EMU Emeritus Faculty
Newsletter #49, April 18, 2012
Pease Auditorium
Pease Auditorium (when EMU
was still the Michigan State
Normal School)
Pease Auditorium (Present)
Historic Name(s): Pierce Auditorium (prior to dedication), Dedicated as Frederic H. Pease
Auditorium, 1914
Date constructed: 1914
Architect: Smith, Hinchman, & Grylls, Detroit
Style of Architecture: Neoclassical built in brick and glazed terra cotta
Original Use: Auditorium
Dates of renovation: 1959: added concrete floor and new seats in auditorium 1993-94
Interior restoration and technical remodeling.
Current Use: Auditorium primarily for musical events.
National Register of Historic Places: 1974
History: Music has held an important place at Eastern Michigan for over one hundred years.
In 1881 Michigan State Normal School established the Normal Conservatory of Music. The
program grew rapidly and by the beginning of the twentieth century was in need of further
facilities. Though President Lewis H. Jones had hoped to build an auditorium during his time
as president, 1903-11, he only succeeded in completing one building, Sherzer Hall. It fell to
his successor as president, Charles McKenny (1912-33) to fund a new auditorium.
The new auditorium was constructed in 1914 for $243,963. Initially, the building was named
for John D. Pierce, the first State Superintendent of Instruction. Plans of the building had
shown both the new auditorium and, adjacent, new conservatory building to be named after
the head of the music department, Frederic H. Pease. Pease was the professor of music
from 1858-1909 and Head of Conservatory of Music. Students remembered him as an
exacting teacher and a deep believer in the moral and spiritual influence of music in
education. Sluggish funding made many supporters fear that the conservatory would never
be built. Sighting Pease’s close relation to music, they requested that the name of the
auditorium be changed to Pease to memorialize this great man. The school honored their
request, changing the name to Pease Auditorium in 1915.
When it opened the building was considered to have excellent
acoustical properties. The grand neoclassical façade and
classical details of the interior made the auditorium a grand
space for musical productions of all types. Nevertheless, in the
mind of Frederick Alexander, one thing was missing.
Alexander, a professor of music in the first decades of the
twentieth century, had hoped to have an organ installed when
the Auditorium opened in 1915. Due to lack of funds an organ,
much less a new conservatory, was out of the question.
Determined to remedy the lack of an organ, Alexander donated
$85,000 to the university to build an organ in his will.
Erich Goldschmidt, EMU professor of organ (1955-78) designed
and voiced, or tuned, the Frederic Alexander Memorial Organ
for its home on the stage of Pease Auditorium. It took
Goldschmidt an entire year to tune the pipes properly in his
workshop in the basement of Pease. Its first performance took
place in 1960. The organ was restored between 1993 and 1999
and now sings with its old voice.
Frederick Alexander
The Auditorium itself has experienced a number of renovations. In 1959, a concrete floor
and new seats were added. The Auditorium was remodeled in 1993-94. Although the 1959
concrete floor had altered the formerly excellent acoustics, the school elected to leave it in
place because the organ had been tuned to the hall as it was in 1960, after the new floor
had been installed. Most of the 1993-94 remodeling consisted of improving antiquated
electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems. Designers added handicapped access,
including an elevator column and brought interior mechanics up to modern specifications.
After an interior restoration including repainting and new carpets, the building reopened in
1995. Further renovations and repairs occurred in 2008. Today, Pease is central to EMU’s
music department and seats 1,500.
President's Report to the Board of Regents
April 17, 2012
As graduation approaches where nearly 2,500 Eastern students cross the
stage, we hear so many wonderful stories at award ceremonies of our
faculty mentoring and student accomplishments. It is a time of pride. And, it
is a time to thank the students; our faculty who lead, nurture, coach and
instruct; and, our staff who provide unwavering support for our students.
