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Quite a Little achievement
They showered her with balloons, letters, flowers
and congratulations from digni- taries such as Vice President Dick
Cheney.
The school district in Plano, Texas, recently threw an elaborate
celebration for Nancy Little (BS ’61), an elementary teacher
in the district who in May completed her 40th year of teaching.
Nancy told reporters that she won’t stop teaching until she
gets tired of learning. She has, in fact, turned down administrative
opportunities that would have taken her out of the classroom. Her
love for learning came in part from a grandfather, she said. “Every
day after I got off the school bus, my grandfather and I would read
whatever we had, over and over.”
Alumnus named interim VP of business administration
Rex Giddens (BBA ‘73, MBA ‘76) is serving
as the interim vice president of business and administration after
Dr. John Harper stepped down from the position to become a full-time
faculty member.
Rex is not only an Alumnus but a longtime A&M-Commerce employee
with more than 30 years of service to the University, most recently
as comptroller and director of Financial Services.
At the beginning of the semester, Dr. Harper took a professorship
split between the College of Business and Technology and the College
of Education and Human Services. He will do most of his teaching
for the first two years at the Metroplex Center in Mesquite in the
department of economics and finance and department of secondary
and higher education. While serving as vice president, Dr. Harper
has taught on a regular basis in secondary and higher education.
President McFarland thanked Dr. Harper for his four years of service
as vice president. “Dr. John Harper has done an outstanding
job in moving the university forward in all financial aspects. He
has helped shape the University in a very positive way in the last
four years,” Dr. McFarland said.
Montana educator selected as provost
Dr. Joyce Scott of the Montana University System in Helena
is the new provost and vice president for Academic and Student
Affairs at A&M-Commerce.
Dr. Scott assumed the position in August. Before coming
to Commerce she was the deputy commissioner for Academic
and Student Affairs for Montana’s higher education
system.
The 32-year veteran in higher education has been working
in Montana for five years. Prior to that, she served as
vice president for Academic and International Programs at
the American Association of State Colleges and Universities
in Washington, D.C. from 1991 to ’97.
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New provost Joyce Scott, center, escorts
the fall freshman class as they make the traditional Lion
Walk during orientation.
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Dr. Scott was selected for the position following a national
search.
“I think she brings a good perspective,” noted
President Keith McFarland.
She has been a vice president for Academic Affairs at two
state universities—State University of New York at
Potsdam and Wichita State University in Kansas and has also
done administrative work at the University of Wyoming.
Her academic degrees are in French. She earned a B.A. with
high honors from the University of Connecticut and completed
an M.A. from the University of Virginia. She was awarded
a doctorate from Duke University.
Dr. Scott said she looks forward to working with the faculty
on implementing new academic programs, adding that she wants
to help A&M-Commerce develop and market its “special
expertise.”
Dr. Scott said she found interesting the proportions of
undergraduate to graduate students. In the spring, there
were 4,548 undergraduate students and 3,583 graduate students.
“To have this many graduate students creates some
interesting opportunities for undergraduate and graduate
students to work together on instructional and research
projects,” Dr. Scott commented.
Dr. Finnie Murray, interim provost, returned as dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences.
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Name of Charles Austin, former president, added
to University building
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Dr.Austin
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Former University president Charles J. Austin will see
his name added to the industrial engineering and technology
building Oct. 2.
Dr. Austin was the eighth president of the University and
served from 1982 through ’86.
He is remembered for fostering an environment of academic
excellence while improving student access to higher education
by raising admission standards and increasing scholarships.
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After leaving the University, Dr. Austin served as professor
and chair of the Department of Health Services Administration
at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He retired from
there in 1994 and moved to Hilton Head, S.C.
The Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston then
asked him to work part time as a professor in its Department
of Health Administration and Policy, which he did for another
six years before retiring again in 2000.
The recommendation to name the IT Building after Dr. Austin
was made by President Keith McFarland.
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Alumna named Principal of the Year
Judy Zimny (right), who re- cently received her doctorate
from A&M-Commerce, has been named Principal of the Year
2003-04 for Dallas ISD. She is pictured accepting congratulations
from last year’s winner, Rachel George.
Superintendent Mike Moses (MED ‘80) calls Judy a “model
for high expectations, for inspiring teachers to give their
best to their students and for the students,
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photo courtesty of DISD
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in turn, to give their best to their studies.”
At L.L. Hotchkiss Elementary where Judy is principal, more
than 90 percent of students, including every subgroup, passed
the 2002 TAAS. In 2003, 80 percent of all students passed
the TAKS.
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Cancer leads Chancellor Graves to step down
The former chancellor of The Texas A&M University
System, Howard D. Graves, died Sept.13 two weeks after stepping
down.
Graves resigned Aug. 30 after writing to system employees: "..
Gracie and I met with Dr. Bob Benjamin, chairman of the Sarcoma
Clinic at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, who has been treating me
for the past 2-1/2 years.He and I agreed that we should discontinue
the chemotherapy treatments that I have been receiving. Inspite
of repeated doses of various chemicals, the tumors in my lungs continue
to grow, and he believes that further treatment would probably do
more harm than good...Thank you for your care, your prayers and
your outstanding service to the System."
Following a special meeting of theregents Aug. 30 at which Graves
resigned, he said, "Every organization needs an energetic leader.
With my current energy level, the time has come for me to pass on
the baton." Regents named A. Benton Cocanougher as interim
chancellor.
In July Graves attended a board meeting at A&M - Commerce. System
staffers say he has maintained a busy schedule since being diagnosed
in 2001 with a rare form of cancer known as sarcoma.
He died at his house in College Station and is survived by his wife,
two children and five grandchildren. He was 64. Graves became chancellor
in 1999. http://netwinsite.com
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Children must be 3 years of age
AND potty trained in order to be in the pool.
—small photocopied notices, which appeared
stacked on the check-in counter at the
Morris Recreation Center one week after the pool opened
It’s good to see a former president can have this many friends.
—Dr. Keith D. McFarland, current University
president,
joking with Dr. Jerry D. Morris, his presidential predecessor,
at a jam-packed reception for Dr. Morris |
