Please join President Kazee TODAY at 2:00 p.m. in Eykamp Hall. He will share the latest information on the strategic plan, the budget, and other topics of University-wide interest. The meeting will include a presentation regarding the University Facilities Master Plan.

Associate Professor of Art History Heidi Strobel will discuss her research on the life and work of British textile artist Mary Linwood (1755-1845). Strobel focuses on late 18th century attitudes toward gender and class, and questions the concept of originality, particularly in relation to the decorative arts.

The lecture will be held in the Reitz Home Carriage House on Monday, February 20 at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $5 for non-members. This admission charge of $5 is reduced to $2.50 with a valid student ID

For more information, call (812) 426-1871, or go to http://www.reitzhome.com/.

Everyone is invited to a special Mardi Gras-themed dinner at the Newman Catholic Campus Ministry Center tonight. Gumbo and king cake will be served, followed by a discussion led by those who attended this year's Pilgrimage for Life about their experiences. Dinner is at 5:30 p.m., followed by discussion at 6:00 p.m.

The University of Evansville Office of Veterans Affairs has joined forces with the University of Southern Indiana to participate in a Community Read conversation about “War and our Community.”  This semester long project will involve readings, discussions, and reflections on the issues facing returning veterans and their community.  As part of the project, the Community Read has chosen Tim O’Brien’s collection of short stories entitled “The Things They Carried.”  This award winning book reflects on the experiences of the Vietnam War and the challenges that veterans face upon their return.  The Community Read hopes that this collection will span discussions across the community and open up a wide ranging response to the concerns of returning veterans in our community.

For book discussion participants, the University of Evansville Office of Veterans Affairs is providing the first 40 people from the UE campus community (students, faculty, administration, staff, alumni, etc.) who respond to Cherie Leonhardt at  cl29@evansville.edu by February 20 with a complimentary book! Honors Program students will receive .5 points to participate.

Discussions, lectures, and community events are planned throughout the city of Evansville including discussion groups organized through the UE Office of Veterans Affairs.  Further information about upcoming events is available at http://www.usi.edu/communityread/.

UE book discussion participants will be invited to a special kick-off event (stay tuned for details) to learn more about the book, meet veterans, enjoy refreshments, and pick up their books.  Spring break is around the corner and a perfect time to read with us!  Email today.
 

The UE Wind Ensemble will perform in Neu Chapel this Tuesday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m.  Assistant Professor and Director of Bands Ken Steinsultz will lead the ensemble in a program of works by modern composers, including William Schuman, Bob Margolis, Scott Boerma, and Steven Bryant.  The highlight of the evening will be the ensemble’s performance of David R. Gillingham’s Concerto for Woodwind Quintet and Wind Ensemble with the Department’s Harlaxton Quintet (Shauna Thompson, flute; Elizabeth Robertson, oboe; Thomas Josenhans, clarinet; Edwin Lacy, bassoon; and Jonas Thoms, French horn) performing the solo parts.  The concert is free and open to the public.

UE students and sopranos Melanie Bacaling and Alyssa Brooks will present a joint Junior Recital in Wheeler Concert Hall this Saturday, February 25, at 4:00 p.m.  The recital is free and open to the public.

To commemorate the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, February 22, Mass with imposition of ashes will be celebrated with Bishop Charles C. Thompson presiding, in Neu Chapel at 5:00 p.m. Everyone is invited for the beginning to this holy season in preparation for Easter. There will be no 9:30 p.m. Catholic Mass this Wednesday.

Archaeologist Ben Thomas will be presenting a lecture on "Caves, Chocolate and Christianity: Maya Archaeology in Belize" on Thursday, February 23. The lecture will be at 7 p.m. in Room 170 (Smythe Lecture Hall), Schroeder Family School of Business Administration Building.

