News

October 2005

10/31/05

SIUE Names Pennekamp To Economic Development Post

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) To spur economic development initiatives and strengthen the University's strategic relationships and leadership in the region, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift has named James R. Pennekamp special assistant to the chancellor for Regional Economic Development and executive director of SIUE's University Park.

Pennekamp, who has been executive director of Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois (LCSI) for more than 15 years, will begin his duties Dec. 1. He succeeds Brian Donnelly, who is retiring Dec. 31 as executive director of University Park after 17 years in that post and more than 24 years of service to the University.

In his new position, Pennekamp will oversee the day-to-day operations and development of University Park, SIUE's research and technology park which occupies 330 acres of the campus. University Park is the site of research and business activity that links SIUE to regional economic development opportunities including the biotechnology industry. Pennekamp will be directing, promoting, and marketing University Park to potential tenants.

In addition, Pennekamp will be identifying emerging regional economic issues, and trends, conducting research-negotiations, and developing public-private partnerships to enhance economic growth and opportunity.

"With 26 years of economic development experience in the greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area, Jim Pennekamp is a consummate professional who is well-respected in the region," Chancellor Vandegrift said. "With nearly three decades of building partnerships with leaders in business, government, education, and labor throughout Southwestern Illinois and Eastern Missouri, Jim has the experience in both the public and private sectors that will prove invaluable to the University's efforts in furthering economic growth in the region."

Before joining the staff of Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois in 1989, Pennekamp was president of the Southwestern Illinois Growth Association from 1985-89, serving northern Madison County. From 1983-89 Pennekamp was executive vice president of the Southwest Madison County Chamber of Commerce in Granite City. He also served as assistant director of the Economic Development Corp. of Jefferson County in Hillsboro, Mo., from 1979-1983.

Pennekamp earned a bachelor's in Sociology at Valparaiso (IN) University in 1972. He also is a graduate of several economic development programs, including the Leadership St. Louis Program, sponsored by FOCUS St. Louis. Pennekamp is a member of several organizations and regional development committees, including the Madison County Workforce Investment Board, the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, the Madison County MetroLink Advisory Committee, and the Confluence Greenway Advisory Committee, to name a few.

10/28/05

Click here for photos suitable for print about the SIUE School of Pharmacy ribbon-cutting

10/24/05

MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

Dedication Of New SIUE Pharmacy Building Ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially dedicate new $3.2 million facility

Who: SIUE School of Pharmacy
What: Dedication of new School of Pharmacy building and open house
When: 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28
Where: 220 University Park Drive, SIUE University Park

SIUE School of Pharmacy Dean Philip Medon, as well as Pharmacy faculty, staff, and students will be on hand for the dedication of the new $3.26 million School of Pharmacy facility, containing 15,000 square feet for state-of-the-art laboratories, classrooms, and faculty offices. After a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony, the facility will be open for tours conducted by Pharmacy students.

SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift and Dean Medon will speak at the ceremony and introduce other regional and local leaders. All will be available for interviews with the media. Also on hand will be major corporate sponsors who have helped the School with its initial start-up funding goals.

The general contractor for the project was L. Wolf Company of Granite City.

The SIUE School of Pharmacy, which offers a professional program leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy, values excellence in teaching, pharmacy practice, research/scholarship and service. The program of study is based on current knowledge and technology from pharmacy and other disciplines, and is delivered through a variety of innovative teaching strategies. The School of Pharmacy collaborates with rural and urban health care institutions to meet the health care needs of Central and Southern Illinois and the St. Louis metropolitan area.

10/24/05

FOTAD Presents Its Annual Mystery Dinner Theater At SIUE

Click here for photo suitable for print

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Have you been waiting for an evening of dinner, shopping, and detective work? A perfect opportunity to accomplish all three will take place at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Sunday, Nov. 6, with Murder in the Manor, this year's Mystery Dinner Theater presentation and silent auction from SIUE's Friends of Theater and Dance (FOTAD). Reservations must be made by Nov. 3.

Doors open at 6:15 p.m. to the University Restaurant on the second floor of SIUE's Morris University Center, where guests may view silent auction items until approximately 7 p.m. when the play will begin and dinner will be served.

FOTAD is a support organization for the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance. Tickets are $35 per person and include dinner as well as several chances to win attendance prizes. Proceeds from the Nov. 6 event benefit FOTAD's scholarship fund. For reservation information, call the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774, or, from St. Louis toll-free, (888) 328-5168, Ext. 2774.

10/24/05

Ethics In Construction Industry Topic Of Dec. 2 Seminar At SIUE

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) "Ethics in the Construction Industry: Where Do We Go From Here?" is the theme of a one-day seminar scheduled for 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Deadline for reservations is Nov. 21.

The seminar, presented by the Department of Construction in the SIUE School of Engineering, is aimed at public and private construction business owners, construction managers, contractors, and consulting engineers. Held in the Hickory-Hackberry Room of SIUE's Morris University Center, the seminar also will offer seven professional development hours (PDH) through the SIUE Office of Continuing Education.

"There is a great need for training in what constitutes ethical practice in the daily operation of a construction business," said Dianne Kay Slattery, associate professor of Construction and chair of that department. Slattery said a 2004 national survey indicated "that a majority of owners, architects, construction managers, contractors, and subcontractors (who responded) had experienced … or observed … transactions that they would consider unethical in that year."

She said many factors, including business practices resulting from mergers and acquisitions that bring competitive pressures in a "low-profit-margin" industry, can lead to unease regarding where the line between competitive business practices and unethical conduct is to be drawn. "This seminar will feature nationally known speakers representing many facets of the construction industry," Slattery said. "They will be discussing ethical problems and will propose practical solutions to common ethical dilemmas."

Registration is $125 for the first person from a company, and $100 each for subsequent registrants from the same company. Fees include handouts, visitor parking tag, lunch, refreshments, and seven PDH credits. For more information, call Professor Slattery, (618) 650-2088.

October 23, 2005

Cal State Professor To Speak On American Perceptions Of Arabs

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) As'ad AbuKhalil, professor of political science at California State University-Stanislaus and a visiting professor at UC- Berkeley, will be the third speaker in the series, "The View from the Arab World," coordinated by Steve Tamari, an assistant professor of Historical Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

With a theme of "The Arab World: Reality and Political Fantasy," AbuKhalil, the man behind the independent Angry Arab News Service (www.angryarab.blogspot.com), will speak from 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, in the Mississippi Room, on the second floor of the Morris Center.

AbuKhalil-born in Tyre, Lebanon, and who came of age in Beirut-received a bachelor's and a master's in Political Science at the American University of Beirut and then came to the United States in 1983. He went on to earn a doctorate in Comparative Government at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

He has taught at Tufts University, Georgetown, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. AbuKhalil also served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington and as a free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News. He said the latter two experiences have served to increase his disdain for mainstream U. S. media.

Author of several books, including The Battle for Saudi Arabia: Royalty, Fundamentalism, and Global Power; as well as Bin Laden, Islam, and America's New "War on Terrorism" and The Historical Dictionary of Lebanon, AbuKhalil said he hopes to "untangle the confusion that surrounds official and popular perceptions" of the Arab World.

October 22, 2005

SIUE Named Green Thumb Award Winner By City

Photos: Green Thumb Award Photo

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) What has been dubbed the "Avenue of Trees"-in the median area of University Drive on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus-has been selected as one of the winners of the 2005 Green Thumb Award by the city of Edwardsville. The median landscaping won the award in the business/commercial category.

The award was given to the University by the Green Thumb Award Committee of the Mayor's Beautification and Tree Commission for "beautiful and creative landscapes … that enhance the appearance of the community."

The committee also cited the landscaping at SIUE's Morris University Center and at SIUE's Early Childhood Center.

The committee considers nominations of properties within the Edwardsville city limits in three categories: residential, civic/neighborhood, business/commercial. In addition to SIUE, this year's Green Thumb Award winners included 11 residential properties and the Edwardsville Children's Museum.

October 20, 2005

MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

Inaugural Hall Of Fame Ceremony At SIUE

Who:SIUE Intercollegiate Athletics
What: Inaugural ceremony for the SIUE Hall of Fame
When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, October 22, 2005
Where: SIUE Vadalabene Center

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will be honoring many of its top student-athletes, coaches, administrators and teams at the inaugural Hall of Fame ceremony. All of the 14 living inductees are scheduled to be at the event and include individuals from Sweden, Sri Lanka and well as from Florida, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Members of the media may interview any of the individuals before or after the event. To do so, please contact the SIUE Sports Information office, (618) 650-3608. Inductees are shown below:

Mike Allen, Track and Field/Cross Country (Granite City/now lives in Midwest City, Okla.); Rosemarie Archangel, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (Maryville); Christina Bokelund, Women's Tennis (Gothenburg, Sweden); Chris Carenza, Men's Soccer (St. Louis); Pete Delkus, Baseball (Collinsville/now lives in Plano, Texas); Arjun Fernando, Men's Tennis (Sri Lanka); Amy Frey, Softball/Field Hockey (Edwardsville/Edwardsville); Harry Gallatin, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics/Men's Basketball Coach, Men's Golf Coach (Roxana native/now lives in Edwardsville); Portia George-Morrow, Women's Tennis (Columbia, S.C./now lives in O'Fallon); Ed Gettemeier, Men's Soccer (St. Louis); Bob Guelker, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics/Men's Soccer Coach (posthumous induction); Roy Lee, Baseball Coach (posthumous induction); Greg Makowski, Men's Soccer (St. Louis/now lives in Lake Mary, Fla.); Denise Schaake, Softball/Women's Basketball (Edwardsville/Edwardsville); Al Sears, Wrestling (Huntsville, Ala./now lives in Belleville); Tim Wright, Wrestling (Rock Island/now lives in Indianapolis). The four teams are 1972 men's soccer, 1978 men's tennis, 1986 women's tennis, and 1984 wrestling. All four were the first national titles in their respective sports.

October 19, 2005

SIUE Chancellor Addresses the University

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Citing the vision statement of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville-"SIUE as a premier Metropolitan University, will be recognized nationally for the excellence of its programs and development of professional and community leaders"-Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift said today that the institution is making progress toward achieving our goal of national recognition. Vandegrift made the remarks during his 2005 Report to the University.

With a theme of "Realizing the Vision for National Recognition," Vandegrift spoke of the University's increasing excellence and the corresponding increase in national rankings. He reported that SIUE ranked 16th among public universities in the Midwestern Universities-Master's category of U.S. News and World Report magazine's annual university rankings.

Additionally, U.S. News & World Report cited SIUE for its Senior Capstone integrative learning experience required by all seniors prior to graduation. SIUE was one of only 15 universities nationally recognized in this category that includes Harvard, MIT, Duke, Princeton, and the University of Chicago.

