Dear Campus Community,

It is with great regret that I inform the UE family of the unexpected passing of Angela Williams, Assistant Director of Alumni and Parent Relations, this morning. Information regarding funeral arrangements will be posted as soon as it is available. Please keep Angela, her daughter Cherice, and her whole family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

President Kazee

At this week’s I-House students from around the world will present how love in their country is shown or celebrated! There will be live music, snacks, crafts, poems, and games. Be sure to stop by TONIGHT at 7:00 p.m. upstairs in Ridgway University Center to celebrate love and have a good time.

Submitted by Cassie Peterson cp156@evansville.edu

James Sullivan, assistant professor of music, will give the inaugural Crick Lecture of 2017 today at 4:00 p.m. in Room 100 in the Koch Center for Engineering and Science. A short abstract follows:

"Music’s ability to evoke emotion is surely one of the main reasons we listen to it. But how exactly does music evoke emotion? A strand of research in music cognition argues that musical emotion derives in large part from listener expectation: a piece of music is patterned in such a way that it establishes a set of expectations and then either confirms or violates them. Both confirmed and violated expectations have the potential to evoke emotion, as does the act of expectation itself. This presentation will focus on the creation of surprise through violated expectations and, in particular, on expectations and surprises that listeners process quickly and automatically. We will define several different kinds of musical expectation, consider ways that music creatively frames and executes surprises, and explore how we come to have musical expectations in the first place. We will build our discussion around some interesting musical examples and some important experiments in music cognition."

Submitted by Derek Jones dj4@evansville.edu

Nerd Wars is a trivia-style contest consisting of multi-categorized questions answered by teams of UE students, faculty members, administrators, and staff members. Come see your friends and professors duke it out! The contest, held on February 28, begins at 7:00 p.m. in Eykamp Hall, Ridgway University Center!

Spectators and participants may also enter in the ELFFAR (this is NOT a raffle, it’s a game) for the chance to win gift cards to area restaurants, Bluetooth speakers, Bluetooth headsets, universal portable keyboard, portable chargers, fitness/sleep monitors, and more! ELFFAR tickets are 50 cents or three for $1. FREE Papa John's pizza, popcorn, and soda will be provided for everyone!

Submitted by Luke Steffe ls270@evansville.edu

The UE Bookstore will have special offerings in the store for Road Trip weekend on February 18-19 that will be available to everyone. Selected T-shirts will be $6.50. There will also be merchandise on clearance at greatly reduced rates. Any other clothing or gift item will be 10 percent off. The sale starts Friday and ends on Saturday. Special bookstore hours of 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. are planned for Saturday, February 18.

Submitted by Doug Gustwiller dg57@evansville.edu

Celebrate UE's 163rd birthday with FREE purple birthday cake at noon on Friday, February 17 on the first floor of Ridgway University Center, next to the Bill Ridgway portrait. This event is sponsored by the Student Alumni Ambassadors.

Submitted by Liz Riffert el37@evansville.edu

This year, the PRIDE's drag show theme is Gays in Space! The event is planned for April 1, at 7:00 p.m. in Eykamp Hall, Ridgway University Center.

Volunteer to perform a solo or group lip-sync act for this annual philanthropy event, benefiting Matt 25 and AIDS Resource Group. Please send your stage name(s), a short bio of your persona(s)/group, and an mp3 or YouTube link of your music by March 25. Please keep acts PG-13.

Acts will be judged, and the person(s) with most points wins a prize, as does the person(s) who get the most tips from audience members.

Submitted by Jaysa Hoeg jh626@evansville.edu

The 2017 Health and Fitness Fair will be held in the Fitness Center gym on Thursday, February 23, from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Win prizes and visit local businesses (Body Works Massage, Core Chiropractic, Ultimate Fit, etc).

Submitted by Lori Adams la87@evansville.edu

The University of Evansville Department of Theatre proudly presents its third production of the season, Lauren Gunderson’s Silent Sky, in Shanklin Theatre, at 7:30 p.m. tonight and tomorrow, and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.

In 2015, American Theatre magazine named Lauren Gunderson one of the most produced playwrights in America. In her exciting new play, we meet Henrietta Leavitt, one of the women employed at the Harvard Observatory to process astronomical data gathered by male scientists. A passionate and educated woman, she struggles to balance her own celestial studies, a twinkling workplace romance, and the ethereal bond of siblings. This poetic and poignant play will leave audience members whispering to their special someone, “Let’s go gaze at the stars.”