For six years, archaeologist Thomas and members of the Xibun Archaeological Research Project (XARP) conducted a comprehensive archaeological survey of the Sibun River and its environs in Belize, Central America. XARP is focused on political, ritual, and economic transformations of Terminal Classic Maya society. The project’s main objective was to document and evaluate the myriad factors that affected the settlement choices made by the ancient Maya settlers who lived along the banks of the Sibun River. While searching for Maya settlements, ancient cacao groves and the remains of a lost church, the team uncovered 22 ancient Maya sites and evidence for ritual use of caves in the shadow of the Sleeping Giant mountain ridge. One of the most interesting finds were unexpected round temples or structures associated with stone monuments, such as stelae and altars.

These finds increased our understanding of Maya adaptive strategies and how they were affected both by geography and ideology: while the fertile alluvial plains of the Sibun River attracted settlers it was the proximity of the sacred caves in the limestone karst bordering the settlements which imbued the landscape with symbolic significance. Examples of geographic adaptation include the location of settlements to control access to waterways and resources: at the confluence of river and streams, at the place where the river emerges from its mountain sources on to the plain, and at the mouth of the river to control the movement of goods and information from the Caribbean. Ideological adaptation is shown in the extensive evidence of considerable movement between caves and settlements: the removal of cave formations like stalactites and stalagmites from the nearby caves, as well as the placing pottery and stone tools in the caves.

A representative from AIFS, a UE-approved study abroad program provider, will be on campus Wednesday, February 22. Students interested in AIFS programs may stop by a table in Ridgway University Center between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. or contact the Office of Study Abroad at studyabroad@evansville.edu
 

Are you craving a home-cooked meal? Today -Tuesday, February 21 - from 5-7 p.m. at Methodist Temple, Colleges against Cancer-Relay for Life will provide a meal for only $5. All proceeds go to the event on March 31. Please bring your friends and enjoy a cheap but very yummy meal for such a good cause! Any questions, contact sj81@evansville.edu

The newly formed Tri-State Women in Computing and Engineering (TWICE) is currently accepting registration for The Beauty of Engineering, a half-day workshop for girls in grades four through eight.

The workshop will take place Saturday, March 10 on the University of Evansville campus. Check-in will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the south lobby of the Koch Center for Engineering and Science, and the event will end at approximately 11:15 a.m. The cost is $6 per participant, and registration is open to individuals and organizations that wish to bring a group. 

The Beauty of Engineering is an opportunity for girls to learn about engineering and computer science by rotating through four stations, each staffed by female professionals in the fields.  Each station will feature a lesson and hands-on exercise such as circuitry, building and testing catapults, and online computer programming.

Pre-registration is required. Forms and information are available at the TWICE website, www.twice-evv.org, under “Upcoming Events.” Deadline for pre-registration is Friday, March 2.

TWICE is made possible by a grant from the Alcoa Foundation in partnership with the University of Evansville College of Engineering and Computer Science. 

For more information, please call Tina Newman in UE’s College of Engineering and Computer Science at 812-488-2651.
 

The time to sign up for housing for 2012-2013 is fast approaching Information meetings will be held at 4:00 pm, 8:30 pm, and 9:30 pm on the following dates.

Tuesday February 21 in Koch 100
Wednesday February 22 in Koch 100
Thursday February 23 in Graves 100

Students who will be living on campus next year should plan to attend one of the meetings. The housing selection process will be discussed in detail. Students who will be studying abroad or not on campus for the fall semester do not need to attend a housing meeting. Information about the upcoming housing selection process can be found on the Residence Life website.  Students with questions can email UEHousing@evansville.edu or stop by the Office of Residence Life. 

The freshman council will be hosting a Dodgeball Tournament on February 29 in celebration of Leap Day. This event will be open to all students not just the freshman. The Dodgeball Tournament will start at 5 p.m. and go until around 8 p.m. It will take place in Carson Center, and there will be awards for the winning team.