Vandegrift reviewed the three initiatives he proposed in October 2004 to help the University achieve its vision. First, he indicated that SIUE would further align its enrollment management program to attract a student population that is characteristic of a premier Metropolitan University. "Just as excellent students seek a well-prepared and committed faculty, an excellent faculty seeks well-prepared and committed students," he said.

Vandegrift reported that ACT scores for incoming freshmen, applications for admission, and full-time equivalent student enrollment all continue to rise.
The second initiative is to strive to position SIUE as a premier Metropolitan University in the marketplace of ideas. Vandegrift said that the development of the University's new media campaign was based on the results of stakeholder surveys. The objective of the campaign is to "communicate, foster and sustain academic quality." He also discussed recent and future campus accessibility, navigational and beautification projects.

The third initiative is to develop the University's resource base. Vandegrift explained that, in addition to charitable gifts, grants and tuition, the enhancement of the resource base for SIUE can also be influenced by the University's role in regional economic development. "Our university is an economic engine for this region," he said.

Vandegrift shared with the audience his vision for SIUE's future. "While we will always serve our region by accepting quality transfer students, the academic preparation of our first-time, full-time freshman class will continue to improve and thus increasingly characterize us as a premier Metropolitan University."

Vandegrift gave several more examples of how SIUE will progress toward its strategic goals:
· SIUE will enhance its overall reputation as a university committed to maximizing student learning.
· SIUE will become a more residential campus.
· Graduate level programs will flourish as more certificate programs and applied professional degrees will be developed by faculty and offered throughout the region.
· SIUE will have active support from regional citizens as they increasingly recognize the value of the University.
· SIUE alumni will recognize that the value of their degrees is increasing yearly.

"The purposes of higher education lie in the fulfillment of human potential," Vandegrift concluded. "We add value to people's lives."

October 19, 2005

Hundreds Of Students Expected To Attend Regional Fair At SIUE

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Representatives from approximately 100 colleges, universities, and branches of the military, as well as 1,000 high school students and their families, will converge at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, for the annual Illinois College Exposition (ICE) Regional College Fair.

The ICE Fair. sponsored by the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC), will be conducted in SIUE's Morris University. Registration is not required and there is no cost to attend. Free parking is available in campus lots P4-P9. Additional information is available in local high school guidance offices and in community college counseling centers.

Historically, college fairs were held several times a year at various area high schools. The ICE Fair is a consolidated opportunity to explore a wide variety of higher education options. Karen Bollinger, ICE On-Site chairperson, said: "the regional college fair concept continues to support its ultimate goal to help students learn more about post secondary education options.

"Designed for high school juniors, seniors, and community college transfer students, the ICE Fair gives students and parents an opportunity to speak with more than 100 private and public educational institutions in a well-structured setting." Bollinger said.

Judy Verseman, director of guidance at Edwardsville High School, likes the regional concept. "This fair gives prospective students and their parents access to a variety of colleges and universities at one site. It is exciting to see our students have this opportunity."

"The ICE Fair is a result of a collaborative effort among area high school counselors and college admission professionals to best serve area students who are in the process of choosing a college or university," Bollinger said.

October 19, 2005

MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Who: The SIUE School of Business
What: Symposium "Sarbanes-Oxley: A Focus on IT Controls"
When: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday, October 21, 2005
Where: Technology and Management Center, 245 South Research Drive at University Park on the SIUE Campus

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was signed into law in 2002 in response to the corporate and accounting scandals of Enron, Arthur Andersen and others. In an effort to rebuild trust in America's corporate sector, the law requires that publicly traded companies adhere to significant new governance standards that broaden board members' roles in overseeing financial transactions and auditing procedures.

Will the new reporting requirements enhance investor confidence? Without a doubt, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is the single most important piece of legislation affecting corporate governance, financial disclosure and the practice of public accounting since the U.S. securities laws of the early 1930s. And, it is clear that public companies and the accounting profession have made tremendous progress in meeting the rigorous requirements of this legislation.

The purpose of this symposium is to help prepare IT and accounting professionals for responsibilities associated with safeguarding the internal control and quality of information generated by IT systems. Presenters and facilitators include representatives from Edward Jones, RubinBrown, Monsanto, Ameren, Royster-Clark, Hortica, IBM Global Services and SIUE.

October 19, 2005

SIUE Art Auction Of Original Art Set For Nov. 17 At Sunset Hills C.C.

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The 28th Annual Art Auction, sponsored by the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Friends of Art, is set for Thursday, Nov. 17, at Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville. All artwork is original and may be previewed between 6 and 7 p.m. when the auction begins. Admission fee is $5; students and members of the Friends of Art are free.

Each year, the Friends of Art assembles an impressive array of donated artwork from faculty, students, and alumni of the SIUE Department of Art and Design for auction, all in the name of enhancing the University's undergraduate and graduate art programs.

Since l977, the Friends of Art has assisted the department in staging the fund-raiser; last year's event saw nearly 175 pieces sold by professional auctioneer Gary Neimeier and members of Ahrens & Niemeier Auction Service. Some 60 additional items were sold during the Silent Auction.

Money raised by the auction is used to fund a number of events for the department and its students. Last year, these included 20 nationally and internationally-known artists/scholars who came to SIUE to conduct workshops and lectures. The funding also supports the Art Scholarship Fund and helps purchase books and films about art and design for SIUE's Lovejoy Library.

Additional monies are awarded to students traveling to conferences, for visiting artist receptions, the High School Award and Art Auction Awards, the Graduate and Undergraduate
Exhibit Purchase Awards, and stipends for speakers in the Art Seminar. Funding also aids the
local ArtEast Studio Tour reception.

For further information, call Dianne Lynch, (6l8) 650-3073, or Pam Decoteau, (618) 650-3107.

October 9, 2005

MAT Informational Meeting Set For Nov. 3 At SIUE

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Education will conduct an informational meeting Nov. 3 for anyone interested in earning a master of arts in Teaching.

This degree is intended for those individuals who have a bachelor's in subject area and are interested in becoming certified as a secondary teacher.

The meeting is set for 7 p.m. that Thursday in the Hickory/Hackberry Room, on the second floor of the Morris University Center.

Questions may be directed to David DeWeese, Secondary Education program director by telephone, (618) 650-34322, or e-mail: ddewees@siue.edu.

October 9, 2005

Glen Carbon Resident Named Director Of SIUE Center

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Kristine Polo, of Glen Carbon, recently was named director of the Southwestern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center, a service of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business.

In her new position, Polo is helping businesses stay profitable while assisting in their growth. "I enjoy getting out into the community and meeting new people," Polo said. "My current position allows me to do this and it helps me make valuable connections between the University and the region."

The SIUE Entrepreneurship Center (EC) serves as a facilitator between entrepreneurs and existing resources, providing in-depth assistance and accelerated services to entrepreneurs, as well as striving to promote an entrepreneurial culture throughout the region.

The EC provides support for start-up businesses as well as businesses in the growth, maturation, or transition stages.

The EC also conducts assessments that identify gaps and limitations in a client's current operation and coordinates services for clients based on these limitations. It also provides business coaching, financial assistance and planning, and accelerated services for clients with high-growth potential.

Polo, a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in crop sciences, has focused her studies in agribusiness. She has extensive experience in business and sales, including work with Cargill Ag Horizons, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at SIUE, and the Illinois Farm Bureau.

For more information about the SIUE Entrepreneurship Center, contact Polo at kpolo@siue.edu.

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October 8, 2007

SIUE Welcomes Back Legendary Folk Singer Joan Baez

Photos: www.siue.edu/ARTS_ISSUES/PHOTOS/PhotoIndex.htm

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Legendary folk singer Joan Baez, who appeared at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Mississippi River Festival in 1969 and 1975, makes a triumphant return to campus at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, in Meridian Ballroom, on the first floor of SIUE's Morris University Center.

From the Greenwich Village folk scene of the 1960s to Woodstock Nation to songs from her new live CD retrospective due out this fall, Baez appearance at SIUE will merge past, present, and future for an evening of beautiful and thought-provoking music from a timeless performer.

"The Mississippi River Festival at SIUE provided an eclectic decade of musical styles from jazz to folk to rock 'n' roll, right here on this campus," said John Peecher, coordinator of the Arts & Issues series. "And, Joan Baez was one of that festival's brightest stars. We are excited to have her return to campus a third time, knowing that she will bring back great memories to many MRF fans.

"During the 30 years since Joan has performed at SIUE, she has become one of the very symbols of American folk music, creating an incredible canon of work that has cemented her place in history."

Never content to just perform, Baez has used her musical talents to cry out against human rights abuses, support environmental causes, or rally a social movement. From the moment she burst upon the folk scene in 1959 when she was a student at Boston University, Baez has shown a special talent for playing guitar and singing. During the early 1960s, her star quickly rose as she performed in Chicago at the Gate of Horn nightclub, the Newport Folk Festival, and in New York City coffeehouses.

As that volatile decade continued, Baez became more involved with the Civil Rights Movement, took a stand against the Vietnam War, took part in a boycott of ABC-TV's Hootenanny because of the show's censoring of folk singer Pete Seeger for his political activism, and appeared at
Woodstock. Throughout that decade, she also continued to record her songs, garner Grammy Award nominations, and headline annually at the Newport festival.

During the 1970s, Baez continued her political activism, while turning out hit records including her landmark album, Diamonds & Rust, in 1975. She also provided soundtracks for documentary films and performed concerts throughout the world. During the 1980s and 1990s, she never showed signs of slowing down. In 2001, Baez appeared in the role of La Contessa as part of the cast of Teatro ZinZanni in San Francisco; the following year, after touring the U.S. and Canada, she rejoined Teatro ZinZanni for a limited tour.

After more than four decades, Baez has never meant more to fans across the globe, and has never shown more vitality and passion in her concerts and recordings. She says that she is always searching for a new song or a new social movement that would benefit from her support. As she wrote in "Wings," from the Dark Chords from a Big Guitar album, Joan Baez will always continue to seek "a place where they can hear me when I sing."

Tickets still are available for historian David McCullough on Oct. 27 and for economist Steve Forbes on Jan. 10, 2006. The Dec. 2 appearance of Kathy Mattea is sold out. Information and tickets for Joan Baez or other Arts & Issues events are available by contacting the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774, or at the Web site: artsandissues.com.

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October 7, 2005

Filmmaker To Speak At SIUE About Arab-Americans

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Filmmaker Joan Mandell will speak at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Oct. 13 about her films concerning special circumstances facing Arab-Americans today as they strive to balance their identities as Arabs and Americans.

