Volume 29, No. 8
October 10, 1997
Scott A. Miller
Contact: MU PR Office 662-4844
NEWS
Grad to speak on importance of Canada in education
Charles Nitsche, a 1966 Mansfield graduate, will return to MU Tuesday, Oct. 21 to speak to students about the significance of including Canadian content in the elementary and secondary school curriculum.
Ken Musselman, education, Larry Biddison, English and Canadian Studies and Roger Goodman, education, already have invited Nitsche to meet with their students at regular class times. Any interested faculty and students are welcome to attend any of the sessions.
At 11:00 Dr. Nitsche will speak at a joint session of ED 202 (Pre-professional Experience) and CDN 101 (Introduction to Canada) in Memorial 204, where he will be speak on "Canada and the Current New York State Social Studies Curriculum." At 2 p.m. he will visit ELE 386 (Teaching of Social Studies) in Retan Center 105, where his focus will be "Using Socio-Cultural Screens to Teach Social Studies Through Literature."
"I met Charles three years ago during Mansfield's highly successful Canadian Studies Conference. At that time he offered to return to speak to education professors and students about the place of Canadian Studies in the New York K-12 Social Studies Curriculum. I'm glad we're at last able to provide that opportunity," Biddison said.
After graduation from Mansfield, Nitsche earned a master's degree in history from Niagara University (1968) and a Ph.D. in American studies from University of Maryland (1981). A social studies teacher at Geneseo High School since 1973, Nitsche is also certified in English and holds an S.A.S. certificate in administration. He is president of the Genesee Valley Council for Social Studies and has been an adjunct instructor for Nazareth College (Rochester, NY) and the State University of New York at Geneseo, where he teaches a K-6 social studies graduate course. He has been teaching about Canada as a cross-cultural case study in his senior-level high school sociology class for the past 15 years.
Nitsche was named Outstanding Secondary Social Studies Teacher by the National Council for the Social Studies in 1987. His many professional publications, presentations, and memberships reflect the broad range of his interests and expertise, which include the teaching of Canadian culture and U.S.-Canadian relations.
For more information about Nitsche's visit, contact Biddison at 4582 or via E-mail, lbiddiso@mnsfld.edu.
Open letter: Presidential search progress
On behalf of the Presidential Search Committee (PSC), I am pleased to provide this initial report about our activities following our first meeting on Sept. 25. Because of the interest of the Council and the Mansfield University community in the search, and because of its importance to the future of the university, I plan to make periodic reports about the status of our efforts. While we obviously must maintain strict confidentiality about prospective candidates, the PSC is committed to an open process.
I am very pleased with the membership of the committee; it was evident in our first meeting that we will work well together in the best interests of Mansfield. It is our intent to make decisions on an informal, consensus basis - the most effective approach in this kind of process.
Although there was a previous announcement about the membership of the PSC, I want to be certain that everyone knows the composition of the committee, which follows: Michele Hosey (Student Member), Ada Mae Saxton (Alumni Rep.), Thomas M. Johnston (SCUPA Rep.), Howard J. Smith, Jr. (Trustee), Lucius C. Jones (Executive Member), Carol J. Tama (Trustee), Lewis B. Lee (Trustee/Chairperson), Jerry C. Taylor (AFSCME Rep.), Bernard Koloski (Faculty Rep.), Priscilla M. Travis (Faculty Rep.)
Non-voting members are Edward P. Kelley, Jr. (Chancellor's Office Liaison), John P. Watkins (Former President, California Univ.), and Ronald S. Stead (Senior Associate, ASCS). Marlene Herbst, executive secretary to the president, has been appointed to staff the committee.
At the first meeting of the PSC, we discussed the procedures that will guide our work; adopted the desired characteristics for the next president; approved the advertisement that will appear in
The Chronicle of Higher Education, Black Issues in Higher Education, and Hispanic Outlook; and agreed on a timetable for the search. The first announcement will appear in the Chronicle on Oct. 10. Advertising will be the minimal part of our recruitment activities as we will be actively reaching out across the nation, with the assistance of our consultant, to identify talented, prospective candidates. The tentative plan calls for the PSC to submit its recommendations to the Council of Trustees by mid- to late February 1998.
The PSC will be assisted by the Academic Search Consultation Service (ASCS), a nonprofit group from Washington, DC, that has had extensive experience since 1979 in assisting over 400 searches, primarily for presidents of colleges and universities. Two consultants from ASCS were on the campus on Sept. 9-10 to meet with the representatives of various constituencies of Mansfield. They reported that everyone was most helpful, and I want to express my appreciation for your time and assistance in helping our consultants to become familiar with the special character of Mansfield. In the spirit of our desire for the search to be an open process, copies of the consultants' report are available in the APSCUF Office, the Library, from Jerry Taylor, AFSCME, Room 134, Alumni Hall, and on the university Web server at http://www.mnsfld.edu/depts/publrela/profile.html.
Much of our last meeting was devoted to the review of the report of the consultants which will be a helpful resource for the PSC throughout the search. The committee reviewed the priorities for presidential leadership and devoted, following a very good discussion, the statements on the priorities for leadership and the desired qualities we seek in candidates.
Because members of the Council of Trustees and the Mansfield campus community are good sources for identifying candidates, I invite you to submit your suggestions to me at Room 501, North Hall, Mansfield University. I can assure you we will follow-up on your suggestions.
The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for Oct. 27, 1997. I plan to provide an update on the search shortly thereafter.
With the support of the Council and the campus community, I am confident that we will conduct a successful search that will result in the appointment of an outstanding person to lead Mansfield into the 21st century. Sincerely, Lewis B. Lee, chair, Presidential Search Committee.
Saturday, Oct. 11, 8 p.m., Steadman. The MU Festival Chorus, Concert Choir, and Wind Ensemble will join forces for a special concert entitled "American Music for American Hearts." The program will feature an all American program including such well-known tunes as "The Star Spangled Banner," "The Gift to Be Simple," "At the River," and Sousa's "Stars & Stripes Forever." Directors Adam Brennan and Peggy Dettwiler will share the podium in conducting 130 voices and 40 plus instrumentalists. Both the MU Concert Choir and MU Wind Ensemble have been invited to perform as featured groups at the Pennsylvania Music Educators State Convention next April. Some of this program will be presented at that convention. Featured styles in the program are gospel, American folk and hymn tunes, a revolutionary war song, and a country song, complete with square dancers! Copland's "Old American Songs" and Holsinger's powerful "Ballet Sacra" will feature all of the musicians.
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Ruth Henderson, formerly the head coach at Fairview High School outside Erie, PA, has been named full-time assistant basketball coach for the Mountaineers women's program, Roger Maisner, athletics director, announced recently. Henderson, who graduated from Mercyhurst College, will be rejoining her collegiate coach Luke Ruppel, who became the Mountaineers head coach earlier this year. After graduation from Seneca High School, Henderson was recruited to play basketball at nearby Mercyhurst College where she was a four year starter for the Lakers. Named to the MECC All-Rookie Team after the 1987-88 season, Henderson was also a MECC First Team All-Conference selection during her senior season. Earning her B.S. in family ecology in 1991, Henderson served as head coach at Fairview High School from 1993-97.
The field hockey team dropped a 2-1 decision to nationally ranked Bloomsburg. Junior Tandy Carey tipped in a Kristen Dunton shot for the Mountaineers only goal at 7:28 of the second period. Mansfield falls to 1-3 in the PSAC, and 3-5 overall.
The football team fell 42-6 to Millersville in its PSAC East inaugural. The team hosts Bloomsburg at 1 p.m. Saturday in the annual Homecoming Game at Van Norman Field.
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