To start a team here is what you have to do. Email a team name and the name of the team captain to AW293@evansville.edu by February 27. Then you just have to make a team of 5 or 6 people to play with. Then just show up ready to play some awesome dodgeball on February 29 with your team.

If you have any other question email cc221@evansville.edu

The dates for Homecoming 2012 Reunion Weekend have been set for November 2–4. Plans for several reunions are getting underway. Any department or organization interested in holding an event during Homecoming 2012 Reunion Weekend should contact alumni@evansville.edu. 

This is a reminder to ALL May Graduates that Commencement Central is set for Monday, February 27 from 5-8 p.m. upstairs in the Ridgway University Center and Tuesday, February 28  from noon-5 p.m. outside the UE Bookstore. Plan to attend one of these sessions so that you can finalize your graduation plans and make sure everything is set. During the event you will meet with the Registrar and staff from the Alumni and Career Planning offices.  You also will purchase your cap and gown and/or graduation announcements. There will be other useful information offered as well. During the Monday night event there will be food and a special giveaway.  Please mark your calendar and make sure you attend this event - it only takes a few minutes.

 

This is a call for nominations/applications of UE faculty to serve as a UE Global Scholar for the 2012-13 academic year.  It is anticipated that up to five appointments will be made.  Global Scholars will engage in scholarship, travel and/or research activities related to the impact of globalization on our learning environment.  Global Scholars will receive a $2,000 stipend and a professional development budget of $3,000 for expenses, e.g., materials, books, travel, workshop registration, etc.  In addition, funds will be available to the Global Scholar’s department to provide a one-course release during the academic year.  It is expected that Global Scholar activities will have an impact on the global awareness and understanding of our learning community through curriculum or co-curricular activities.  We will value both research and pedagogical advancement in the proposed projects.  Projects that impact both of these elements will be given stronger consideration.  An evaluation form and narrative report detailing activities will be required on or before June 29, 2013.

Nominations/Applications should be made to the Institute for Global Enterprise in Indiana, Schroeder Family School of Business Administration Building, Room 260.  Deadline for full consideration is March 19, 2012.  Electronic submissions may be sent to Dan Miller, Executive Director, Institute for Global Enterprise in Indiana at pm82@evansville.edu.  Materials in support of the candidate should include information that supports the candidate’s appointment and a description of activities proposed by the nominee/applicant, not to exceed one page.  Materials will be reviewed by the Institute and Dr. Steve Standifird, Dean of the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration, in collaboration with the Council of Deans. Please provide your dean a copy of your submission.  Appointments will be announced by March 30, 2012.

The February Pcard Cycle began on January 24 and ends on February 21. Pcards statements must  be reconciled and printed from SDG2 as of February 23 and submitted along with your receipts in a Pcard Envelope. GL will upload on February 28.

Are you a junior in the top 35 percent of your class? Do you exemplify the ideas of scholarship, leadership, and service? Then you're perfect for Mortar Board, a prominent national honor society for college seniors that selects the best and brightest in their class. Mortar Board is now accepting applications for the 2012-2013 class. Apply today by filling out the attached link and turning applications into the information desk at the Ridgway University Center by March 1. If you have any questions contact Kourtney Steen at ks273@evansville.edu

Students are welcome to apply for the I-Pals Program. This program is set in place to promote friendship by matching International students with American students. This program provides students with a new perspective on cultures different from their own. Applications for I-Pals Program are available in the Office of Cultural Engagement and International Services in Ridgway University Center, Room 220, at the back of the Student Life Center. Please contact Angellina Kyazike at ak153@evansville.edu  with any questions.

 

Teacher Education Admission packets are now available in the School of Education office, Graves Hall, 304. Your interview will be scheduled when the application and professional education portfolio (live text or hard copy) are submitted. The deadline for submission is March 12.  Scheduled interviews will be conducted on March 19, 20, 21. Please note:  you must meet the following requirements to apply: 1) a passing score on all three praxis 1 tests or passing ACT/SAT scores, 2) overall GPA 2.8 or better, 3) grade C or better in EDUC 100, 200, 320 or currently enrolled.

