Current Issue: Volume 25 - Number 3 - August 24, 2007
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Julio S. León announces retirement
JOPLIN, MO (SNS) – After serving 25 years as only the third President of Missouri Southern State University, Julio S. León announced his retirement on Friday, Aug. 17, 2007.
“I have had a rewarding and fulfilling opportunity to lead this great institution for two and a half decades,” Dr. León stated. “Together, we have written many chapters that I have confidence will encourage and inspire generations to come to seek the benefits of a higher education right here. But, it is time for me and the University to write new chapters,” Dr. León stated.
“All good things must come to an end,” he stated, adding his ever-positive twist, “But that doesn’t mean each of us can’t begin more good things.” Dr. León did not elaborate on his plans for the future but he did state he would remain engaged in higher education.
Dr. León is one of the longest-serving university presidents in the nation. The Chronicle of Higher Education has reported that only about 100 presidents of the nation's 1,478 four‑year colleges have served more than 15 years in office. Fewer than 40 had tenures of 20 years or longer.
During his 38 years on the MSSU campus, the University has been transformed physically and academically. He came to Missouri Southern in 1969 as Assistant Professor of Business Administration. In 1976 he was promoted to Dean of the School of Business Administration.
In July 1982, he became Interim President and in December of the same year, the Board of Regents appointed him President of Missouri Southern State College after a national search.
During his 25 years as President, Dr. León has served under six different Missouri Governors. He guided Missouri Southern through three national economic recessions and he is proud of the fact that through the ensuing state funding cutbacks, Missouri Southern never laid off a single employee.
Under his leadership and through numerous political struggles, Missouri Southern gained University status in 2003 and has since added cooperative master’s degrees. In May 2006, Dr. León presided over the hooding of the University’s first master’s graduates. When Dr. León arrived on the Missouri Southern campus in 1969, the institution featured eight major facilities; today there are more than 30 on the University’s 373-acre campus. The square footage added over the two and a half decades is equal to about 10 football fields. In 1969, about 350 degrees were awarded; today nearly 800 students earn diplomas each year. Enrollment was 3,120 for the fall 1969 term; today that number is almost double, approaching 6,000 students from across the region and around the globe.
He has been passionate about educating students with personal attention and a global perspective. He consistently articulates the necessity that students in the region experience international aspects of education. Hundreds of students have since had the opportunity to look beyond their own confines to see the world in person as a result of his national award-winning programs.
Dr. León first proposed the concept of international education as a distinctive part of the college’s mission in 1990. With legislative approval and funding, that approach has changed the academic landscape of Missouri Southern, with new courses and programs giving students a global perspective and deeper understanding of their interconnected and interdependent societies. Missouri Southern was one of eight institutions selected to participate in the “Promising Practices” program sponsored by the American Council on Education (ACE) and Carnegie Corporation of New York. Missouri Southern also received a 2001 Hesburgh Certificate of Excellence for faculty development to enhance undergraduate teaching and learning. Each fall semeste, students “travel” the globe during special “themed” semesters that focus on a particular region or country of the world. Semesters have featured Africa, China, Cuba, Latin America, United States, Japan, India, Mexico, France, and Russia. Each year hundreds of Southern students from every discipline study and travel abroad.
He also guided the development of the University’s online distance learning program that offers complete bachelor’s degrees over the Internet and reaches students around the global, including young people in China and U.S. soldiers serving in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
A native of Chile, Dr. León brings his own international perspective to the leadership of the College. Reared in the northern port city of Iquique, his interest in American culture as a youth eventually led him to major in English at Santiago’s Universidad Technica. His efforts as a student earned him a degree in 1963, while his abilities as a track and field athlete helped him claim three national titles, making him one of his country’s top distance runners.
Through a contact in the United States, Dr. León landed a track scholarship to attend Odessa (Texas) College in 1964. Although an injury ended his running career prematurely, he continued his education at Oklahoma Baptist University and at the University of North Texas, where he received his master’s of business administration degree in 1968. He later earned a doctorate in business administration from the University of Arkansas in 1973.
He is a national and internationally recognized leader in higher education and served on the Board of Directors (Vice President for USA) of the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (IOHE), the Board of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) (Chair in 2000), and the Board of the American Council on Education (ACE).
Despite his responsibilities to the University and higher education, he has been a staunch supporter of his local community. Dr. León has served on the Boards of Directors for the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and the United Way. In 1993, he and his wife, Vivian, were named “Citizens of the Year” by the Joplin Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. León is director of the Missouri Southern International Piano Competition.
He and his wife are the parents of a son, Nathan, who – perhaps not surprisingly – has worked in international marketing and is developing his own international business.
