2004 Convocation of Scholars
The annual Convocation of Scholars events and activities will get into full swing next week, beginning with the Student Honors Awards Ceremony on Monday, April 12, beginning at 3 p.m. in Riceland Hall.  Recipients of the R. E. Lee Wilson Award and the Distinguished Service Awards will be announced, as well as the President's Scholars.  The following day, the Faculty Convocation begins at 2 p.m. in the theatre in Fowler Center.  The awards for teaching, research and service will be presented.  Everyone on campus is welcome to attend both ceremonies.  Awards banquets and ceremonies in several departments and colleges are scheduled during the next two weeks.  Consult the Convocation of Scholars web site for schedules and details.

Visiting Artist Series, this week and next
Internationally recognized sculptor Do-Ho Suh of New York City will present a public lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 6, in the Fine Arts Center Recital Hall.  Suh’s work recently was featured on the second season of Art: 21, the critically acclaimed Public Broadcasting System (PBS) series about contemporary art. Sponsored by the Department of Art's 2003-04 Visiting Artist/Scholar Lecture Series, his lecture is admission-free and open to everyone.  The series will feature Janine Antoni on Wednesday, April 14.  Read more about Suh and his work on the NewsPage.

PRSSA awards
Congratulations to the journalism/public relations faculty members whose Public Relations Student Society of America students won Prism Awards at the annual PRSA, Arkansas chapter, competition in Little Rock.  A team of students won for the their communications campaign work for the proposed local public transit project, and Christi Crawford won three awards individually.  See details on the NewsPage.

April's 'First Friday' emphasizes assessment
By now, all faculty and staff should have received the April edition of First Friday, which was e-mailed last week.  Dr. Les Wyatt, president, emphasizes the importance of assessment and cites the Higher Learning Commission's comments on ASU's need for improvement in this area.  If you missed the e-mail, you can read First Friday (or archived editions) on the ASU web site.  A link is also available in the column at left.

Oak Ridge group includes ASU
Oak Ridge Associated Universities, www.orau.org, will announce soon that it has elected ASU as an associate member of its consortium for expanding educational and research opportunities. ORAU President Ronald Townsend welcomed ASU at the 59^th annual ORAU Board of Directors and Council of Sponsoring Institutions recently in Washington, D.C.  ASU's involvement in the Arkansas Biosciences Institute was a key factor in this move.  Dr. Susan Allen, vice chancellor for Research and Academic Affairs, said “We look forward to accessing the resources of the DOE labs, especially in Oak Ridge, and making a contribution to the scientific enterprise.”

Alumnus or alumni? Alumna or alumnae?
It's the time of year when many of us give best wishes to soon-to-be alumni, whether it be at a Convocation of Scholars event or Commencement.  A quick review of the suffixes and their Latin meanings might help us use the proper form of this word.  The masculine singular is denoted by -us, and plural by -i; the feminine singular is denoted by -a, while the plural is formed by adding -ae.  So, a woman is an alumna and a man is an alumnus; when referring to a group with both genders, use the masculine form.  So, John is an alumnus, while Mary is an alumna.  The new graduates in May will be alumni; members of a girls organization would be referred to as alumnae.  Never refer to an individual as an "alumni" of ASU, and never add a syllable to make alumni sound like aluminum . . . a-lum-uh-ni.  For help with pronunciations, check the dictionary.

Performances this week in College of Fine Arts
Another busy week in the College of Fine Arts is evidenced by the schedule:
-- McLean Mix Ensemble, 5 p.m., tonight, Fine Arts Center Recital Hall
-- Arkansas Repertory Theatre will present "Romeo and Juliet," 7:30 p.m. tonight, theatre, Fowler Center (contact Central Box Office for ticket prices)
-- ASU Percussion Ensemble, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday night, Fowler Center
-- David Crittenden, guest guitar recital, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Fine Arts Center
-- ASU Wind Ensemble, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Fowler Center's Riceland Hall.
These and other events this week are listed on the Upcoming Events page.

Science, Society and Leadership . . .
That's the title of a pilot summer internship program for high school students 11th and 12th grades) who are considering enrolling in a science or related major.  Faculty in the College of Sciences and Mathematics will mentor each student for four weeks in various subjects, and will relate the material to society's needs . . . such as the importance of a safe and sustainable water supply.  Contact Dr. Hector Flores, dean, for more details.

Plants and pottery: on sale soon!
The horticulture program in the College of Agriculture will conduct the perennially popular plant sale Thursday and Friday this week at the greenhouses south of Agriculture, as announced through campus e-mail.  And, we were notified that the annual Spring Pottery Sale in the College of Fine Arts will be Thursday through Saturday, April 22-24, at the Fine Arts Center.  Sounds like two great opportunities for quality merchandise at reasonable prices.

Anxiety Awareness Week
As a service to our students, the ASU Counseling Center will offer anxiety disorder and text anxiety screening on Wednesday, April 7, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Education Building, Room 133.  Licensed counselors will conduct free, confidential screenings.  According to Dr. Philip Hestand, director of the Counseling Center, approximately 20% of college students experience test anxiety.  Remind your students about this opportunity, in case they missed the e-mailed announcement.

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