Please contact the School of Education office or your advisor if you have any questions.

The University of Evansville baseball team used a three-run rally in the top of the seventh inning to overcome Lipscomb University, 4-3, Saturday afternoon at Dugan Field.

The victory lifts UE’s record to 1-1 on the season, while the Bison fell to 1-1.

“It was an all-around good win with great jobs on the mound,” said head coach Wes Carroll “It was nice to see Sam Johns bounce back from last year’s season-ending injury and throw the ball well, giving us a chance to win, with Kyle Lloyd and Josh Biggs coming in.

“It was good to finally scratch off a couple runs with timely hits, including Kyle Pollock’s big two-out RBI double that gave us the go-ahead run in the seventh,” added Carroll. “Hopefully tomorrow we come out strong in the rubber match versus Middle Tennessee with a chance to win the weekend.”

Middle reliever Lloyd (1-0) earned the win, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and struck out one. Biggs picked up the save.

Right-hander Sam Johns got the no-decision, tossing 5.0 innings, allowing three earned runs, seven hits, two walks, while striking out two.

The Bison took a quick lead in the bottom of the first, scoring two runs when Lee Wilson led off with a triple to right-centerfield and scored on M.L. William’s single to center. With one out, after catcher Chris Pearson caught Willams stealing, Zach Lowery walked and stole second, putting himself in scoring position for Zak Messer. Messer’s double to right center gave Lipscomb a 2-0 head start. Johns ended the inning with two groundball outs.

The Aces recorded their first run of the 2012 season in the top of the third when sophomore Tim Bodine reached on a bunt single to third and stole second. Junior Eric Stamets’ single up the middle made it a one-run game, 2-1.

With two outs in the fourth, Messer homered off Johns over the centerfield wall to make it 3-1, but Johns came back with a strikeout to limit the damage, and end his first outing on a high note.

After Lloyd hurled a scoreless sixth, the Aces got the bats going in the seventh. Leading off with a walk, Stamets came around to score on Kevin Kaczmarksi’s double to right-center. Kaczmarski advanced to third on Trentt Copeland’s groundout and Pearson walked to put runners on the corners with one out. Mahon’s sacrifice bunt, plated the freshman centerfielder, and freshman Kyle Pollock’s double down the left field line brought in Pearson from second to give UE the go-ahead run and a 4-3 advantage.

Lloyd held the Bisons off in the bottom of the frame and sat down the first two batters in the eighth before Biggs came in to close.

Benjamin Johnson took the loss for Lipscomb.

Pollock led UE with two hits (2-4) and an RBI, while Stamets (1-4) and Kaczmarksi (1-4) each contributed a hit, run, and RBI. Pearson (1-3) and Bodine (1-2) each logged a hit and a run.
 

 Five University of Evansville women’s swimming and diving members were received all-conference awards and head coach Rickey Perkins was named the Missouri Valley Conference’s Coach of the Year as the Aces wrapped up the 2011-12 State Farm MVC Championships today. Evansville finished the meet in fourth place with a total score of 440.

Senior Alex Howard, junior Sadie Wells and freshman Michelle Tipton were all named first-team all-conference while freshmen Caroline Lee and Samantha Montgomery earned second-team nods.

“It was just a fantastic championship for us,” commented Perkins. “It was really just a culmination of a great season and all of our hard work and effort showed this weekend. We had a lot of life-time bests and records set and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this group.”

Tipton claimed her second first-place finish of the weekend, winning the 100-yard freestyle with a season-best time of 51.15.

Lee notched a seventh place in the 200-yard breaststroke, touching in at 2:24.77. Junior Jill Enge and sophomore Melissa Thurman tied for ninth in the event, both finishing at 2:24.25.