Terri Agee named Acting President
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The Missouri Southern Board has named Dr. Terri Agee Acting President of MSSU. Agee has served as Vice President for Business Affairs for six years, and was Director of Human Resources for nine years. Prior to coming to Missouri Southern she worked at Leggett & Platt, Inc. in Carthage, where she specialized in labor and employment law.
Born and reared in Kansas City, Agee graduated with honors in 1981 from William Jewell College in Liberty. She earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business Administration and in Public Relations. In 1988, she received her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Utah College of Law in Salt Lake City. After graduation, Terri and her husband Dennis returned to Missouri to pursue career opportunities
Terri and Dennis have been married for 26 years and have two children, Sam, 16, and Michelle, 15. Terri’s parents will be married for 50 years this December. Her father, now retired, was a partner and head of the corporate law department at Stinson-Magg in Kansas City, Missouri
“It has been a privilege to serve with Dr. León who has accomplished so much for Missouri Southern and this region,” she stated. “We wish him the best in his much deserved retirement. I also am honored to serve the university in the role of Acting President and I am thankful to be a part of this exciting institution.”
"Working together and supporting each other, I’m confident we can meet the opportunities and challenges before us, and continue with our tradition of excellence,” she stated.
The Board of Governors announced it will begin a national search for the fourth president of the University.
Dwight Douglas, chairman of the Missouri Southern Board of Governors, has said Missouri Southern hopes to have a new President in place by the fall 2008 semester.
Chinese Music highlighted next week
Highlighting the China Semester musically, 88.7KXMS/Fine Arts Radio International will air two hours of Chinese music on Monday, August 27, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. First is Tan Dun's "Symphony 1997" in commemoration of the transfer of Hong Kong to Chinese rule.
The symphony features Chinese cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. Composer Tan Dun also wrote the popular score for the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000), which will be featured later in the semester on 88.7KXMS.
At 2:14 p.m. a new Naxos release in the 88.7KXMS library features the music of Ma Sicong (1912-1987). "A Tone Poem for Tibet" (1941) will be played by Hsiao-mei Ku, violin and Ning Lu, piano.
And finally, at 2:38 p.m. on August 27, "Yellow River Piano Concerto" by the Yellow River Composers' Committee will be performed by the rising star pianist, Lang Lang, along with the China Philharmonic Orchestra. This work anticipates a later performance at MSSU by the Southern Symphony.
Program host Julie Ensor will be your guide for the afternoon of Chinese music. Detailed listings are posted at http://www.mssu.edu/kxms/August.htm#27.
88.7KXMS/Fine Arts Radio International is a cultural resource of Missouri Southern State University.
First China Semester presentations August 28
Shaomin Li, professor of international business at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, will present the opening two lectures in the China Semester at Missouri Southern State University. Both presentations are free and open to the public.
• “In the Eye of the Hurricane,” will take place at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 28 in Webster Hall Auditorium.
In this presentation, Dr. Li will take the audience through China’s modern history, blended with his experience as a farm boy, artist, a participant in the post-Mao reform, a student activist in the pro-democracy movement, a founding CEO of an IT firm, a political prisoner of China, and a scholar of international political economy. The lecture will discuss the causes and consequences of China’s “Great Leap Forward” from a revolutionary state to a red capitalist society, and its impact on the U.S. and the world. Historical and personal photos and art works by Dr. Li will be shown.
• The second presentation, “Why China Thrives Despite Corruption,” is slated for 11 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 28 in Webster Hall Auditorium.
It is commonly believed that corruption distorts the allocation of resources by diverting much-needed capital from economic development into corrupt officials’ pockets. Thus high-level corruption in a country is considered detrimental to its economic growth. However, some countries, including China, have achieved rapid economic growth in spite of rampant corruption.
Dr. Li will describe the widely accepted view in China is that “power cannot be deposited in a bank, so you had better profit from it while you can.”
Born in China in 1956, Dr. Shaomin Li witnessed the rise of Mao, the Great Leap Forward and the subsequent famine (1958-1963), and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). With only three years of grade school, Dr. Li entered Peking University through self-learning and went on to receive his Ph.D. from Princeton. In 2001, he was detained by the Chinese secret police for his pro-democracy activities.
Under strong condemnation from the international community and the heavy criticism from the U.S. government, the Chinese government released him after five months’ detention.
Decorate for the China Semester
Rae Surber, Switchboard, will be selling colorful Chinese lanterns and Chinese-style bags in her office for the China Semester.
The lanterns cost $8 and the tote bags cost $5 for the small size or $6 for the larger bags. Items may be obtained in her office from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.
The Switchboard Office is located on the first floor of Hearnes Hall (near the Registrar's Office). Items are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Johnson Exhibit opens Monday in Spiva Center on campus
* MSSU’s Spiva Art Gallery presents "Gerald Johnson: Is It A Painting, A Collage, A Print?" from August 27 through Sept. 21.
