raise the the university's profile as well as attract superior students to Stetson. The J. Ollie Edmunds Distinguished Scholarship program was initially designed to be comprised of eight scholars, with two winners from each class. The expansion will now allow for sixteen scholars, four for each year, to be part of the program. Dr. Paul Steeves, a professor of history, is the faculty advisor to the Edmunds Laureate, the formal organization to which the scholars belong. Steeves is proud of this year's Edmunds Scholars. He feels that Hundredmark and Hamrick are "the kind of people that universities like to do whatever they can to get... they are both just extremely capable students... both academically capable and as leaders." Hundredmark, a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, feels that the Edmunds Scholarship Program "has helped her a lot." Photo by Paul Davis Hamrick, the news editor for The Reporter and the freshman representative on the honors program executive council, said, "This expansion ofthe program is an excellent opportunity for us to bring in fresh talent and energy." "We are genuinely excited about the opportunities that will be created by the influx of extra scholars." According to Steeves, the expansion of the scholarship is "the brain child of Dr. Edmunds' son, J. Ollie Edmunds, Jr., who wants so much for this to be a high profile program with high prestige... he wants to make it as big as it can possibly be." The program was established by the Foundation in honor of its founder, J. Ollie Edmunds, who passed away in 1984. Edmunds became Stetson's fourth president in 1947. As president, Edmunds hired new faculty, raised the university's standards, raised over $18 million dollars, expanded the campus from 33 acres to 80, as well as built sixteen new buildings. Edmunds was part of Stetson from the time he enrolled as a student in 1921 to the day that he passed away. Edmunds' descendants are still contributing through the Gualala Foundation, which J. Ollie Edmunds, Sr., started himself in 1964. inside J FORUM: President's real problems in the Middle East, not in his pants, 4a LIFE: 'Desperate Measures' has a typical 1 SPORTS: Baseball team preparing plot but is entertaining nevertheless, 1b for spring season. Preview, 4b