For students, the future is reflected by a young man who recently emceed
our Undergraduate Symposium, Ian Pendleton. Ian is a four-time
Symposium participant, a Biochemistry major who was one of 74 students
selected out of more than 850 across the country to present his research
one week from today on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Ian has conducted
his work under the outstanding direction of Professor Harriet Lindsay who
mentors many students in her laboratory.
Among our faculty, the future is evident in the work of Frank Fedel, assistant
professor and research director for the Prosthetic and Orthotics Program.
Professor Fedel’s invention, designed in partnership with a Michigan firm,
recently won top honors in a NASA design competition. Their invention of a
wireless device that measures stress on artificial limbs is now being sold
internationally and shipped to labs around the world.
Eastern’s role in the community has never been more vital. An example is
Hamilton Crossing, a new apartment community under renovation in
Ypsilanti. Formerly known as the Parkview Apartments, the HUD subsidized
complex was a center for crime, drug trafficking and high student dropout
rates. Eastern received a $250,000 grant from The Kresge Foundation to
develop innovative self-sufficiency programs for residents and to help
children break the cycle of poverty. Our involvement will include computer
and financial literacy training, as well as volunteer opportunities for
students. History professor Russ Olwell is leading the effort.
I recently testified before the Michigan House Higher Education
Appropriations Subcommittee and emphasized the importance of increased
state funding of higher education. A decade of disinvestment of $1 billion
taken from the 15 public universities, including last year’s 15 percent cut of
$216 million, has led the state to the bottom 10 in the nation for funding of
higher education. The proposed modest one-time increase this year is a
small help, but does nothing to permanently reinvest in higher education.
Eastern leads the state over the last three years in tuition restraint and
deserves to be rewarded for that in future funding models.
We also continue improvements to residence halls and dining facilities.
Today we recommend for Board of Regents approval an increase of 4.95
percent for room-and-board rates for 2012-13. The rate increase will enable
Housing and Dining Services to meet the increased costs of energy, food and
supplies while addressing critical, deferred maintenance and modernization
expenses. We must reinvest to revitalize the campus.
Even with this increase for 2012-2013, our housing and dining rates are
among the lower room and board rates at Michigan’s 15 public universities.
Eastern was the only university in the state to freeze tuition and room and
board rates in 2010, and its aggregate room and board rate increase of $543
over the past three years is the second lowest in the state.
From fiscal 2009 through this year, we have spent approximately $19.5
million on needed, energy efficient residence hall renovations to create a
better environment for our students. Projects under consideration for the
next five years include renovations to Best, Wise, Buell and Downing
residence halls, to the Dining Commons that connects those four halls, to
Westview Apartments and to the Eastern Eateries.
Invest. Inspire, the Campaign for Eastern Michigan University has hit
another milestone. Gifts from generous donors have pushed us past the $55
million mark in our $50 million campaign. The full President’s Report, with
additional information, is available on the University’s website.
Thank you, Chairman Wilbanks.
Susan Martin
Recognition:
 Kentaro Roy, a junior at EMU, and Alex Milshteyn, an EMU graduate,
were among the region’s young professionals named to Crain’s Detroit
Business’ “20 in their 20s” for 2012. Crain’s selected 20 honorees from
among more than 300 nominations. Roy, 21, founded Kentaro Web
Design + SEO and established an annual scholarship at Eastern.
Milshteyn, 28, began his career in real estate, answering phones at 15.
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He now is an associate broker and a top salesperson at the Ann Arbor
firm of Edward Surovell Realtors, with sales of $26.5 million in 2011.
Student leaders in the Residence Hall Association won top honors during
the Michigan Organization of Residence Associations conference. The
students won the RHA of the Year award, the highest honor a school
can receive from the Association. This is the second consecutive year
Eastern has won the award. The group also won Program of the Year
and RHA vice president Marisa Zanotti won the Executive Board
Member of the Year award.