Professor of theatre Diane Brewer directs Silent Sky. Theatre department chair Eric Renschler serves as the scenic designer; Ivy Karlsgodt, a senior from San Antonio, Texas, is the costume designer; Avery Reagan, a senior from Conyers, Georgia, is the lighting designer; Benjamin Phillips, a senior from Fort Worth, Texas, serves as the sound designer; Rachel Barkalow, a senior from Cincinnati, Ohio, is the dramaturg; Mary Claire Smalley, a junior from Nashville, Tennessee, is the stage manager; and professor Chuck Meacham is the technical director.

The cast features sophomore Madeline Easley, from Overland Park, Kansas, as Henrietta Leavitt; sophomore Kathleen Finch, from College Station, Texas, as Margaret Leavitt; freshman Luke Lowrance, from Arlington, Texas, as Peter Shaw; freshman Shannon White, from Rockwall, Texas, as Annie Cannon; and junior Zoie Quinn, from San Antonio, Texas, as Williamina Fleming.

Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $13 for senior adults, students, and UE faculty and staff. UE students may obtain one free student rush ticket beginning at noon on the day of the performance they wish to attend.

Following Silent Sky, the Shanklin Theatre Season closes with Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, April 7-15, which marks the 50th anniversary of Shanklin Theatre.

Tickets may be purchased by calling 812-488–2031, Monday-Friday, from noon-5:00 p.m.

Submitted by Sharla Cowden sc75@evansville.edu

The University of Evansville and the Evansville African American Museum invite you to attend a Celebration of Life to honor the life and legacy of Ron Glass ’68 on Saturday, February 25, at 11:00 a.m. in Shanklin Theatre. Glass, a UE theatre alumnus and member of the Board of Trustees, passed away at his home in Los Angeles, California, on Friday, November 25.

Previously best known for his role as the debonair, well dressed Detective Harris in the classic television show Barney Miller, Glass gained a new following with his portrayal of the mysterious Shepherd Book in the science fiction series Firefly and its movie sequel, Serenity.  

Following the campus event, the Evansville African American Museum invites the community to view its permanent exhibit featuring Glass’s life and career from noon-5:00 p.m. Museum admission will be free. The museum is located at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Garvin Street at 579 South Garvin Street in Evansville.

Cynthia Sturgis Landrum, CEO and director of the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library, will be the speaker for the University of Evansville Andiron Lecture on March 1. The lecture will begin at 4:00 p.m., in Eykamp Hall, Room 252, in Ridgway University Center on UE’s campus. All of the Andiron lectures are free and open to the public.

Landrum’s topic will be “Toward a New Nostalgia for Public Libraries: Engaging, Inquiring, and Empowering.” During her talk, she will discuss the roots of library nostalgia. When and how was our nostalgia for libraries lost? Most importantly, how can we rediscover it for the greater good of our communities?

Landrum earned her bachelor’s degree in linguistics at Northwestern University, her master’s degree in library and information science at the University of Southern Mississippi, and is a doctoral candidate in managerial leadership for the information professions at Simmons College.

She is councilor-at-large on the Council of the American Library Association, past president of the Arizona Library Association and a former board member of the Institute for Science Education and Technology. Her professional mission is to empower individuals to reach their highest potential so they can impact and transform communities. As one example of this commitment, she tutors K-12 students from Chicago Public Schools, providing homework assistance with a primary focus on reading.  

The Andiron Lecture series is sponsored by the William L. Ridgway College of Arts and Sciences and supported by a generous gift from Donald B. Korb. For more information, call 812-488-1070 or 812-488-2589.

Students who have received federal direct loans (subsidized/unsubsidized) and plan to graduate in the spring or summer (or transfer after the spring semester) are required to attend a loan repayment counseling session.

The Office of Financial Aid will hold the first session of the semester on Wednesday, February 22, at 6:00 p.m. in Room 126, Hyde Hall. Sessions will also be held on April 26 at 2:00 p.m. and May 5 at 11:30 a.m.

Submitted by Amy Sowders as560@evansville.edu

Are you interested in teaching at Harlaxton? Please join Gerald Seaman, principal of Harlaxton, for a discussion on teaching at Harlaxton on February 16 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. in Room 120 in Hyde Hall. Jerry will cover the topics of applications, selection of faculty and courses, and pre-departure preparations. He will also reflect on what it is like to teach at Harlaxton, working with the Harlaxton team to include field excursions into your classes, as well as living in the manor. Please come and join us if you are interested in knowing more about teaching at Harlaxton or are planning to apply in the next several years.