Mandell will be speaking from 5-7 p.m. that Thursday in the Mississippi Room, on the second floor of SIUE's Morris University Center. This is the second event in the series "The View from the Arab World," coordinated by Steve Tamari, an assistant professor of Historical Studies at SIUE.

Mandell, executive director of Olive Branch Productions, began her film career in 1982 with the feature length documentary, Gaza Ghetto, which she produced while living in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. After time spent in the Middle East as an English teacher and journalist, Mandell chose film as her medium for bringing a human face to issues of what she calls "social injustice hidden from mainstream view."

Tamari said Mandell has produced films for the past 20 years that "unravel the complexities of broad issues in American history, its culture and immigrant communities by presenting with dignity and humor the stories of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events."

Mandell's career also includes community-based media activism, curating, consulting, teaching (UCLA, UC-Irvine and community venues) and research (Fulbright fellowship, Felton Scholar in Media Literacy).

This series is made possible by a grant from SIUE's Excellence in Undergraduate Education program. For more information about the series, contact Tamari, (618) 650-3967.

October 7, 2005

SIUE Art Exhibit, Oppression Of Falun Dafa (Gong), Begins Oct. 16

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) An art exhibit of more than 40 paintings, depicting what has been called the Chinese government's persecution and oppression of practitioners of Falun Dafa, will be presented from Oct. 16-22 at the SIUE Religious Center.

Falun Dafa is a traditional self-cultivation practice to improve mind and body, which is seen as a threat by the Chinese government. In 2004, the United Nations produced a report on what it called "the terrible torture and killing of women, men, and children, including infants."

The exhibit-The Oppression Of Falun Dafa (Gong)-will be shown from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Practitioners will be available to discuss the artwork and talk about Falun Dafa. At 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, Huagui Li, a Chinese national, will speak about her captivity and torture in the Chinese jail and her witness of persecution of torture and killing of other Falun Dafa practitioners.

At the same time, Falun Dafa practitioners will be demonstrating their exercises in the SIUE flagpole area. The exhibit and programs are free and open to the general public.

For more information, contact Suzanne Kutterer-Siburt, of SIUE's Student Leadership Development Program and Volunteer Services, (618) 650-3472, or by e-mail: skutter@siue.edu. The event is being provided by local Falun Dafa practitioners.

The following SIUE programs and organization are sponsoring the event on campus: the Student Leadership Development Program and Volunteer Services, Raise Your Voice, Campus Activities Board (CAB), United Campus Ministry, Catholic Campus Ministry, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

October 4, 2005

A Season For The Child Continues At SIUE With Rumplestiltskin

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) He may be short of stature but the little guy can spin straw into gold, for heaven's sake. However, he's not very nice.

Rumplestiltskin kicks off A Season for the Child, entering its 17th year of presenting family-oriented theater to Southwestern Illinois audiences, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, in SIUE's Katherine Dunham Hall theater.

The series, sponsored by the SIUE Friends of Theater and Dance and TheBANK of Edwardsville, features professional theater troupes from St. Louis that stage adaptations of various children's stories, using interactive techniques that not only delight children and parents, but also provide a learning experience.

Piwacket Theatre Company will present its lively adaptation of the 19th Century fairytale penned by the Brothers Grimm. Rumplestiltskin is a gnome who helps a young woman threatened by a ruthless King. The King wants the girl to spin gold from straw, which she hasn't a clue how to do. She is visited by the gnome who tells the woman he will do the spinning for her if she gives him gifts, the last one of which is her firstborn. But he gives her one chance to forego that final precious item-she must guess his name.

Piwacket Theatre for Children is in its 14th season of captivating young audiences with cleverly adapted fairytales, filled with catchy songs, dance, colorful costumes, and magical props.

Tickets are $5 per person and may be obtained through the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774. Subscriptions are available at $16 per person for the four-show season, a savings of $4.

October 4, 2005

SIUE School Of Nursing Obtains Approvals From State Board

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Illinois State Board of Nursing has approved both the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing's revised undergraduate curriculum proposals and the Accelerated Baccalaureate in Nursing option.

SIUE Nursing Dean Marcia Maurer said that the approvals were necessary for the School's curriculum planning. "Securing these approvals is an important step for the nursing program at SIUE to execute the revised curriculum and the Accelerated option," Maurer said. "It also enables the School of Nursing to stay on its implementation schedule."

Maurer explained that the revised undergraduate curriculum was initiated this semester and the accelerated option will have its "first cohort" enrolled in January.

"The accelerated baccalaureate option for nursing is open to individuals who have a baccalaureate or higher degree in another field," she said. "These individuals will be able to complete the nursing degree in 15 months because they will already have earned credits in many of the courses required particularly in the pre-nursing component of the program.

"We have received more than 500 inquiries about the accelerated option," Maurer said. "We're aiming to admit 40 students to the first cohort."

Dean Maurer reported that the meeting with the State Nursing Board was very affirming. "We were complimented for the strength of our curricular proposals. One member of the Board asked permission to use the model for the curriculum in a modified format for the orientation of new nurses to her agency," she said.

"These comments are a testimony to the hard work and creativity of the SIUE School of Nursing faculty who have worked so hard to bring these curricular initiatives to fruition."

October 3, 2005

SIUE To Present Blur, A Quirky But Comic Play

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) There's a favorite scene in Annie Hall, in which Alvy is in line at a movie theater and he overhears a pompous windbag expounding on the work of Marshall McLuhan, a media visionary of the day.

At some point, Alvy pulls McLuhan himself out from behind a lobby placard and the author begins to berate the windbag for not understanding his central themes. Alvy then looks at the camera and says: "Boy, if life we're only like this."

SIUE Assistant Professor Chuck Harper recently had a chance to play out the same kind of fantasy, but without the windbag.

Playwright Melanie Marnich, who wrote Blur, the first play of the 2005-06 Main stage Season at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, came to town recently and spent about two weeks at SIUE, conducting a play writing workshop and visiting with students. However, she didn't berate anyone, but offered sage advice about her play and what it meant to her.

The show opens at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, and continues at the same curtain time through Saturday, Oct. 15, and then again at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, all in SIUE's Katherine Dunham Hall theater.

Marnich spent time with the cast of Blur, and her insights into the play helped all involved, Harper said. "She is an amazing playwright and an amazing person. We were very lucky to have her here for the students."

Blur is by turns quirky, comic, and poignant in its portrayal of Dot DiPrima, a teenager whose life has been "knocked wildly off balance" by the news that she is going blind. The play chronicles Dot's struggles in dealing with the blindness and its effects on her and her family as she journeys into womanhood.

But, Harper also says the play offers more. "It's not about the blindness, but about seeing clearly, seeing through," he said. "It's also ultimately about a mother-daughter relationship." Although a mostly conventional staging, the play does veer off into its surreal moments, a trademark staging for Harper as a director, which may be why he chose to direct Blur.

Harper last regaled SIUE audiences with his direction of Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage last year and, before that, the 2003-04 production of bobrauschenbergamerica. "Blur does have its surreal moments, but it's a very hopeful, positive play," Harper said.

Dot surrounds herself with friends who become family to her, but they are an odd assortment-chosen as friends without the benefit of sight. "Melanie said the play was inspired by a family member who was legally blind and surrounded by people who society wouldn't think of as beautiful," Harper said. He also mused that the irony of the play lies in the fact that Dot, although blind, has the clearest vision of anyone of the characters.

Harper pointed out that the play explores what "family" means. "Family is what you make of it," he said. "The play is populated by 'peripheral' people, outside the mainstream but still good people.

"Each of these quirky people has issues to work through but, in the end, still become family to Dot."

Tickets for Blur are $10; senior citizens, students, and SIUE employees, $6; SIUE students are free with a valid SIUE ID. To order tickets, contact the SIUE Fine Arts Box Office, (618) 650-2774.

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October 3, 2005

Nominations, Entries Sought For MLK Jr. Awards At SIUE

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Nominations are being sought for the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian and Scholarship awards to be given at the 23rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Luncheon at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Nomination applications are available in SIUE's Kimmel Leadership Center, on the first floor of the Morris University Center and must be completed and returned by Friday, Nov. 11.

Entries also are being sought for an essay, poetry, and visual arts competition for high school students. Guidelines for this competition have been sent to all area high schools. Winners of the high school competition will receive a $100 honorarium and a plaque of recognition.

The awards are given each year to recognize those who exemplify the philosophy of nonviolent social change as demonstrated by The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

An SIUE employee and a resident of Illinois are each eligible for the Humanitarian Award, while a current SIUE student is eligible for the Scholarship and Humanitarian Award. The student scholarship and humanitarian award offers tuition for two semesters at the Illinois in-state rate, a $100 honorarium, and a plaque of recognition.

Complete criteria for eligibility for the high school competition, the Humanitarian Award, and the Scholarship and Humanitarian Award are contained in nomination packets at the Kimmel Center. For more information, call the center, (618) 650-2686.

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SIUE Welcomes Back Legendary Folk Singer Baez

Legendary folk singer and activist Joan Baez, who appeared at the Mississippi River Festival in 1969 and 1975, makes a triumphant return to campus at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, in Meridian Ballroom.

From the Greenwich Village folk scene of the 1960s to Woodstock Nation to songs from her new live CD retrospective due out this fall, Baez's appearance at SIUE will merge past, present, and future for an evening of beautiful and thought-provoking music from a timeless performer.

"The Mississippi River Festival at SIUE provided an eclectic decade of musical styles from jazz to folk to rock 'n' roll, right here on this campus," said John Peecher, coordinator of the Arts & Issues series. "And, Joan Baez was one of that festival's brightest stars. We are excited to have her return to campus a third time, knowing that she will bring back great memories to many MRF fans.

"During the 30 years since Joan has performed at SIUE, she has become one of the very symbols of American folk music, creating an incredible canon of work that has cemented her place in history."

Never content to just perform, Baez has used her musical talents to cry out against human rights abuses, support environmental causes, or rally a social movement. From the moment she burst upon the folk scene in 1959 when she was a student at Boston University, Baez has shown a special talent for playing guitar and singing. During the early 1960s, her star quickly rose as she performed in Chicago at the Gate of Horn nightclub, the Newport Folk Festival, and in New York City coffeehouses.

As that volatile decade continued, Baez became more involved with the Civil Rights Movement, took a stand against the Vietnam War, took part in a boycott of ABC-TV's Hootenanny because of the show's censoring of folk singer Pete Seeger for his political activism, and appeared at Woodstck. Throughout that decade, she also continued to record her songs, garner Grammy Award nominations, and headline annually at the Newport festival.