Members of Eastern’s Best Buddies student chapter were featured on
WDIV-TV 4 in March. The students talked about their upcoming prom
hosted for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Eastern’s chapter has 81 members – 51 college students and 30
buddies.
Six Exercise Science students recently presented at the Michigan
American College of Sports Medicine conference in Gaylord, Michigan.
o Zachary Maino (UG) "Differences in Running Acceleration and
Economy between Intercollegiate Runners and Trained Cyclists"
o Andrea Workman (Grad) "Comparisons in Running Economy and
Accelerations between Male and Female Intercollege Runners"
o Lukas Wall (Grad) "HRA in Addition to Laboratory Measures
Strongly Predicts 10k Running Performance"
o Kerstn Grafe (UG) "Influence of Anticipated and Unanticipated
Jump Landings on Knee and Ankle Joint Kinematics"
o Heather Zappala (UG) "Ground Reaction Force Measures During
Anticipated and Unanticipated Jump Landings"
o Tyler Klenow (UG) "Reverse Rocker Bottom Shoe Design: Effects
on Stability"
Students, under the direction of John DeHoog, a furniture design
instructor in EMU’s art department, developed a new work environment
for Ann Arbor’s Ecology Center using sustainable materials. The designs
called for using reclaimed materials to help the Center apply for LEED
Gold status and provided students with the challenges of a real-world
project, complete with deadlines, budgets and client needs.
Dan Bricker (Accounting and Finance) received the Michigan
Distinguished Professor of the Year Award from the Presidents’ Council
of State Universities of Michigan. The award recognizes outstanding
contributions made to the education of undergraduate students.
Sally Burton-Hoyle (Special Education) has been named to a federal
advisory committee that deals with efforts concerning autism spectrum
disorder. She is the only Michigan representative on the Interagency
Autism Coordinating Committee that will advise Health and Human
Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Stephanie Casey (Mathematics) has been selected as a 2012 Service,
Teaching and Research (STaR) fellow. The goal of this National Science
Foundation grant-supported program is to bring together a cadre of
future leaders of mathematics education to advance scholarship, expand
networking, and further the research agenda in the field for recent
graduates or advanced students.
 James Perren (World Languages) was named the 2011 recipient of the
Michigan Campus Compact Faculty Community Service Award. He was
honored for his efforts and innovations in academic service-learning and
community service at Eastern.
 Dr. Elizabeth Schuster (Social Work) has been named the National
Association of Social Workers (NASW) – Michigan Chapter's 2012 Public
Citizen of the Year. This award is given to people in the field of social
work who make a significant contribution to an area or population of
concern to the social work profession, act with courage, demonstrate
outstanding leadership, and exemplify social work values and ethics.
 Norm Tyler (Geography and Geology) was named a Fellow in the
American Institute of Certified Planners. This honor is reserved for only
a select number of urban planners around the country. He was
recognized for his more than 50 years of community redevelopment,
dedication to planning education and professional practice.
 The Early College Alliance at EMU has been named the UMS DTE
Energy Foundation School of the Year for 2011/12, noted for its creative
and collaborative work with arts integration and participation in UMS
programs. ECA will receive tickets and transportation to one UMS Youth
Performance for up to four classrooms; one in-school artist interaction;
and public recognition through local media outlets. The award will be
presented at the UMS Ford Honors Gala on Sunday, April 22.
 Marjorie Ziefert was elected to be President of the Board of Directors
of the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.
25th Annual Academic Affairs Awards
Seven faculty members were honored for academic contributions to the
University during the 25th annual Academic Affairs awards ceremony on
March 28. Recipients were:
 William John Koolage, History and Philosophy, Ronald W. Collins
Distinguished Faculty Award – Teaching I;
 Anthony Kurek, Accounting and Finance, Full-time Lecturers
Outstanding Teaching Award;
 Paul Ramsey, Teacher Education, Ronald W. Collins Distinguished
Faculty Award – Research I;
 Amy Sackseder, Art, Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty Award –
Creative Activity;
 Melanie Schuessler, Communication, Media and Theatre Arts, Ronald
W. Collins Distinguished Faculty Award – Creative Activity;
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Weidan Shen, Physics and Astronomy, Ronald W. Collins Distinguished
Faculty Award – Research II;
 Kay Woodiel, Health Promotion and Human Performance, Ronald W.