In 2001, Gerald Johnson returned to Joplin after a 34-year involvement in the New York art scene. He grew up in the Joplin area from the age of eight after his family moved here from South Dakota where he was born in 1944. He returned with a large number of paintings, collages, prints, weavings and sculpture from which the items for this exhibition were selected.
Johnson in his early years decided to become an artist. He attended classes at the Spiva Art Center and then Pittsburg State University. Harry Krug a renowned printmaker and faculty member there, influenced him greatly. The skills he learned in silkscreen printing would prove valuable to him after his move to New York in 1967. While developing his career as a fine artist, he worked as a master printer for Chiron Press and then O’Connell Graphics. He collaborated with artists who are now in art history books including Victor Vasarely, one of the originators of Op Art, Chuck Close, Photorealist artist, and Alex Katz, figurative artist in the Pop Art vein.
The artist who had the greatest influence on him was Ilya Bolotowsky. Johnson became a studio assistant to the Russia born artist in 1981 and he taught him about Mondrian, the tenets of Neoplasticism and the Bauhaus.
Although Johnson’s work from then on exhibited the objectivity and universal qualities of geometrical abstraction, it nevertheless reflected the influences of his early life. There are certain forms derived from his earliest years in South Dakota near the Pine Ridge Reservation, trips to New Mexico and elsewhere, his collection of quilts, and his interest in Navajo weaving techniques. The visual qualities in his work he once described as “…sky, earth, space, and solitude.”
The title of the exhibition refers to the process Johnson used in the creation of his works He stated one time: “Collage is often the medium from which my paintings are realized; enabling me to find balance, equilibrium, and freedom to experiment with color and form.” It also refers to the visual qualities where the surface may look like there is a collage element. One can only determine if it is a painting and not a collage or print by close examination. Sometimes he will collage a piece on a painting or paint on a collage or print.
Johnson unfortunately has nearly ceased creating new work due to health concerns.
The exhibition is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be a reception for the artists from 3 – 7 p.m., Monday, August 27.
Tai Chi course offered
Soothe your body and your spirit with the graceful movements of Tai Chi.
A Tai Chi Chuan Class will be held from 7- 8 p.m., Thursdays evenings from Aug. 30 to Nov. 1. The class will be held on the racquetball courts on MSSU campus.
An enrollment fee of $50 will be assessed. Enrollment is limited to 20 people so early enrollment is encouraged.
This 10-week course will teach the 24-form Tai Chi Chuan, one of the most popular forms of Tai Chi in China.
Tai Chi Chuan is an exercise developed from an old Chinese martial art. The slow and elegant movements of the discipline will help individuals balance the yin and yang inside the body and improve and maintain both mental and physical health. Tai Chi Chuan is excellent for flexibility, balance, and strength. The benefits can be numerous, from better sleep to stress reduction.
Kexi Liu, a veteran Tai Chi Chuan teacher with more than 20 years' experience, will be the instructor. For more information or to enroll in the class, contact the Continuing Education Office at Missouri Southern at (417) 625-9384.
The Good Earth Focus of Literary Lions Book Club
The Literary Lions Book Club is seeking participants for this semester's literary work, the book The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.
Wendy McGrane, Spiva Library, will moderate the discussions on the book, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1932.
In 2004, the book demonstrated its staying power as it returned to the best seller list when chosen by the television host Oprah Winfrey as the choice for Oprah’s Book Club. The novel challenged 19th century racist images and helped prepare Americans of the 1930s to see Chinese as allies in the coming war with Japan.
Qiang Fang, History, will talk about the setting in China and Amber Carr, Spiva Library, will introduce members of the Literary Lions Book Club to the novel.
- The group will meet at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 6 for an introduction to The Good Earth.
- The group will meet at 6:30 on Thursday, Sept. 20 and at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4 to discuss the book.
- At 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11, the group will view the film version of the novel.
All meetings will be held in MSSU’s Spiva Library near the University Java coffee shop.
The total cost to participate is $25 for the general public or $15 for Friends of the Spiva Library group members. The opportunity to participate is limited to the first 15 participants. Those interested should respond no later than August 27.
Literary Lions participants’ individual copies of The Good Earth will be donated back to the Spiva Library. Those wanting to participate or obtain additional information should call the Literary Lions Book Club, by calling the Alumni Office (417) 625-9355.
Financial Planning class offered
Missouri Southern State University's Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration this fall is offering a new class for its Financial Planning Certificate Program, which is registered with Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. Available fully online, the Certificate Program in Financial Planning is a 13-month program offered to undergraduates and professionals seeking to enhance their credentials.
Students completing the financial planning program at MSSU will be eligible to sit for the national CFP® Certification Examination administered by the CFP Board.