During the 1970s, Baez continued her political activism, while turning out hit records including her landmark album, Diamonds & Rust, in 1975. She also provided soundtracks for documentary films and performed concerts throughout the world. During the 1980s and 1990s, she never showed signs of slowing down. In 2001, Baez appeared in the role of La Contessa as part of the cast of Teatro ZinZanni in San Francisco; the following year, after touring the U.S. and Canada, she rejoined Teatro ZinZanni for a limited tour.

After more than four decades, Baez has never meant more to fans across the globe, and has never shown more vitality and passion in her concerts and recordings. She says that she is always searching for a new song or a new social movement that would benefit from her support. As she wrote in "Wings," from the Dark Chords from a Big Guitar album, Joan Baez always will continue to seek "a place where they can hear me when I sing."

Tickets still are available for historian David McCullough on Oct. 27 and for economist Steve Forbes on Jan. 10, 2006. The Dec. 2 appearance of Kathy Mattea is sold out. Information and tickets for Joan Baez or other Arts & Issues events are available by contacting the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774, or at the Web site: artsandissues.com.

School Of Nursing Obtains Approvals From State Board

The Illinois State Board of Nursing has approved both the SIUE School of Nursing's revised undergraduate curriculum proposals and the Accelerated Baccalaureate in Nursing option.

SIUE Nursing Dean Marcia Maurer said that the approvals were necessary for the School's curriculum planning. "Securing these approvals is an important step for the nursing program at SIUE to execute the revised curriculum and the Accelerated option," Maurer said.

"It also enables the School of Nursing to stay on its implementation schedule."

Maurer explained that the revised undergraduate curriculum was initiated this semester and the accelerated option will have its "first cohort" enrolled in January. "The accelerated baccalaureate option for nursing is open to individuals who have a baccalaureate or higher degree in another field," she said. "These individuals will be able to complete the nursing degree in 15 months because they will already have earned credits in many of the courses required, particularly in the pre-nursing component of the program.

"We have received more than 500 inquiries about the accelerated option," Maurer said. "We're aiming to admit 40 students to the first cohort."

Dean Maurer reported that the meeting with the State Nursing Board was very affirming. "We were complimented for the strength of our curricular proposals. One member of the Board asked permission to use the model for the curriculum in a modified format for the orientation of new nurses to her agency," she said.

"These comments are a testimony to the hard work and creativity of the SIUE School of Nursing faculty who have worked so hard to bring these curricular initiatives to fruition."

BOT Member Resigns; Cites Personal And Professional Obligations

Marilyn Jackson, a Chicago dentist and a member of the SIU Board of Trustees since Feb. 5, 2004, recently submitted her resignation from the board to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to Board Chair Roger Tedrick.

Tedrick said Jackson had cited increasing personal and professional obligations as limiting her future ability to serve. Her resignation is effective immediately, Tedrick said. Her decision leaves one vacancy on the board.

The board chair said he received the news with "great" regret. "Marilyn is an accomplished dentist and, as a sole practitioner, admirably balanced her professional demands and her commitment to this University," Tedrick said.

Blagojevich appointed Dr. Jackson to the SIU Board of Trustees on which she served as chair of the board's Executive Committee and as a board representative to the Joint Trustee Committee for Springfield medical education programs.

Dr. Jackson was the first pre-dental student admitted to SIU Carbondale's Med-Prep program, a nationally recognized pre-medicine/pre-dental program for disadvantaged students. She earned a bachelor of science in Biological Sciences at SIUC.

Dr. Jackson's tenure on the board will be most remembered for her work in promoting diversity at SIU. "Marilyn made her time and her voice on this board count," Tedrick said. "Her advocacy for ethnic and racial diversity, including efforts to increase retention and graduation rates for minority students, played a significant role in bringing critical awareness to the Board on this important subject.

"While we wish her well in her future endeavors, there can be no question that Marilyn's unique qualifications and her unique contributions to this Board will be sorely missed," Tedrick said.

Annual Security Report Is Available On-Line

The Fall 2005 issue of the SIUE Annual Security Report is available on-line: admin.siue.edu/studentrightto

The report contains campus safety and security information as well as crime statistics for calendar years 2002, 2003, 2004, and is published in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, formerly known as the Federal Student Right To Know and Campus Security Act of 1990.

The report also may be accessed through the SIUE Home Page: www.siue.edu under Resources for Current Students/Campus Safety/Campus Security Policies and Crime Statistics. The report also is available at the Lovejoy Library Circulation Desk, or from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration, Rendleman Hall, Room 2228, Campus Box 1158, or by telephone: (618) 650-2536.

Art Exhibit, 'Oppression Of Falun Dafa (Gong),' Begins Oct. 16

An art exhibit of more than 40 paintings, depicting what has been called the Chinese government's persecution and oppression of practitioners of Falun Dafa, will be presented from Oct. 16-22 at the SIUE Religious Center.

Falun Dafa is a traditional self-cultivation practice to improve mind and body, which is seen as a threat by the Chinese government. In 2004, the United Nations produced a report on what it called "the terrible torture and killing of women, men, and children, including infants."

The exhibit-The Oppression Of Falun Dafa (Gong)-will be shown from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunnday through Saturday. Practitioners will be available to discuss the artwork and talk about Falun Dafa. At 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, Huagui Li, a Chinese national, will speak about her captivity and torture in the Chinese jail and her witness of persecution of torture and killing of other Falun Dafa practitioners.

At the same time, Falun Dafa practitioners will be demonstrating their exercises in the SIUE flagpole area. The exhibit and programs are free and open to the general public.

For more information, contact Suzanne Kutterer-Siburt, of the Student Leadership Development Program and Volunteer Services, (618) 650-3472, or by e-mail: skutter@siue.edu. The event is being provided by local Falun Dafa practitioners.

The following SIUE programs and organization are sponsoring the event on campus: the Student Leadership Development Program and Volunteer Services, Raise Your Voice, Campus Activities Board (CAB), the United Campus Ministry, the Catholic Campus Ministry, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

SIUE To Present Blur, A Quirky But Comic Play

There's a favorite scene in Annie Hall, in which Alvy is in line at a movie theater and he overhears a pompous windbag expounding on the work of Marshall McLuhan, a media visionary of the day.

At some point, Alvy pulls McLuhan himself out from behind a lobby placard and the author begins to berate the windbag for not understanding his central themes. Alvy then looks at the camera and says: "Boy, if life we're only like this."

SIUE Assistant Theater and Dance Professor Chuck Harper recently had a chance to play out the same kind of fantasy, but without the windbag.

Playwright Melanie Marnich, who wrote Blur, the first play of the 2005-06 SIUE Mainstage Season, came to town recently and spent about two weeks at the University, conducting a playwrighting workshop and visiting with students. However, she didn't berate anyone. In fact she offered sage advice about her play and what it meant to her.

Blur opens at SIUE at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, and continues at the same curtain time through Saturday, Oct. 15, and then again at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, all in Katherine Dunham Hall theater.

Marnich spent time with the cast of Blur, and her insights into the play helped all involved, Harper said. "She is an amazing playwright and an amazing person. We were very lucky to have her here for the students."

Blur is by turns quirky, comic, and poignant in its portrayal of Dot DiPrima, a teen-ager whose life has been "knocked wildly off balance" by the news that she is going blind. The play chronicles Dot's struggles in dealing with the blindness and its effects on her and her family as she journeys into womanhood.

But, Harper also says the play offers more. "It's not about the blindness, but about seeing clearly, seeing through," he said. "It's also ultimately about a mother-daughter relationship."

Although mostly a conventional play, Blur does veer off into its surreal moments, a trademark staging for Harper as a director, which may be why he chose to direct it. Harper last regaled SIUE audiences with his direction of Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage last year and, before that, the 2003-04 production of bobrauschenbergamerica.

"Blur does have its surreal moments, but it's also a very hopeful, positive play," Harper said.

Dot surrounds herself with friends who become family to her, but they are an odd assortment-chosen as friends without the benefit of sight. "Melanie said the play was inspired by a family member who was legally blind and surrounded by people who society wouldn't think of as beautiful," Harper said.

He also mused that the irony of the play lies in the fact that Dot, although going blind, has the clearest vision of anyone of the characters.

Harper pointed out that the play explores what "family" means. "Family is what you make of it," he said. "The play is populated by 'peripheral' people, outside the mainstream but still good people.

"Each of these quirky people has issues to work through, but, in the end, still become family to Dot."

Tickets for Blur are $10; senior citizens, students, and SIUE employees, $6; SIUE students are free with a valid SIUE ID. To order tickets, contact the SIUE Fine Arts Box Office, (618) 650-2774.

Polo Named EC Director In The School Of Business

Kristine Polo, of Glen Carbon, recently was named director of the Southwestern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center, a service of the SIUE School of Business.

In her new position, Polo is helping businesses stay profitable while assisting in their growth. "I enjoy getting out into the community and meeting new people," Polo said. "My current position allows me to do this and it helps me make valuable connections between the University and the region."

The SIUE Entrepreneurship Center (EC) serves as a facilitator between entrepreneurs and existing resources, providing in-depth assistance and accelerated services to entrepreneurs, as well as striving to promote an entrepreneurial culture throughout the region.

The EC provides support for start-up businesses as well as businesses in the growth, maturation, or transition stages. The EC also conducts assessments that identify gaps and limitations in a client's current operation and coordinates services for clients based on these limitations.

It also provides business coaching, financial assistance and planning, and accelerated services for clients with high-growth potential.

Polo, a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in crop sciences, has focused her studies in agribusiness. She has extensive experience in business and sales, including work with Cargill Ag Horizons, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at SIUE, and the Illinois Farm Bureau.

For more information about the SIUE Entrepreneurship Center, contact Polo at kpolo@siue.edu or visit the Web site: www.siue.edu/BUSINESS/EC.

Filmmaker To Speak At SIUE About Arab-Americans

Filmmaker Joan Mandell will speak at SIUE on Oct. 13 about her films concerning special circumstances facing Arab-Americans today as they strive to balance their identities as Arabs and Americans.

Mandell will be speaking from 5-7 p.m. that Thursday in the Mississippi Room, on the second floor of the Morris University Center. This the second event in the series "The View from the Arab World," coordinated by Steve Tamari, an assistant professor of Historical Studies at SIUE.

Mandell, executive director of Olive Branch Productions, began her film career in 1982 with the feature length documentary, Gaza Ghetto, which she produced while living in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. After time spent in the Middle East as an English teacher and journalist, Mandell chose film as her medium for bringing a human face to issues of what she calls "social injustice hidden from mainstream view."

Tamari said Mandell has produced films for the past 20 years that "unravel the complexities of broad issues in American history, its culture and immigrant communities by presenting with dignity and humor the stories of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events."