Submitted by Greta Becker gb91@evansville.edu

We expect over 100 employers for Career Day 2017! Looking for a full-time professional position? Cooperative education opportunity? Internship? Summer job? Make plans to attend Career Day on Tuesday, February 28, from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. in the Meeks Family Court in Carson Center. See registered employers in JobLink. Also, pre-register for the event in JobLink to allow employers to view your resume early!

Submitted by Alison Morris-McDonald am268@evansville.edu

Nominations for the second annual Eykamp Prize are due by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15.Nominations can be submitted to Michael Austin, executive vice president for academic affairs, in writing or by e-mail at ma352@evansville.edu.

The Eykamp Prize was established by Richard and Rita Eykamp in 2015 to honor faculty achievement at the University of Evansville. Recipients of the prize will receive an award of $10,000 in recognition of extraordinary contributions to the University of Evansville as University Citizens. Examples of such contributions include deep and successful involvement in recruiting students; expanding the number, scope, and competitiveness of grant funding for their department; and bringing positive public awareness to the University through scholarship, knowledge, and understanding of their discipline. Up to two prizes a year may be awarded.

Nominations for the award may come from any member of the University of Evansville Community.

Nominees should be tenured or tenure-track faculty members at the University of Evansville who have not received the award in the previous five years.

Nominations should include the name of the faculty member and a brief statement of the reasons that he or she are being nominated.

Recipients of the Eykamp Award will be selected by an awards committee, appointed by the EVPAA, which includes members of the faculty and staff, academic administrators, and at least one member of the Board of Trustees. Awards will be announced and presented at the May Commencement ceremony.

The University of Evansville, in pursuit of excellence in service, wishes to recognize a non-faculty employee displaying records of achievement as a leader. Leadership may be demonstrated in any of the following areas: service to the University, service to students, job performance, and attitude towards fellow employees. To be eligible, an employee must be a full-time member of administration or staff.

Nominations for the March 2016 Employee of the Month are due no later than TODAY - Wednesday, February 15. 

To nominate someone, please go to AceLink and click on Areas, and then select Human Resources. The nomination form can be found under Forms on that page.

Campus traditions, be they academic, social, or somewhere in between, speak to the distinctive personality and character of a university. We are gathering information about rituals and traditions across the UE campus to better celebrate who we are and better welcome those who want to be a part of our community. Would you share with us the most important rituals/traditions your department, program, or organization hosts/sponsors each year?

For example, a popular tradition at UE, hosted by the art department and the Clay Club, is the annual Chili Bowl sale in the fall. Student Life is well-known for hosting the springtime Bike Race. And we all know about those bright orange luggage tags that take us to our beloved Harlaxton Manor.

You are invited to take this survey and list/name the rituals/traditions/events/activities that your program or department sponsors.

Submitted by Tamara Gieselman tg85@evansville.edu

GAP is now accepting proposals from both faculty members and students. If you have an idea to make a difference in your community, we encourage you to apply. Class credit and financial support is available, and your idea can help nonprofits, for profit businesses, or civic projects.

Faculty member proposals and student proposals must be submitted no later than noon on February 22. Spots are limited, apply early!

For more information, call 812-488-5002 or visit the GAP program web page.

Submitted by Cindy Kelley ck116@evansville.edu

ECO will have a compost on campus petition in Ridgway University Center on February 16-17, from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. The petition is the result of a semester's worth of research done by the Fall 2016 Environmental Ethics Class, and will allow ECO to gauge student interest and support for a composting program on campus.

Submitted by Tyler Wintermute tw172@evansville.edu

Registration for floor hockey, inner tube basketball, and singles racquetball is now open. Register a team at IMLeagues.com by February 17 at 2:00 p.m.

Submitted by Dana Owens do40@evansville.edu

UE is once again participating in Recyclemania, a recycling competition for universities that runs from February through the end of March.

At UE, the following items can be placed in an appropriate recycling bin:
• Empty aluminum and steel cans
• Empty plastic containers and drink bottles
• Paper products such as newspapers, office paper, magazines and empty cereal boxes

Note: Please place books and used toner cartridges and cardboard next to the recycle bins.

Please do NOT put the following items in UE’s recycling bins:
• Glass
• Pizza boxes – these can contain food or grease
• Trash such as leftover food and candy wrappers
• Styrofoam
• Partially full or full plastic or aluminum drink containers
• Plastic bags or plastic packing pillows
• Used tissues and paper towels

To find out where to drop off recyclables at UE and to learn why it’s important to recycle and more, check out the UE recycling guide.