Collins Distinguished Faculty Award – Service to the University;
Assessment Leadership Awards
EMU has awarded its first Assessment Leadership Award to 10 faculty
members. The award recognizes those who have dedicated more than three
years to studying how to improve programs within their department, school
or college. Honored were:
 William (Doug) Baker, English Language and Literature
 Colin Blakley, Art
 Mary Brake, Engineering Technology
 Christopher Herman, Health Promotion and Human Performance
 F. LaVerne Higgins, College of Business
 Christine Karshin, Health Promotion and Human Performance
 Jean McEnery, Management
 Steven Pernecky, Chemistry
 Shawn Quilter, College of Education
 Michael Tew, Communication, Media and Theatre Arts
Student Gold Medallion Awards
 Outstanding Leadership by a Student: Caiden Droscha
 Outstanding Performance by a Graduate Assistant: Diane Zavadovics
 Outstanding Performance by a Graduate Student Employee: Carly
Miller
 Outstanding Performance by a Student Employee: Katherine Moser
 Outstanding Service Delivery by a Student: Erika Oehlers
 Outstanding Student Advocate: Chelsea Lonsdale
 Outstanding Volunteerism by a Student: William Holman
 Student Organization Adviser: Michelle Owens (Men's Hockey)
 Student Organization: Best Buddies
Staff Gold Medallion Awards
 Person/group external to the University: Irene Felicetti, U of M
 Person/group external to the Division: Communication, Media &
Theatre Arts
 Divisional Ambassador: Gregg Costanzo
 Clerical: Michele Rich
 Professional/Technical: Maryann Shichtman
 New Employee: Jill Finney
 Food/Service/Maintenance/Custodial: Margaret Kreyling
 Innovation: Student Center Dining Services
 Administrative/Professional: Lewis Savage
 Outstanding Service Delivery by a Group or Team: Commons Culinary
Staff
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Outstanding Service Delivery by an Individual: Sharon Carney
Faculty: Dr. Perry Francis
Gifts/Grants:
 Richard King (Office of COB Dean) has received a $1,430,000 award
from the Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC),
sponsored by Grand Valley State University. The SBTDC regional offices
supply training and individual guidance to current and prospective small
business owners. EMU is the Region 9 Host; this region covers Wayne,
Monroe and Oakland counties, with the addition this year of Macomb
County.
 Mansoor Moaddel (Sociology, Anthropology & Criminology) received a
$617,000 award from the Office of Naval Research in support of the
project “Cross-National Analysis of Islamic Fundamentalism.” This
project will identify the social, cultural and perceptual factors that
influence the layer of the population that is susceptible to Islamic
fundamentalism, the layer that is oriented toward moderate and secular
politics, and the layer that falls in between. It will expand the focus to
Syria (beyond Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia), the
major areas of concern for U.S. national security.
 Joan Abbey (Social Work) and Sarah Soltis (Dean’s Office, CHHS) have
received an $87,000 award from the School-Community Health Alliance
of Michigan for a one-year service contract.
 Vijaykumar Mannari (Engineering Technology) has received a $62,000
award from Dow Corporation through sponsorship by the University of
Michigan for a collaborative project which seeks to develop “greener”
biobased polyurethane coatings for specific market segments such as
biomedical, electronics, and automotive interiors.
 Jianhua Wang, Bob Lahidji, and Walter Tucker (Engineering Technology)
have received a $20,000 award from Daimay North America Inc. to
address issues of quality in European automotive supply chain
production.