Mandell's career also includes community-based media activism, curating, consulting, teaching (UCLA, UC-Irvine and community venues), and research (Fulbright fellowship, Felton Scholar in Media Literacy).

The series is made possible by a grant from SIUE's Excellence in Undergraduate Education program. For more information about the series, contact Tamari, (618) 650-3967.

A Season For The Child Continues With Rumplestiltskin

He may be short of stature but the little guy can spin straw into gold, for heaven's sake. However, he's not very nice.

Rumplestiltskin kicks off A Season for the Child, entering its 17th year of presenting family-oriented theater to Southwestern Illinois audiences, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, in the Katherine Dunham Hall theater.

The series, sponsored by the SIUE Friends of Theater and Dance and TheBANK of Edwardsville, features professional theater troupes from St. Louis that stage adaptations of various children's stories, using interactive techniques that not only delight children and parents, but also provide a learning experience.

Piwacket Theatre Company will present its lively adaptation of the 19th Century fairytale penned by the Brothers Grimm. Rumplestiltskin is a gnome who helps a young woman threatened by a ruthless King. The King wants the girl to spin gold from straw, which she hasn't a clue how to do.

She is visited by the gnome who tells the woman he will do the spinning for her if she gives him gifts, the last one of which is her firstborn. But he gives her one chance to forego that final precious item-she must guess his name.

Piwacket Theatre for Children is in its 14th season of captivating young audiences with cleverly adapted fairytales, filled with catchy songs, dance, colorful costumes, and magical props.

Tickets are $5 per person and may be obtained through the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774. Subscriptions are available at $16 per person for the four-show season, a savings of $4.

Homecoming Week Features Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Intercollegiate Athletics will induct 16 individuals and four teams into its inaugural Hall of Fame Class this Saturday (10/22) night at the Vadalabene Center Gymnasium.

The class will be inducted at a dinner and ceremony beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the event are $25 each and may be reserved by calling Theresa, (618) 650-3273.

The 12 student-athletes to be inducted include Mike Allen (Granite City/now lives in Midwest City, Okla.), SIUE's first track and field All-American. Three representatives from the men's soccer program are Chris Carenza (St. Louis), a member of SIUE's first national champion in 1972, Ed Gettemeier (St. Louis), a member of the national championship team in 1979, and Greg Makowski (St. Louis/now lives in Lake Mary, Fla.), a three-time, first-team All-American for the Cougars.

Pete Delkus (Collinsville/now lives in Plano, Texas) was an All-American pitcher in 1985 and is tied for the all-time lead in wins with 26.

The men's and women's tennis teams were power houses during the 1970s and 1980s with Arjun Fernando (Sri Lanka), a seven-time men's tennis All-American, Portia George-Morrow (Columbia, S.C./now lives in O'Fallon) an eight-time All-American for the women's tennis Cougars, Christina Bokelund (Gothenburg, Sweden), an eight-time women's tennis All-American in singles and doubles.

Amy Frey (Edwardsville/Edwardsville) was a two-sport standout for the Cougars in softball and field hockey, and Denise Schaake (Edwardsville/Edwardsville) was named the first-ever softball All-American in 1981 and was the Cougars' first female player with 1,000 points in women's basketball.

Wrestlers Al Sears (Huntsville, Ala./now lives in Belleville), a four-time All-American in the heavyweight class, and Tim Wright (Rock Island/now lives in Indianapolis), the only four-time NCAA Division II champion at SIUE, round out the first class of the SIUE Hall of Fame.

All 12 of the student-athlete inductees earned bachelor's degrees at SIUE.

Four administrators are being inducted; Rosemarie Archangel (Maryville), the first director of Intercollegiate Athletics for women, Harry Gallatin (Roxana native/now lives in Edwardsville), who served as the first director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Bob Guelker (posthumous induction), laid the foundation for the tradition of men's soccer at SIUE, and Roy Lee (posthumous induction) the founder of the SIUE baseball program in 1967.

The four teams are1972 men's soccer, 1978 men's tennis, 1986 women's tennis, and 1984 wrestling. All four were the first national titles in their respective sports.

Homecoming Week Features Softball, Baseball Alumni Events

The alumni of the SIUE softball and baseball programs will get a look at the upgraded facilities this Saturday (10/22).

The SIUE baseball program will dedicate the SimmonsCooper Baseball Complex in a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. An alumni game follows at 11 a.m.

The Complex now features an upgraded grandstand, lights for night games, public restrooms, a concession stand and additional storage.

The SIUE softball team will play an alumni game at noon at Cougar Field. Fans and alumni will get an opportunity to see the upgraded facilities which include new seating, a locker room, new dugouts, and public restrooms.

Game Time Changes For Friday's Soccer Games

The SIUE men's and women's soccer games against Missouri-St. Louis have been rescheduled for this Friday (10/21). The women's game will begin at 2 p.m.; the men's game will follow at 4 p.m. Both contests will be played at the SIUE soccer practice field behind Korte Stadium.

Sunday's games against Missouri-Rolla will remain at the regularly scheduled time of noon for the men and 2:30 p.m. for the women, and also will be played at the SIUE practice field behind Korte Stadium.

The SIUE men's soccer game against Southern Indiana, set for next Tuesday, will be played at 4 p.m. on the SIUE practice field.

The games are being moved due to dry and spotty field conditions at SIUE's regular grass field in Korte Stadium. The move to the practice field, where the conditions are more suitable for soccer, is being done as a safety precaution for the players.

No. 2 Cougars Ready For Homecoming

The SIUE men's soccer team returns for homecoming with its destiny in its own hands.

The second-ranked Cougars play host to Missouri-St. Louis and Missouri-Rolla. SIUE can clinch the No. 1 seed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament with a win and a tie this weekend.

"Our goal is to win the national championship but also in order to do that we have to set the stage," said SIUE men's soccer coach Ed Huneke. "A big component of that equation is a No. 1 seed."

The Cougars have secured a home game in the quarterfinals of the tournament after wins over Northern Kentucky and Bellarmine last weekend.

SIUE is 13-1-1 overall and 9-0-1 in the league having won seven consecutive contests while being unbeaten in its last 14 games. "We are in the zone," said Huneke. "We are really benefiting from our experience together so long. The vast majority of this team has been together through big games."

The Cougars are unbeaten in their last 32 GLVC regular season games and have not lost in their last 22 GLVC regular or postseason contests.

SIUE's defense is the main reason the Cougars have been so successful. This season, they rank in the top five in the nation with a 0.39 goals against average, while recording four straight shutouts.

Kevin Thibodeau (St. Charles) has been a defensive leader for the Cougars and he netted the game-winning goal against Bellarmine on Sunday (10/16). "Kevin is a great two-way player," said Huneke. "When you combine a good natural athlete with a smart, skilled player you get a top level player like him."

Pete Cacciatore (St. Louis, Mo.) and Andrew Crider (Granite City) have been successful for the Cougars defensive unit. "They have continued to do well in the backfield," said Huneke. "Our team defense is more than just our backs, but those two did exceptionally well."

SIUE goalkeeper Nicolas Frasca (St. Charles) has notched a record of 9-0 on the season with a GLVC leading seven shutouts. "Goalkeeping is very much like goal scoring," said Huneke. "Momentum is important and right now Nick's hot."

Women's Soccer Gears Up For Final Homestand

The SIUE women's soccer team finishes up its regular season schedule this weekend.

The Cougars, 13-4 overall and 9-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, face Missouri-St. Louis and Missouri-Rolla for homecoming.

"The UMSL game is another giant game," said SIUE women's soccer coach Lynda Bowers. "It is going to be a very nerve- racking weekend but hopefully we can finish out strong."

The Cougars are two games ahead of the Riverwomen for third place in the GLVC and a win on Friday (10/21) would clinch the No. 3 seed for the tournament and a quarterfinal home game.

If SIUE wins the two games this weekend, the Cougars will notch their third 15-win season in the program's 24-year history and the first one since 1996. "It would mean a lot for our regional standing to hit the 15-win mark," said Bowers. "It would really keep us in the mix for getting one of the top four seeds in the regional and making the national tournament."

The Cougars ended a two-game losing streak with a win over Bellarmine on Sunday (10/16).

Jenny Kates (Florissant) netted her third goal of the year off a corner kick from Christina Stremlau (St. Louis) for the game-winner. "Jenny has been out for a while (with an injury)," said Bowers. "She is so good in the air. Anytime she is in the game we need to target her, especially on corner kicks."

Kayla Fromme (New Berlin) netted the other goal for the Cougars. She is tied for second on the club with five goals. "Kayla sneaks in on the wing," said Bowers. "She is so fast. She does such a good job of continuing her runs and really has a nose for the goal."

Men's Cross Country Prepares For GLVC Meet

The SIUE men's cross country team travels to Rensselaer, Ind., for the Great Lakes Valley Conference championships this weekend.

"We know GLVC will be very competitive," said SIUE cross country coach Eileen McAllister. "We are ready to compete hard. Things will be very close and there is no room for error."

Senior Brian Taghon (East Moline) has led the way for the Cougars this year. Taghon has finished in the top five of every event he has races in this season. He finished first at the EIU Panther Invitational and the Sean Early Loyola Lakefront Invitational.

Erik Steffens (Moline) also has had a good season with the third fastest 8,000-meter time this season. Steffens recorded a time of 25 minutes, 27.90 seconds on Sept. 10 at Bradley.

Kyle Cameron (East Moline) has the fastest time for a freshman this season at 8,000 meters. He notched a 26:01.18 mark also at Bradley.

Women's Cross Country Wins At Millikin

The SIUE women's cross country team picked up a win at Millikin last weekend.

With the confidence-builder behind them, the Cougars will battle at the Great Lakes Valley Conference championships this Saturday (10/22) in Rensselaer, Ind.

"I'm looking for the women to better their finish from 2004 and gain experience," said SIUE women's cross country coach Eileen McAllister. "It will be the first GLVC race for the majority of the team this season."

SIUE scored 69 points, just seven ahead of second-place North Park University.

"It was very exciting to see the women win at Millikin," said McAllister, "especially since this was their first 6,000 meter race of the season. I think this will give them extra confidence going into the conference and regional races."

Freshman Michelle Meador (Bower) came in seventh with a time of 24 minutes, 20.94 seconds. Fellow freshman Elizabeth Williams (Mt. Vernon) was less than five seconds behind in eighth place with a mark of 24:25.77. "Michelle and Elizabeth continue to be consistent and competitive." said McAllister.

"They really pushed each other during the race."

Heather Zipparro (Mt. Prospect) finished 12th for the Cougars with a time of 25:07.06.