Howard finished eighth in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing with a time of 2:06.27. On the boards, Wells took third on the 3-meter with a final score of 275.65.

The Championships marked the end of the 2011-12 season for the women’s squad. The UE men’s swimming and diving team will travel to Oxford, Ohio for the Mid-American Conference Championships on March 1.

Colt Ryan scored a game-high 20 points as the University of Evansville men’s basketball team cruised to a 68-45 victory over Western Illinois on Saturday night at the Ford Center. 

Ryan hit 6 out of 16 shots while notching team highs in assists (8) and rebounds (6).  Denver Holmes had 15 points while Ned Cox tallied nine.

“I thought every guy that played had intensity and played hard, we have a lot of respect for what they do,” head coach Marty Simmons said.  “Now we have to be prepared to face Creighton, they are one of the best teams we play all season, it will be fun to play on front of 18,000 out there.”

Offense was at a premium early on as the teams combined to hit just one of their first six shots.  Ryan Sawvell began the scoring a little over a minute in, putting back a Colt Ryan miss.  Following a pair of WIU (14-12, 8-8 Summit) free throws, Denver Holmes picked up right where he left off after Wednesday’s game-winning performance, hitting a three at the five minute mark before Ceola Clark responded with one of his own to make it 5-5.

A 10-0 spurt by UE (14-13, 8-8 MVC) gave them their first lead of more than a possession as Ned Cox hit a pair of treys in the run. With 9:17 left in the period, Jack Houpt ended the streak as the Leathernecks began the game 1-of-7 from the floor, 0-6 from 2-point range while turning the ball over nine times in that span.

Following a mini 4-0 spurt by WIU, Evansville added to its lead to go to the locker room up by 12, 26-14.  Ryan knocked down two three-pointers as the UE would extend its lead in the final minutes.  The defense held the Leathernecks to a season-low 14 points in the half on 7-of-22 shooting.  For the third-straight opening stanza, Western Illinois struggled from the floor.  In the two games prior to facing UE, WIU combined to score 36 first-half points while hitting 16 out of 46 attempts. 

The 14 points was also the lowest scoring half of the season, with SIU’s second-half performance of 19 points being the lowest.  Prior to tonight, the lowest first half for an Aces opponent was 21 by Alabama State.  Western Illinois also turned the ball over 16 times in the period, accumulating more turnovers than points.

A 5-0 run by the Leathernecks to open up the second half made it a 7-point contest.  Terell Parks hit a layup before Jack Houpt hit a three just two minutes in.  Evansville fought right back with a 12-5 stretch to open up its largest lead at 14 points.  Six points by Kenneth Harris, which included a pair of dunks, highlighted the run.

With just under seven minutes remaining in the game, Cox’s third three-pointer gave Evansville its first 20-point lead of the night.  The lead remained in that neighborhood over the remainder of the contest as the Aces finished off with the 68-45 victory. 

The victory improves UE’s mar in Sears Bracketbusters play to 4-5 while its overall record against the Leathernecks stands at a perfect 3-0. 

Ceola Clark was the lone Western Illinois player to reach double digits, scoring 11.  Terell Parks led all players with 12 boards.  After shooting 27.8% in the first half, WIU shot 52.4% in the second half to finish the game at 41%.  The Aces hit 44.2% of their shots for the game.  Evansville finished tied in the rebounding battle with 30 apiece while the defense forced 23 turnovers.

Evansville now enters its final week of regular season play.  On Tuesday, the Purple Aces will travel to Creighton looking for their first season sweep of the Bluejays since the 1994-95 season, their first in the Missouri Valley Conference.  That game will be televised on the MVC Network, which includes Fox Sports Midwest.  On Saturday, UE will face Missouri State at the Ford Center, looking for the first season sweep of the Bears since the 1998-99 campaign.  Tip for the regular season finale is set for 1:05 p.m. and will mark the final home game for seniors Kenneth Harris, Denver Holmes, Matt Peeler and Brandon Williams. 
 