 Yichun Xie (Geography & Geology) has received a $3,000 award from
the Archdiocese of Detroit. This award is related to publishing a list and
maps of the Archdiocese‐affiliated community service providers as part
of a project entitled “Community Services Web Mapping Project for
Archdiocese of Detroit.”
 Theodore Ligibel (Geography & Geology) has received a $2,000 award
from the Monroe County Historical Society. This award will support a
graduate student intern who will work on a Cultural Landscape
Inventory and Cultural Landscape Report about the River Raisin National
Battlefield Park and the battles of 1813 near Monroe, Michigan.
 EMU’s Office of Nutrition Services celebrated National Nutrition Month
(March) with a grant from the South East Michigan Dietetic Association
(SEMDA). Funds helped stage a two-day exhibition at the EMU Student
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Center in March, led by EMU grad and Registered Dietitian Heather
Anderson and featuring current students in the EMU Dietetics program.
Of Note:
 Eastern is testing its green thumb on the roof of the new Science
Complex. At least 16 plant species are growing on the building’s west
side from a special peat/soil mix. Aside from the visual aspect, green
roofs offer a number of benefits, including better storm water runoff
management and acting as an insulator, helping the building stay cool in
the summer and warm in the winter. EMU will save about $3,600 per
year in energy costs. Professors have integrated the garden into their
lessons.
Events:
 Bob Lutz, the legendary “car guy,” will be the guest speaker at a
fundraiser on May 10 at EMU. Lutz has had a remarkable 47-year career
in the auto industry, ending with nine years as vice chairman of General
Motors. All proceeds from the event will help support scholarships in
metal casting or materials science curriculum for area students. The
event is sponsored by the College of Technology, The Detroit-Windsor
Chapter of the American Foundry Society, and The Detroit Chapter of
the American Society for Metals.
 Eastern Michigan University will hold its winter commencement
ceremonies Sunday, April 29, at the Convocation Center. The morning
ceremony will feature nationally syndicated cartoonist and alumnus
Dave Coverly as the commencement speaker. Michigan’s Lt. Gov. Brian
Calley will speak at the afternoon ceremony. Nearly 2,500 students will
be graduating.
 The Women’s Resource Center hosted its 12th annual “Take Back the
Night” rally, April 9, to raise awareness about sexual assault and
violence.
 Members of the community joined EMU students, faculty and staff for a
special ceremony that lit up Ypsilanti’s water tower on April 2. The tower
was draped in blue from dusk to midnight as part of “Light It Up Blue,” a
worldwide autism awareness campaign that runs through the month of
April. EMU’s overall campaign included wearing blue on April 2;
displaying a special blue message on the external digital boards; and
passing out blue key chains and flashlights. The event also spotlighted
EMU’s own special facility, the Autism Collaborative Center.
 The 32nd Annual Undergraduate Symposium featured 366 student
researchers who presented their findings on March 30. Nearly 200
faculty members worked closely with students to prepare for this year’s
event. Topics ranged from theatre and music to poetry and the sciences.
 Dale Heydlauff, vice-president of corporate communications and
president of the American Electric Power Foundation, was the keynote
speaker at the Symposium’s luncheon. An EMU alumnus, Heydlauff
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currently is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Eastern Michigan
University Foundation, and was co-chair of the Foundation’s “Invest.
Inspire” comprehensive campaign.
The Crossing Lines Design Expo was a new addition to the
Undergraduate Symposium. Designed to showcase undergraduate work
in an exhibit format, the expo featured 32 student exhibits from four
departments and schools: art; communication, media & theatre arts;
engineering technology and; technology studies.
The Graduate Research Fair, which kicked off EMU’s Salute to Excellence
Week, featured 245 students and more than 90 faculty mentors. There
were 214 presentations – 147 oral and 67 poster presentations. The
event concluded with the 2012 George Liepa Sigma Xi lecture. Alumna
Jeanette Hasse, a renowned researcher and clinician specializing in
transplant nutrition, was the guest speaker.