Chancellor Outlines How SIUE Will Progress Toward Its Strategic Goals

Citing the vision statement of SIUE-"SIUE as a premier Metropolitan University, will be recognized nationally for the excellence of its programs and development of professional and community leaders"-Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift said today that the institution is making progress toward achieving our goal of national recognition. Vandegrift made the remarks during his 2005 Report to the University.

With a theme of "Realizing the Vision for National Recognition," Vandegrift spoke of the University's increasing excellence and the corresponding increase in national rankings. He reported that SIUE ranked 16th among public universities in the Midwestern Universities-Master's category of U.S. News and World Report magazine's annual university rankings.

Additionally, U.S. News & World Report cited SIUE for its Senior Capstone integrative learning experience required by all seniors prior to graduation. SIUE was one of only 15 universities nationally recognized in this category that includes Harvard, MIT, Duke, Princeton, and the University of Chicago.

Vandegrift reviewed the three initiatives he proposed in October 2004 to help the University achieve its vision. First, he indicated that SIUE would further align its enrollment management program to attract a student population that is characteristic of a premier Metropolitan University. "Just as excellent students seek a well-prepared and committed faculty, an excellent faculty seeks well-prepared and committed students," he said.

Vandegrift reported that ACT scores for incoming freshmen, applications for admission, and full-time equivalent student enrollment all continue to rise.

The second initiative is to strive to position SIUE as a premier Metropolitan University in the marketplace of ideas. Vandegrift said that the development of the University's new media campaign was based on the results of stakeholder surveys. The objective of the campaign is to "communicate, foster and sustain academic quality." He also discussed recent and future campus accessibility, navigational and beautification projects.

The third initiative is to develop the University's resource base. Vandegrift explained that, in addition to charitable gifts, grants and tuition, the enhancement of the resource base for SIUE can also be influenced by the University's role in regional economic development. "Our university is an economic engine for this region," he said.

Vandegrift shared with the audience his vision for SIUE's future. "While we will always serve our region by accepting quality transfer students, the academic preparation of our first-time, full-time freshman class will continue to improve and thus increasingly characterize us as a premier Metropolitan University."

Vandegrift gave several more examples of how SIUE will progress toward its strategic goals:

• SIUE will enhance its overall reputation as a university committed to maximizing student learning.

• SIUE will become a more residential campus.

• Graduate level programs will flourish as more certificate programs and applied professional degrees will be developed by faculty and offered throughout the region.

• SIUE will have active support from regional citizens as they increasingly recognize the value of the University.

• SIUE alumni will recognize that the value of their degrees is increasing yearly.

"The purposes of higher education lie in the fulfillment of human potential," Vandegrift concluded. "We add value to people's lives.

SIUE Auction Of Original Art Set For Nov. 17 At Sunset Hills Country Club

The 28th Annual Art Auction, sponsored by the SIUE Friends of Art, is set for Thursday, Nov. 17, at Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville. All artwork is original and may be previewed between 6 and 7 p.m. when the auction begins. Admission fee is $5; students and members of the Friends of Art are free.

Each year, the Friends of Art assembles an impressive array of donated artwork from faculty, students, and alumni of the Department of Art and Design for auction, all in the name of enhancing the University's undergraduate and graduate art programs.

Since l977, the Friends of Art has assisted the department in staging the fund-raiser; last year's event saw nearly 175 pieces sold by professional auctioneer Gary Neimeier and members of Ahrens & Niemeier Auction Service. Some 60 additional items were sold during the Silent Auction.

Money raised by the auction is used to fund a number of events for the department and its students. Last year, these included 20 nationally and internationally-known artists/scholars who came to SIUE to conduct workshops and lectures. The funding also supports the Art Scholarship Fund and helps purchase books and films about art and design for Lovejoy Library.

Additional monies are awarded to students traveling to conferences, for visiting artist receptions, the High School Award and Art Auction Awards, the Graduate and Undergraduate Exhibit Purchase Awards, and stipends for speakers in the Art Seminar. Funding also aids the local ArtEast Studio Tour reception.

For further information, call Dianne Lynch, (6l8) 650-3073, or Pam Decoteau, (618) 650-3107.

Hundreds Of Students Expected To Attend Regional ICE Fair At SIUE Tonight

Representatives from approximately 100 colleges, universities, and branches of the military, as well as 1,000 high school students and their families, will converge on campus from 6-8 tonight for the annual Illinois College Exposition (ICE) Regional College Fair.

The ICE Fair. sponsored by the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC), will be conducted in the Morris University Center.

Historically, college fairs were held several times a year at various area high schools. The ICE Fair is a consolidated opportunity to explore a wide variety of higher education options. Karen Bollinger, ICE On-Site chairperson, said: "the regional college fair concept continues to support its ultimate goal to help students learn more about post secondary education options.

"Designed for high school juniors, seniors, and community college transfer students, the ICE Fair gives students and parents an opportunity to speak with more than 100 private and public educational institutions in a well-structured setting." Bollinger said.

Judy Verseman, director of guidance at Edwardsville High School, said she is excited about the regional concept. "This fair gives prospective students and their parents access to a variety of colleges and universities at one site. It is exciting to see our students have this opportunity."

Bollinger added: "The ICE Fair is a result of a collaborative effort among area high school counselors and college admission professionals to best serve area students who are in the process of choosing a college or university."

SIUE Among Winners Of The Annual Green Thumb Award

Thirteen properties throughout Edwardsville-including the so-called "Avenue of Trees" in the median area of University Drive-have been selected 2005 Green Thumb Award winners by the city of Edwardsville.

The award was given to SIUE by the Green Thumb Award Committee of the Mayor's Beautification and Tree Commission. The winners were chosen for "their beautiful and creative landscapes and gardens that enhance the appearance of the community."

Honorable mention also was given for the landscaping at the Morris University Center and at the Early Childhood Center.

The committee considers nominations of properties within the Edwardsville city limits in three categories: residential, civic/neighborhood, business/commercial. Each winner has been notified by mail and received a certificate from Niebur. In addition to SIUE, this year's winners include 11 residential properties and the Edwardsville Children's Museum.

Cal State Professor To Speak About American Perceptions Of The Arab World

As'ad AbuKhalil, professor of political science at California State University-Stanislaus and a visiting professor at UC- Berkeley, will be the third speaker in the series, "The View from the Arab World," coordinated by Steve Tamari, an assistant professor of Historical Studies at SIUE.

With a theme of "The Arab World: Reality and Political Fantasy," AbuKhalil, the man behind the independent Angry Arab News Service (www.angryarab.blogspot.com), will speak from 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, in the Mississippi Room, on the second floor of the Morris Center.

AbuKhalil-born in Tyre, Lebanon, and who came of age in Beirut-received a bachelor's and a master's in Political Science at the American University of Beirut and then came to the United States in 1983. He went on to earn a doctorate in Comparative Government at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

He has taught at Tufts University, Georgetown, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. AbuKhalil also served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington and as a free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News. He said the latter two experiences have served to increase his disdain for mainstream U. S. media.

Author of several books, including The Battle for Saudi Arabia: Royalty, Fundamentalism, and Global Power; as well as Bin Laden, Islam, and America's New "War on Terrorism"; and The Historical Dictionary of Lebanon, AbuKhalil said he will "untangle the confusion that surrounds official and popular perceptions" of the Arab World.

Cougars Break Wins Record

For the first time ever the SIUE women's soccer team will play for the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament championship as the Cougars defeated UW-Parkside 3-0 tonight.

The 21st-ranked Cougars improve to 17-4 overall setting a new school record for wins in a season. The previous mark of 16 victories was set in 1996.

The second-seeded Cougars will battle top-seeded Northern Kentucky in the GLVC championship on Sunday (11/6) at noon EST.

Jenny Kates led the way for the Cougars netting a goal and picking up two assists.

The Cougars took a 1-0 just 6:26 into the contest as Elizabeth Valenti netted her third goal of the year. Amy Million gave SIUE a 2-0 lead heading into halftime on a header from Kates. Kates scored her fourth goal of the season just 1:59 into the second half that sealed the win for SIUE.

This marks the first time SIUE has defeated the Rangers since Sept. 24, 2000.

The Cougars outshot UW-Parkside 9-4 in the contest.

Kim Roady and Kaci Backs shared goalkeeping duties for SIUE with each player making two saves.

Senior Night Thriller

It was probably not the kind of match SIUE's volleyball team hoped for on senior night. But it will do.

SIUE came back from a 2-1 deficit and defeated Indianapolis 30-27, 20-30, 31-33, 30-20, 17-15 tonight at the Vadalabene Center. The Cougars won their 14th consecutive match and clinched the No. 2 seed for next week's Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. SIUE will travel to Kansas City as Rockhurst also earned the No. 1 seed tonight with a three-set victory over UW-Parkside.

The Cougars, 23-5 overall and 13-2 in the GLVC, overpowered the Greyhounds with 79 kills but were hurt by 38 attack errors, 15 service errors and eight Indianapolis service aces.

Five SIUE players finished in double figures in kills, led by senior Heather Bonde with 20. Freshman Kate Hofeldt was second on the squad with 16, followed by Tina Talsma with 14, Kindra Westendorf with 13, and Kim Potthast with 10.

The two top defensive teams in the GLVC each had 11 blocks and were consistently extending points with sound defense. SIUE collected 90 digs while the Greyhounds had 70.

Lynn Ross led Indianapolis in kills with 14. The Greyhounds fell to 22-12 overall and 11-4 in the GLVC.

SIUE closes out the regular season on Saturday (11/5) with a 1 p.m. match at the Vadalabene Center against the Pumas of Saint Joseph's.

Sluggish Shooting Dooms SIUE

SIUE women's basketball could not recover from a slow start as the Cougars fell to Southeast Missouri State 87-37 in exhibition action tonight.

The Cougars shot just 19.2 percent from the field as the Redhawks shot 59.0 percent in the game.

Amy Austin and Deidra Dace led the team with nine points each with Dace adding a team high six rebounds.

The Cougars trailed 38-17 at halftime. The Redhawks shot 69.0 percent in the second half outscoring the Cougars 49-20.

SIUE will be back in action at Bradley next Saturday afternoon (11/12) at 2 p.m. for their final game of the preseason. The Cougars will open up the regular season Nov. 15 against Robert Morris at the Vadalabene Center at 7 p.m.

Bencini Earns Academic Award

SIUE defender Padra Bencini (Carbondale) has been named to the 2004 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District V College Division Women's Soccer first team.

The Academic All-District team includes all NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA school from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota and parts of Canada. They are selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America. Bencini was a third team All-District selection last season.

She now will be placed on the national ballot with the possibility of being named Academic All-American.