Call ext. 2697 or email js652@evansville.edu with questions, and check out the UE Department of Environmental Management Facebook page for updates.

Submitted by Jan Schrader js652@evansville.edu

Students wishing to live in a Village housing unit should pick up and submit their Village housing request cards this week. Cards are available Monday-Friday in the Office of Residence Life from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Remember, Village housing request cards are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 17.

Submitted by Brian Conner bc32@evansville.edu

This is a reminder that the United States Postal Service (USPS) will be closed in observance of President’s Day, Monday, February 20. Please note that UE will not be able to pick up mail from USPS that day since the post office will be closed. Any mail picked up from UE areas by mail services on that day will be transported to Data Mail to be metered and mailed on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 21. For mailing questions, contact mail services at ext. 2197.

Submitted by Kim Winsett kw83@evansville.edu

Chair of the Department of History Annette Parks's article, "‘Thy Father's Valiancy Has Proved No Boon’: The Fates of Helena Angelina Doukaina and Her Children,” has been published in Medieval Hostageship c 700-c1500 Hostage, Captive, Prisoner of War, Guarantee, Peacemaker. The volume is published as part of the Routledge Research in Medieval Studies series. It is co-edited by UE alumna Katherine Weikert, lecturer in early medieval European history at the University of Winchester 

Submitted by Annette Parks ap3@evansville.edu

David Howard scored a career-high 21 points while Jaylon Brown and Ryan Taylor added 22 apiece to lead the University of Evansville Men's Basketball team to its fourth win in a row, defeating Drake by a final of 87-70 on Tuesday night at the Ford Center.

It was the first time three players scored 20 or more points for UE since December 30, 2006, against Bradley when Matt Webster, Kyle Anslinger, and Bradley Strickland notched 20 apiece against Bradley.

"As a team, we were in attack mode tonight. Jaylon was driving to the basket, Ryan was hitting his outside shots and I was attacking down low," Howard said. "It was a great win tonight."

Howard hit six shots and was a career-best 9-for-9 from outside for the Purple Aces (14-14, 5-10 MVC). Brown and Taylor each hit nine shots apiece. Brown did his work inside the arc, with all nine field goals being 2-pointers. 

"Those guys all had great nights; Jaylon did well driving to the basket and David has been on quite a roll," head coach Marty Simmons said. "Christian (Benzon) and Dru (Smith) also played extremely well.  We had a nice stretch there in the second half when Ryan hit that three. Our guys just played well."

A 4-for-4 start from the floor saw the Purple Aces open the night with the first eight points over the first 2:40. Just as quick as the Aces opened up, Drake came right back as a triple from Billy Wampler saw them record five points in a row. 

Evansville, which led for the duration of the first half, pushed its lead to double figures at 25-15 midway through the half on a Christian Benzon free throw. The lead for UE went as high as 13 points on a jumper from Ryan Taylor. His bucket made it a 32-19 game with 6:23 remaining in the half.

Over the final minutes, the Bulldogs cut into the UE lead, finishing the half on an 18-8 stretch to trail by just three at the break. Another Wampler trey got the run started while Reed Timmer notched eight in the run to make it a 40-37 game at the break.

The lead for the Aces quickly grew to seven points in the opening minute of the second half, but the treys kept coming for DU as De'Antae McMurray connected twice from outside to get the Bulldogs back within three. At that point, Evansville buckled down.  An 18-6 run that saw Dru Smith notch six points and saw UE open up its largest advantage at 71-55 with just over nine minutes remaining. Later, an and-one by Christian Benzon saw UE pull away even more, up 81-62 just five minutes later.

From there, the Aces held strong, taking their fourth game in a row by a final of 87-70.

UE takes to the road for the final time in the regular season. The stretch begins on Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. game at Bradley before the Aces head to Wichita State next Tuesday for a 7L00 p.m. tilt. The home finale at the Ford Center will take place on Saturday, February 25. Fans are reminded that this game is now a noon tip off.  

Submitted by Bob Pristash rp113@evansville.edu

Greg Rawski, Schroeder Family dean in the School of Business Administration, and Don Hudson have published their paper “Antecedents and Consequences of IPPD Effectiveness” in the International Journal of Innovation Management.

Submitted by Greg Rawski gr14@evansville.edu