“CFP Board is pleased to have an educational institution of the caliber of MSSU offering its approved financial planning curriculum,” said Barton C. Francis, CFP®, chair of CFP Board’s Board of Governors. “As student interest in financial planning as a career continues to grow, we anticipate that this program will contribute significantly to the number of qualified candidates seeking to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.”
Persons interested in the program should contact Richard Rawlins, associate professor of finance and economics at The Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration on the Missouri Southern campus, or visit the program’s web site at http://www.mssu.edu/business/financialplanning.html.
Sunshine Lamp Trolley provides mobility for campus
Joplin's Sunshine Lamp Trolley started running in late July. Bob Harrington, Physical Plant, says the trolley will make its rounds every hour and have a stop on campus. The trolley shelter is on International just north of the flag plaza in front of Webster Hall.
From MSSU, riders go downtown and to Wal Mart on 15th street, to the Mall and, ultimately, back to MSSU. The fare is $1 to ride the trolley from one location to the chosen drop-off point. Multiple ride tickets -- a discount for frequent riders -- are available from the City of Joplin's Finance for $30 per month.
A brochure on the trolley, including a list of stops and other information is available online at http://www.joplinmo.org/pdf/Trolley_Brochure.pdf
Welcome Week concludes with Survivor Night
Welcome Week, which provides a variety of activities designed to welcome students back to class and freshmen to the MSSU campus will conclude tonight. Events that have taken place this week include the all campus picnic; ice cream social for freshmen students; "Fear Factor" game; "Fall Forward;" an appearance by Jim Karol the "Psychic Madman;" and the Lion's Roar, which introduced students to campus organizations.
The final activity, Survivor Night, will be held from 7 -11 p.m. tonight on the Residence Hall Volleyball Court area. Students survived the first week. Now they can celebrate. Join the Campus Activities Board for Extreme Air, the ultimate skydiving simulator, along with the human foosball obstacle course, fireworks show and more. Survivor Night is free for MSSU students.
All activities are sponsored by the Student Activities Office, Student Support Center, RHA, Campus Recreation and the President’s Office.
New ITS Newsletter focuses on campus computing
ITS/inside, a newsletter dedicated to covering the dynamic environment of MSSU campus computing, is now available online. We hope this new channel of communication brings insight and understanding to the Missouri Southern community. To access the newsletter, visit:http://www.mssu.edu/news/ITS_aug07.html.
The Yarn & Yarns group is an informal knitting/crocheting group that meets Tuesday at noon in the Library coffee shop lounge area. Lessons are provided for those who would like to learn. Those who would like to share their techniques are appreciated. Bring something you are working on and relax for a few minutes or bring your lunch and multi task. Holly Chism, English, will be teaching beginning techniques next Tuesday. More information is available from Holly Chism or Mary Parker, Student Support Center.
Gloria Faine and Rebecca Gallemore, Teacher Education, spent four days at the Great Expectations workshop in Edmond, Okla. Allan Johnson presented "Paradigm Learning" and "F.U.E.L. for Effective Teaching." Paradigm Learning, presented in the first two days of the institute, explored teachers' need to hold high expectations not only for themselves, but also for their students. Johnson asked participants to reflect on the statement: "Teachers can do more teaching when they are willing to take risks; likewise, students will do more learning when teachers encourage risk taking and create a safe environment in which to take those risks." The second half of the week explored F.U.E.L. -- an acronym for: Focus, Fun; Unity and Uniqueness; Enthusiasm and Empathy; and Live, Love, Learn.
Charles Nodler, Spiva Library, spoke to the Webb City- Carl Junction Rotary club about mining in the Tri-State area on August 8.
Art Saltzman, English, had an essay, "Planks in Reason," accepted for publication in the next issue of Ruminate Magazine.
Ree Wells, Social Science, co-authored "Asian-Pacific Islander Adolescent Methamphetamine Use: Does "Ice" Increase Aggression and Sexual Risks?" with Thomas K. Pinhey, University of Hawaii at Hilo. The article is published in Substance Use & Misuse, vol. 42 (Aug, 2007).
For Rent: Two bedroom, 2 bath home with a study off the kitchen. The floors are all hardwood. the yard is almost an acre and it is surrounded by woods but is 1/2 mile from MSSU. Perhaps good for a visiting faculty member. I am asking $750 month plus trash and utilities. Freestanding fireplace in the living room, a pergola in front and a deck in the back. Call (417) 437-3572.
For Sale: 1978 Kincaid console piano, walnut finish, like new. Recently tuned and appraised at $2,500, asking $1,500. Call (417) 623-3199 or (417) 434-663.
For Sale: 1995 Honda Accord V6, loaded with leather seats, sunroof, and CD player. One owner, 125K miles, and complete record of all service. Asking price of $5K. Call 625-9530.