Bencini, who holds a 3.89 grade point average in Health Education at SIUE, has been one of the major reasons for the Cougars' 16-4 record and 11-2 mark in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Bencini has started 19 of 20 games this season and is used primarily as a marking back and sweeper.

Bencini and the Cougars play tonight at the Great Lakes Valley Conference in Wilder, Ky. SIUE faces UW-Parkside in a 7:30 p.m. EST game.

Defense Still Rules For 2005-06 SIUE Men's Basketball

Even though the faces may change each season with the SIUE men's basketball team, the commitment to defense remains the same for head coach Marty Simmons.

Since the 2001-2002 season, the Cougars opponent scoring average has dropped 20.1 points per game. Last season, the Cougars held their opponents to 61.0 points per contest, which ranked fourth in the NCAA Division II. "We were a little spoiled last year with all those veterans," said Simmons. "They knew the drills and what we wanted out of the drills. Overall our team speed and quickness is better this season. Hopefully, we can find a way to knock that ball loose a little bit more and get some baskets in transition."

The Cougars will look to build on an NCAA Tournament appearance and a 23-9 campaign last year. There are a long list of accomplishments that SIUE has from last season, setting a school record with a 14-game winning streak. SIUE also recorded its best Great Lakes Valley Conference mark, finishing at 15-5 good for second place in the league.

" We really like our guys," said Simmons. "We are getting better. I think we are going to be a different team than what we have had here in my first three years."

SIUE begins the exhibition season Thursday night in Peoria as the Cougars battle Bradley at 7:05 p.m. "Bradley is a great program," said Simmons. "They have a great team coming back. It's a good experience for our guys and our program to have a chance to compete against a team that has a legitimate shot at winning the Missouri Valley Conference."

SIUE follows that contest with exhibition games at SIU Carbondale on Nov. 12 at 1 p.m., and in West Lafayette, Ind., against Purdue Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. The Cougars open up regular season play on Nov. 16 at the Vadalabene Center versus Lindenwood at 7:30 p.m.

The Cougars are picked second this season in the newly aligned GLVC. The conference will have a West and East Division this season, with the Cougars residing in the West. The teams in the West Division include Drury, Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri-Rolla, Quincy, Rockhurst, SIUE, and Southern Indiana. The clubs in the east division are Bellarmine, Indianapolis, Kentucky Wesleyan, Lewis, Northern Kentucky, St. Joseph's, and UW-Parkside.

SIUE returns five players, including two starters from last season's squad. Last season's GLVC Freshman of the Year J.B. Jones (Belleville) will lead the Cougars in the backcourt this season. Jones, a 6-2 guard, ranked third on the team with 10.8 points per game, while leading with 5.1 assists per contest.

"J.B. is a leader on this team," said Simmons. "We are asking him to take a lot of leadership responsibilities. We are expecting big things out of him. He is going to get the assignment of the other team's best offensive player most nights."

Fellow guard 5-11 sophomore Anthony Jones (Centralia) led the team in three-pointers made (60) while averaging 8.3 points per game for SIUE. "He seems to be playing with a lot more confidence," said Simmons. "His defensive pressure seems to be better, and he is just more confident in getting open without the basketball.

Senior Justin Ward (Moline), a 6-6 forward, had a solid campaign last season with 8.0 points per game and starting 23 games. "Justin is really working hard," said Simmons. "He is in a position where he may play a little more inside that what he has in the past. I think Justin will have a fine senior year."

Senior Martel Mahon (Chicago) and sophomore Doug Taylor (McClure) round out the returnees for SIUE. Mahon, a 6-4 guard, appeared in 11 games last season, while Taylor, a 6-9 center, made 18 appearances. "Martel has gotten better," said Simmons. "(Taylor) has probably improved more than anybody. He is running the floor and being really aggressive inside. I am very pleased with Doug and how he is progressing."

Additions of transfers include Ty Johnson (Springfield), Mike Hardiek (Teutopolis), Asa Clayborne (Springfield), Logan Brand (Booneville, Ind.), and Ryan Belcher (Mexico, Mo.).

Johnson, a 5-11 guard, averaged 18 points and 4.8 assists per game at John A. Logan last season. Hardiek, a 6-7 forward, netted 16 points while shooting 48 percent from beyond the three point arc for Lincoln Land in 2005.

Clayborne is a 6-5 forward from Spoon River; and Brand, a 6-10 center, comes to the Cougars from Rend Lake.

Belcher, a 6-2 guard, joins SIUE from Southeast Missouri State where he averaged 4.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in 2004-05. "Ryan is a good athlete and is really fast," said Simmons. "He closes ground as good, or better than anyone. Defensively he is pretty strong and he gets a lot of steals."

Incoming freshman Nick Arth (Edwardsville) and Patrick McDermott (Columbia) each had successful high school careers and will add to the Cougars lineup. Arth, a 6-6 forward, was the Alton Telegraph and Belleville News Democrat Player of the Year. McDerrmott, a 6-3 guard, averaged 14.8 points and 6.4 rebounds at Columbia High School.

No. 1 Cougars Meet Quincy In GLVC Semifinals

The SIUE men's soccer team will be in familiar territory this Friday (11/4) in the semifinals of the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament.

The top-ranked Cougars, 15-1-2 overall, face Quincy at 7:30 p.m. at the Don Dallas Field on the campus of Missouri-St. Louis.

This marks the third year in a row that No.1-seeded SIUE battles the No. 4 seed Quincy in the GLVC tournament semifinals with the Cougars winning both of the previous contests. "We were fortunate to meet them early in the year before their team was clicking together," said SIUE soccer coach Ed Huneke. "It is the longest lasting rival that we have on our schedule. Jack (Mackenzie) always has his teams ready to play us."

No. 2-seed Rockhurst takes on No. 6 seed Northern Kentucky in the first semifinal at 5 p.m. The winner of that game will meet the winner of the SIUE-Quincy match at Noon on Sunday at the UMSL soccer field.

The Cougars had to come from behind to advance to the semifinals. SIUE finished its quarterfinal match with Bellarmine in a 1-1 tie. The Cougars then defeated the Knights 3-2 in penalty kicks to move on. "It is interesting how teams mature over time," said Huneke. "Part of that maturity process is dealing with pressure situations. When we successfully come away from those situations, it makes us better. We will be better as a result of what we experienced on Sunday."

Mike Banner (Washington, D.C.) netted his seventh goal of the year in the contest with Bellarmine. Banner is tied for first on the team in goals. "He is a fun player to watch and a very talented individual," said Huneke. "When he is hot, he is unstoppable."

Trevor House (St. Louis, Mo.) also played well against the Knights notching an assist. "Trevor is a very good natural athlete," said Huneke. "Now that he has adjusted to our system, he plays a significant role on the team."

Depth has been a strength for the Cougars this year with 15 of the 23 players on the roster starting at least one contest and 21 players playing at least one game. Eleven players have four or more points on the season. "Our non starters have done a very good job for us this year," said Huneke. "They have been a big part of our success."

No. 24 Women's Soccer Ties Record

A smile comes to the face of SIUE women's soccer coach Lynda Bowers when you mention her team tying the school-record for wins in a season.

Not only has Bowers coached the team that has tied the record, she also played on the team in 1996 that set the mark of 16. "It is such a bigger accomplishment as a coach," said Bowers. "You really have to have the players believe in your style. I played on the team that set the record and now I am coaching the team that has just tied that. It is a great feeling."

The 24th-ranked Cougars, 16-4 overall, take on UW-Parkside this Friday in the semifinals of the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament at 7:30 p.m. in Wilder, Ky.

Second-seeded SIUE fell to the No. 3-seed Rangers 3-0 earlier this season at Korte Stadium. "It is definitely one of those games that we feel like we need a little bit of redemption," said Bowers. "If we can get by the semifinal match, we can almost clinch a berth in the NCAA's. The game has a lot of implications."

The Cougars claimed a 1-0 victory over Indianapolis in the quarterfinals Sunday. The shutout was SIUE's 11th on the season, tying a school record set last season. "Our girls played so well," said Bowers. "If you look at the shots (18-2), I felt like we were very dangerous the whole game. Our team played with a lot of poise and confidence."

Elizabeth Valenti (Overland Park, Kan.) netted the game-winning goal for her second of the season. "It is great for her confidence too," said Bowers. "She hurt her knee in the last Indy game. She is just a tremendous player."

Junior Kristine Armstrong (St. Peters, Mo.) is tied for second in the GLVC and leads the team with 12 goals. She now is tied for eighth all-time in SIUE history with 26 goals, and ranks ninth in school history with 62 points.

Volleyball Smashes Consecutive Wins Record

More than a month ago the SIUE volleyball team started the Great Lakes Valley Conference season with two losses with a 9-5 overall record.

Since then the Cougars have been on fire, winning a school-record 12 straight matches a No. 3 ranking in the Great Lakes Region. "We have felt a sense of urgency ever since the beginning of the (conference) season after going 0-2," said SIUE volleyball coach Todd Gober. "We have always felt we have to take it one game at a time. I believe that half of those games were on the road and against playoff-caliber teams. It is very important that we keep that momentum."

The Cougars, 21-5 overall and 11-2 in the GLVC, begin their final homestand of the season with Kentucky Wesleyan tomorrow night. Game time is 7 p.m.

Second-place SIUE will then battle third-place Indianapolis Friday at 7 p.m. "I am very happy that we have Indianapolis this late in the season," said Gober. "I think that you need to have some tough matches getting ready for the playoffs. It's going to be a good test for us."

After the matchup with the Greyhounds, the Cougars will take on Saint Joseph's at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Seniors Heather Bonde (Millstadt), Allison Buss (Towanda), Krystal Majernik (Normal), Kindra Westendorf (Effingham), Tina Talsma (Orono, Ontario), and Mellisa Spann (Bethalto) will be playing in their final regular season home game on Saturday.

"There is going to be a lot of emotion," said Gober. "I couldn't ask for a more dedicated group of athletes than what these seniors have been in the last four years. They definitely hold a special place for me."

Bonde leads the team in kills (343), Talsma is second with 241 kills, Westendorf ranks fourth with 190 kills, and Spann has a .392 hitting percentage this season.

Buss ranks third in the GLVC in digs per game (5.36), and Majernik is sixth in the league with 9.72 assists per game.

Men's And Women's Cross Country At NCAA Regionals

The SIUE men's and women's cross country teams visit Big Rapids, Mich., and Ferris State University for the NCAA Regional this weekend.

Senior Brian Taghon (East Moline) leads the men's team having finished in the top five of every event he has raced in this year. He became the first runner in SIUE history to finish in the top 10 of the Great Lakes Valley Conference championships for four straight years.

Erik Steffens (Moline) and freshman Kyle Cameron (East Moline) also look to have good showings.

