Fall 2009

University

• The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the addition of the Bachelor of Applied Science degree to UHCL’s degree roster. The new degree offers tracks in early childhood education, healthcare services and information technology.
  
  
• ABET, Inc. granted accreditation to the industrial hygiene and safety programs in UHCL’s School of Science and Computer Engineering.
  
  
• UHCL signed two reverse articulation agreements during the fall that will allow students to complete their associate degree by transferring credits taken at UHCL back to their respective colleges, which include Alvin Community College and Brazosport College. This agreement brings the total to three such agreements including one signed last year with San Jacinto College.
  
  
• UHCL opened the new academic year welcoming Zbigniew Czajkiewicz as dean of the School of Science and Computer Engineering. Czajkiewicz was formerly a professor of engineering and head of the Center for Applied Research in Engineering and Science at Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania.
  
  
• Three UHCL alumni and two professors were honored during UHCL’s 50 Grand Alumni Celebration in October. Distinguished Alumni Awards were presented to NASA Johnson Space Center Project Manager of Lunar Surface Systems Christopher J. Culbert, MA ’86, and Delta Airlines Chief Executive Officer Richard H. Anderson, BS ’77. Yale University Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Corey Wilson, BS ’02, received the Early Achievement Award, while Outstanding Professor Awards were presented to Associate Professor of Instructional Technology Caroline M. Crawford and Professor Emeritus of Literature Gretchen Mieszkowski.
  
  
• Approximately 1,800 people gathered at UHCL for “Fly Me to the Moon: A Community Celebration of the First Lunar Landing” in July. The celebration brought in astronauts, aerospace executives, elected officials, UHCL alumni and hundreds of others to listen to live music, view footage from the first lunar landing, and enjoy a variety of family games and exhibits.
  
  
• Thirty-two high school students from 16 countries spent two weeks this summer at UHCL participating in the United Space School. The program is held every summer by the Foundation of International Space Education and gives the future scientists an opportunity to visit NASA Johnson Space Center, participate in space-related projects with other students from around the world, hear guest speakers, attend workshops and presentations by UHCL professors and other industry professionals, and speak directly with astronauts at the International Space Station.

Faculty

• The UHS Board of Regents approved the promotion of faculty to the rank of professor, including Kevin R. McNamara, School of Human Sciences and Humanities; Judith Marquez and Laurie R. Weaver, School of Education; and Liwen Shih and Chunlong Zhang, School of Science and Computer Engineering. Regents also approved associate professor with tenure status for M. Alix Valenti, Susan M. Sorensen and Melissa N. Gonzalez from the School of Business. Additionally, UHS Chancellor Renu Khatur approved tenure status for Associate Professor Dan J. Kim, School of Science and Computer Engineering.
  
  
• The UHS Board of Regents awarded emeritus status to four UHCL retired professors including Martha Dillner, professor of reading and language arts; Howard Eisner, associate professor of psychology; Robert McGlashan, professor of management; and Gretchen Mieszkowski, professor of literature. Faculty emeriti recipients are nominated by fellow faculty members based on their long-term support to the university, in addition to exhibiting a sustained and distinguished record of teaching, scholarship or service.
  
  
• Robert Bartsch, associate professor of psychology, was named interim associate dean of the School of Human Sciences and Humanities. He joined UHCL in fall 2001 and was appointed division chair for social and behavioral sciences in 2007.
  
  
• Associate Professor of Computer Science Gary Boetticher presented “Financial Data Mining” to the Rotary Club of Seabrook in August. Attendees learned about the process for building effective financial models and heard examples of both theoretical and actual results of financial data mining.
  
  
• George Guillen, associate professor of biology and environmental science and executive director of the Environmental Institute of Houston, received a $544,343 four-year award from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for his proposal “Armand Bayou Water Quality Improvement Grant.” He also received a $40,000 award from TCEQ for “Galveston Bay Ecosystem Model Phase I”; a $25,000 subcontract award from Texas Water Development Board through Trinity River Authority (TRA) for “Development of Ecological Overlay Information and Data for Support of Senate Bill 3 (Science Advisory Committee) Environmental Flow Recommendations”; and an $18,000 award from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Refuge Program for “Diamond Terrapin Demographics & Habitat Use at Texas Mid-Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex.”
  
  
• Dorothea Lerman, professor of psychology, received a $132,000 two-year continuation grant from Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County for “Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.” She also received continuation grants from local school districts for graduate assistantships in Pasadena ISD, $42,180; Pearland ISD, $40,036; and Clear Creek ISD, $42,180.
  