The University of Kentucky picked up a 7-0 win over the University of Evansville women’s tennis team on Saturday evening in Lexington.

In doubles play, the flight one pair of Dora Kotsiou and Natasha James were dealt their first loss at the hands of Jessica Stiles and Khristina Blajkevitch, 8-6.  At the No. 2, Edmee Morin-Kougoucheff and Caitlin McGraw topped Natasha Richardson and Kelsey Costales, 8-1, while the duo of Marni Venter and Cece Witten notched a win over Aleks Dzakula and Jessica Raatz, 8-2.

At the No. 1 spot in singles, Stiles defeated Kotsiou, 6-1, 6-4.  Blajkevitch picked up a win over Dzakula in Flight 2, 6-4, 7-6 while Morin-Kougoucheff topped James, 6-3, 6-2.  At the 4, Stephanie Fox grabbed a win over Richardson, 6-1, 6-0 while Witten defeated Mina Milovic at the No. 5 spot, 6-3, 6-3.  Raatz fell in Flight 6 to Misha Testerman, 6-1, 6-1.

Next weekend, Evansville will return to the Tri-State Athletic Club for a pair of matches, beginning on Friday evening when the Aces play host to Butler.  On Saturday, Eastern Illinois comes to town, with both matches set for 7 p.m. starts.
 

On the road Sunday afternoon, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team suffered a 69-43 loss at Wichita State University’s Charles Koch Arena. The loss drops the Aces record to 5-21 on the season and 2-13 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while the Shockers remain the first-place team in the Valley, improving to 17-8 overall and 11-3 in the MVC.
Junior Samantha Heck led the way for Evansville with her fifth career double-double, matching a career-high 21 points while grabbing a season-high 11 rebounds. Classmate Taylor Ware added eight points, followed by Meagan Collins’ six points.
Although Wichita State scored the first basket, Evansville matched the Shockers, bucket for bucket, going into the first media timeout tied, 4-4.

However, WSU’s run-and-gun offense on misses and full court pressure on makes got the best of the Aces, leading to a Wichita 10-0 run. The Shockers started the rally with a layup on the break, and recorded four points on two quick steals. A free throw and another steal and layup by Alex Harden in UE’s backcourt, her third of the run, gave WSU a 14-4 advantage with 12:16 left in the opening period.

Ware ended Evansville’s scoring drought with a strong drive, layup, and foul, completing the three-point play at the line. After another turnover and layup by Haleigh Lankster, the Aces regrouped to cut the deficit to two, 18-16, at the 6:11 mark, following a 9-2 run. Heck capped the rally with a right-handed drive and three-pointer, back-to-back.
Out of a WSU timeout, the Shockers answered right back with an 8-0 run and outscored the Aces 13-5 in the final six minutes of the half, sending UE into the locker room trailing 31-21.

Out of the break, Heck scored the first five points of the half, finishing a layup and draining a three in front of the UE bench, but the Shockers answered with a 15-2 run, expanding their lead to 46-28 with 15 minutes to go.
Wichita State continued to stretch the margin to as much as 29 points, shooting 59.3 percent (16-27) in the second period, including making 15 of their first 19 shots (78.9%).

In the game, Evansville shot 39.1 percent (18-46) from the field, 15.8 percent (3-19) from three, and made all four from the line, while Wichita State shot 52.9 percent (27-51) from the field, 40.0 percent (2-5) from behind the arc, and 86.7 percent (13-15) from the charity stripe.

Forcing the Aces to commit 28 turnovers, the Shockers outscored UE, 33-4 off the miscues, including 14 fast break points. Evansville won the battle of the boards, 30-23.

Harden and Jessica Diamond led Wichita State with 14 points apiece, while Lankster also reached double figures, scoring 11 points.

The Aces play their last road game of the regular season next Sunday, traveling to take on Southern Illinois. Tip-off is set for 2:05 p.m.