On March 29 we had 153 student volunteers attend FireUp! – the New
Student Orientation Assistant (NSOA) event that kicks off their volunteer
experience with Fusion: First Four, our freshmen orientation program.
The EMU Eagle Battalion (ROTC) held their annual Military Ball on March
23. A 1-star General, Brigadier General Jonathan A. Maddux, who
graduated from EMU and the ROTC program, was the guest speaker.
The College of Business held the sixth annual Ethos Week, March 12-16.
WJR Host Paul W. Smith broadcast his entire early morning show from
the COB. Over 500 students, faculty, and community members attended
the Ethos Week speaker sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday. The speakers were: Paul Nick, Ethics and Government,
Executive Director of the Ohio Ethics Commission; Jack LaRue, Ethics in
Technology, Sr. VP of Thomson Reuters; Andrew Malec, Ethics in
Advisory Services, Director of Valuation and Litigation at Gordon
Advisors; Tony Dearing, Ethics in the Press, Content Director at Ann
Arbor.Com; Jonathan Citrin, Ethics in Finance, CEO and founder of Citrin
Group and; Rodney Rusk, Ethics in International Business, Automotive
Industry Manager at Bosch Rexroth. Tony Valukas, Chairman of Jenner
and Block, one of the largest law firms in Chicago, was the keynote
speaker at the capstone luncheon on Friday. He was the lead attorney in
the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy case; his talk included insights about
this case. Almost 400 students, faculty, staff, sponsors and community
members attended.
Government Relations hosted the annual EMU Day in Lansing on March
20. Nearly 40 EMU alumni, faculty, staff, and students attended along
with several Executive Council members and Regent Fitzsimmons.
Meetings were held with several dozen legislators. EMU graduate Kirk
Profit spoke to the group during breakfast and he received the first EMU
Advocacy Award presented jointly by Government Relations and Alumni
Relations. Over 200 legislators and staff attended an EMU luncheon
outside Majority Leader Randy Richardville's office.
 The 2012 Porter Lecture Series, sponsored by the John W. Porter
Distinguished Chair in Urban Education, featured the theme,
“Counternarratives: Hear the Voices of Civic Activism in Urban
Education.” Guest speakers were Michelle Fine, professor for the
Graduate Center at the City University of New York, who explored
critical science in rebelling times; Derrick Jensen, award winning author
and a deep green activist; and Suzanne Lacy, an internationally known
artist, writer and educator, whose work focuses on social themes and
urban issues.
Athletics highlights:
 Men’s Basketball: Rob Murphy, head coach, was named Mid-American
Conference Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year for the 2011-12 season.
 Women’s Basketball: Senior guard, Tavelyn James, was named the
2012 recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, presented
annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the
nation’s outstanding female collegian 5-feet, 8 inches and under who
has excelled both athletically and academically. She joins Earl Boykins
as the only student-athlete in school history to capture the prestigious
award. James, Eastern’s all-time leading scorer, is one of only 11
student-athletes in MAC history to reach 2,000 points. An eight-time
MAC West Divisional Player of the Week honoree, James also was a
member of USA Basketball’s women’s team that competed in the 2011
Pan American Games.
 Football: The annual spring game for the Eastern Michigan University
football team was Sunday, April 15, at Rynearson Stadium. The
traditional Green and White teams faced off against each other in the
final scrimmage of the spring season. The Mid-American Conference
announced its football schedule and the Eagles will have an August 30
season-opener at Ball State.
 Men’s Swimming and Diving: The men's swimming and diving team
captured its 30th Mid-American Conference title after outscoring all
opponents at the 2012 MAC Championships in Oxford, Ohio with 693.5
points. The Eagles' 30 MAC titles is a conference record and the
accomplishment represents the 22nd title under Head Coach Peter Linn.
EMU has also taken 11 of the last 13 championships.