  
• Camille Peres, assistant professor of psychology, received a $126,043 two-year award from the National Science Foundation for the collaborative proposal “Collaborative Research: Online Statistics Education: An Interactive Multimedia Course of Study II.”
  
  
• Professor of Fine Arts Sandria Hu spearheaded a collaboration between UHCL and the Czech Center Museum Houston for Czech visiting artists to present workshops at the museum in conjunction with the university’s International Consortium, which includes Universidad de Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico; University of Hawaii, Hilo; and University of West Bohemia, Pilzen, Czech Republic. A past recipient of multiple Fulbright Scholarships, Hu recently received a Fulbright Specialists grant for a 2-½-week stint at the University of Arts in Belgrade, Serbia.

Staff

• New officers were elected for UHCL’s Professional and Administrative Staff Association including Assistant Director of Organizational Development Ron Klinger, president; UH-Clear Lake Chief of Police Paul Willingham, vice president/president-elect; Health Center Nurse Sarah Roberts, secretary; Director of Accounting Usha Mathew, treasurer; Office of the Provost Functional Analyst Missie Adkins, archivist; Dean of Students Coordinator Lindsey Fulton, archivist alternate; Director of Operations Support Richard Adams, Planning and Budget Committee representative; School of Education Director of Student Relations David Benz, Planning and Budgeting Committee alternate; Associate Director of the Student Assistance Center Kristi Randolph, Facilities and Support Services Committee representative; School of Education Collaborative Coordinator/Academic Adviser Michelle Kaltenbach, Facilities and Support Services Committee alternate; Employment Coordinator Nichole Eslinger, University Life Committee representative; and School of Education Academic Adviser Carmen Conley, University Life Committee alternate.
  
  
• Andrew Reitberger, assistant director of student life, got a boost for UHCL’s Cultural Arts with a $1,800 grant from the French American Cultural Exchange to present The Tourneés Festival, a program that brings new French films to universities across the United States. Five film presentations in October and November will also feature mini French lessons from UHCL’s Foreign Language Program.
  
  
• Kimberly Sanders joined UHCL as registrar. She comes to UHCL from Marygrove College in Detroit, Mich. where she served as dean of enrollment services/registrar.

Students

• Business students Darcy Rivas and Terry Smith received Mae Snowden Bruce Scholarships. The scholarship endowment was created by Iris Mills in 2002 to assist students pursuing degrees in the School of Business.
  
  
• UHCL student Callie Vaughn was one of 14 AmeriCorps members honored by the Harris County Department of Education for their work in the Cooperative for After-School Enrichment AmeriCorps Summer Blast program. This 10-week community service program gave future teachers an opportunity to work on Kids Day Projects in area schools.

Alumni

• Edwin Cooper Jr., ’80 MS, is president and CEO of AcuityHealthcare LP, a hospital company based in Austin, Texas.
  
  
• Doug Hiser, ’96 BA, is a tourism specialist with the Bay Area Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. He is an author of seven fiction books and a professional wildlife artist.
  
  
• Sheryl Lightfoot Johns, BS ’86, has been honored by the Conference of Southwest Foundations with its Founders Spirit Award for her many years of service to the organization. The award, presented annually to one individual, included a $300 contribution in her honor to the Lightfoot/Johns Family Accounting Scholarship Endowment at UHCL.
  
  
• Sandra Jobe, ’01 BS, ’90 Elementary Teaching Certificate, has been recognized as District 4 Assistant Principal of the Year by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association. She is assistant principal at Frazier Elementary in Pasadena ISD.
  
  
• Stephen F. Lopez, ’02 MA, ’00 BA, is chair of the Social Sciences department at San Jacinto College, Central Campus.
  
  
• Angela Olige, ’83 BS, is assistant commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Division.
  
  
• Rissie Louise Owens, ’94 MA, has been reappointed as presiding officer and chair of the Board of Pardons and Paroles by Gov. Rick Perry. She has served on the board since 1997 and as chair since 2003.
  
  
• Bill Rankin, ’80 MA, ’76 BS, is city manager of Eagle Lake, Texas.
  
  
• Becky Reitz, ’90 BBA, is president of the Communities in Schools-Bay Area board of directors. The organization is on 15 campuses in Clear Creek ISD and Dickinson ISD.
  
  
• Katherine Rodriguez, ’01 BS, is the executive vice president and chief financial officer for Moody National Bank.
  
  
• Melinda Stephenson, ’93 MBA, is CEO of Kingwood Medical Center, Kingwood, Texas.
  
  
• Frances Woodall, ’93 BS, is vice president of finance for Reliant Business Products Inc., Houston, Texas.