The women's team will rely on senior Heather Zipparro (Mt. Prospect) at the regional. Zipparro has three of the Cougars' top six finishes on the performance list this season.

Freshmen Michelle Meador (Bower) and Elizabeth Williams (Mt. Vernon) look to continue a string of consistent performances.

Meador has three top finishes in the top 10 on the SIUE performance list while Williams has two this season.

The men will run the 10,000 meter course, while the women will run a 6,000 meter race.

Cougars Advance In GLVC Tournament

The 24th-ranked SIUE women's soccer team advanced in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament today with a 1-0 victory over Indianapolis.

The tournament quarterfinal win gives SIUE a 16-4 record. That ties the school record for victories in a season with the 1996 team, which finished 16-4-2.

SIUE now advances to the GLVC Tournament semifinals to be played in Wilder, Ky. The Cougars face UW-Parkside, which earned its spot in the semifinals with a 1-0 victory over Missouri-St. Louis. Game time is 7:30 p.m. EDT. Northern Kentucky plays Rockhurst at 5 p.m.

In today's match, Elizabeth Valenti scored the game's lone goal from five yards out at 8:44 of the first half. She tapped in a shot from five yards out off two quick inside passes from Jenny Kates and Kelly Dill.

SIUE dominated the shot count with an 18-2 edge. Indianapolis had a shot in each half. Kim Roady and Kaci Backs shared goalkeeping duties for SIUE. Neither had a save.

Indianapolis goalkeeper Maggie Miller was kept a little more busy. She collected seven saves.

Valenti led the shots for SIUE with four. Lindsay Kampwerth and Crystal Schellenger had three each.

Cougars Win On Penalty Kicks Over Bellarmine

Top-ranked SIUE men's soccer advanced to the semifinals of the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament, winning 3-2 on penalty kicks over Bellarmine today after tying the Knights 1-1 in overtime.

The No. 1 seed Cougars face the No. 4 seed Quincy Hawks next Friday (11/4) at 7:30 p.m. That contest will be played at the Missouri-St. Louis soccer field. Northern Kentucky, the sixth seed, upset UW-Parkside in the quarterfinals and will face second-seeded Rockhurst at 5 p.m. The championship game of the GLVC Tournament will be Sunday (11/6) at noon in St. Louis.

Kevin Thibodeau netted the game-winning penalty kick as he slipped the ball past Knights goalkeeper Stephen Slough to win the contest. Slough replaced starting Knights goalkeeper Justin Welply after he went out with an injury. Slough would go on to make 10 saves.

Victor Pacheco and Tim Collico also found the back of the net on their penalty kicks.

Bellarmine put SIUE behind as it gained a 1-0 lead in the 43rd minute when Tyler Schaefering scored on a header.

The Cougars fought back in second half to tie the game as Mike Banner scored his seventh goal of the year on crossing pass from Trevor House. Brian Higgins picked up the other assist.

SIUE had a number of chances to score in regulation with Pacheco and Thibodeau each missing penalty kicks, and Ameen Attas had a shot that went off of the cross bar.

The Cougars out shot the Knights 25 to 11.

SIUE is now to 15-1-2 on the season and Bellarmine ends its year at 9-8-3.

Cougars Sweep Past UMSL

The winning streak continues for SIUE volleyball.

SIUE, 21-5 overall and 11-2 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play, collected its 12th consecutive victory today with a 30-20, 30-24, 33-31 victory at Missouri-St. Louis. UMSL fell to 6-21 overall and 6-10 in the GLVC.

Kindra Westendorf led SIUE with 12 kills, and Heather Bonde added 11 with a .429 hitting percentage.

Freshman outside hitter Emily Rahn turned in the most efficient match off the bench with five kills, no errors, and six attacks for an .833 hitting percentage.

SIUE used 57 kills to defeat the Riverwomen, who countered with 36 in the three-game match. The Cougars closed out game three with 23 kills in 43 attacks.

As a team, SIUE hit .325 and have now posted better than a .250 hitting percentage in 10 of its last 12 matches.

Three UMSL players each had nine kills. They were Sarah Eisnaugle, Heather Nichols, and Claudia Medina. As a team, UMSL was held to a .083 hitting percentage.

SIUE returns to action Tuesday for a 7 p.m. home-court match against Kentucky Wesleyan.

The Cougars close out the regular season next Friday (11/4) and Saturday (11/5) with matches at the Vadalabene Center against Indianapolis and Saint Joseph's, respectively.

Women's Basketball To Face SEMO And Bradley

The SIUE women's basketball team begins the season with some stiff competition as the Cougars take on a pair of Division I opponents in exhibition games.

The Cougars, 13-18 last season, battle Southeast Missouri State on Nov. 4 at 5 p.m., then traveling to Peoria for a contest with Bradley on Nov. 12 at 2 p.m.

SIUE women's basketball coach Wendy Hedberg begins her season with a home opener at the Vadalabene center on Nov. 15 against Robert Morris at 7 p.m. The Cougars' non-conference home opponents include Saginaw Valley on Nov. 19, Oakland City on Nov. 29, and Greenville on Dec. 1.

With the addition of three teams to the Great Lakes Valley Conference, the league will be divided into two divisions with seven teams in each division this season. SIUE plays each team from its division (West Division) twice, while playing each team in the East Division once.

The teams in the West Division include Drury, Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri-Rolla, Quincy, Rockhurst, SIUE, and Southern Indiana. The schools in the east division are Bellarmine, Indianapolis, Kentucky Wesleyan, Lewis, Northern Kentucky, St. Joseph's, and UW-Parkside.

SIUE's GLVC opener is on Dec. 3 at home against defending GLVC-champion Quincy at 1 p.m.

SIUE Men's Basketball Schedule Opens With Exhibition Contests Against Bradley, SIUC And Purdue

The SIUE men's basketball team looks to build on last season's NCAA Tournament appearance with a solid schedule for the 2005-06 campaign.

SIUE men's basketball coach Marty Simmons has his players ready for another exciting season as the Cougars look to improve on last season's 23-9 record.

The Cougars begin the exhibition season Nov. 3 as they travel to face Bradley at 7:05 p.m. The following weekend SIUE visits SIU Carbondale on Nov. 12 at 1 p.m., then going to West Lafayette, Ind., for a match up with Purdue on Nov. 13 at 5 p.m.

The Cougars non-conference home schedule kicks into full swing with games against Ferris State on Nov. 19, Robert Morris on Dec. 6, Kentucky Wesleyan on Dec. 20, Mesa State on Dec. 30, and Saginaw Valley on Dec. 31.

With the addition of three teams to the Great Lakes Valley Conference, the league will be divided into two divisions with seven teams in each division this season. SIUE plays each team from its division (West Division) twice, while playing each team in the East Division once.

The teams in the West Division include Drury, Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri-Rolla, Quincy, Rockhurst, SIUE, and Southern Indiana. The clubs in the east division are Bellarmine, Indianapolis, Kentucky Wesleyan, Lewis, Northern Kentucky, St. Joseph's, and UW-Parkside.

SIUE's home opener is set for Nov. 16 as the Lions of Lindenwood come to the Vadalabene Center for at 7:30 p.m. match. The GLVC season begins at home against Quincy on Dec. 3.

SIUE Women's Soccer Ranked No. 24 In National Poll

The SIUE women's soccer team has been ranked No. 24 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Division II poll. This is the second time the Cougars have been ranked in the top 25 this this season. SIUE entered at No. 17 in the Sept. 20 poll, then jumping to No. 14 on Sept. 27.

SIUE, which earned the No. 2 seed for the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament, will face seventh-seeded Indianapolis in the quarterfinals.

The Cougars will take on the Greyhounds at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday at the SIUE practice fields behind Korte Stadium.

The Cougars hold a 15-4 mark this season with a 11-2 in GLVC play. SIUE has a record of 20-3 during the last two seasons of conference regular season action.

SIUE head coach Lynda Bowers has led her Cougars to 13 wins in their last 15 games.

Kristine Armstrong (St. Peters, Mo.) leads the team and ranks second in the GLVC with 12 goals.

SIUE Men's Soccer Reclaims No. 1 Ranking In National Poll

The SIUE men's soccer team will enter the postseason with the top ranking in the land.

For the third time this season the Cougars have garnered the top spot in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Division II poll.

SIUE was ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll and in the Sept. 14 poll. The Cougars heads into their Great Lakes Valley Conference quarterfinal matchup with Bellarmine riding a nine game-winning streak.

SIUE will take on the Knights at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at the SIUE practice fields behind Korte Stadium.

The Cougars finished the regular season with a 15-1-1 overall record and, 11-0-1 in the GLVC.

SIUE coach Ed Huneke and his Cougars are the No. 1 seed in the GLVC tournament for the third consecutive year.

The Cougars have gone 34 GLVC regular season games without a loss. SIUE is 30-0-4 in conference regular season play since falling to Missouri-St. Louis on Oct. 18, 2002.

Victor Pacheco (San Luis, Brazil) leads the team with 20 points (seven goals and six assists). Mike Banner (Washington, D.C.) and GLVC Player of the Week Ross Beveridge (Dunfermline, Scotland) are tied for second on the team with six goals.

SIUE ranks second in the nation with a 0.40 goal against average having outscored its opponents 35-7 this year.

Beveridge Named GLVC Player of The Week

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville men's soccer player Ross Beveridge (Dunfermline, Scotland) has been named Great Lakes Valley Conference men's soccer player of the week after leading the Cougars to two conference wins over Missouri-St. Louis and Missouri-Rolla.

SIUE hosted a 2-0 shutout against UMSL on Friday (10/21), with Beveridge scoring the second of two goals. He scored the game-winning goal off a corner kick deflection with just more than a minute to play in the second overtime period against Missouri-Rolla, ending the game at 2-1.

Beveridge is second on the team with six goals and third on the squad with 13 points.

Cougars Earn No. 1 Seed For GLVC Tourney

For the third consecutive year, the SIUE men's soccer team will be the No. 1 seed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament.

The second-ranked Cougars, 15-1-1 overall and 11-0-1 in the GLVC, play host to Bellarmine in the quarterfinals next Sunday (10/30) at 2:30 p.m. at the SIUE practice fields behind Korte Stadium.

"We look upon the season with a number of goals to accomplish," said SIUE soccer coach Ed Huneke. "One of those goals was to win the GLVC league play. There is more ahead and the playoffs are of special importance."

The Cougars continued their unbeaten streak in GLVC regular season games to 34 contests with a win over Missouri-St. Louis and a double overtime victory against Missouri-Rolla. "That is an impressive run of which I am really proud," said Huneke. "As many good teams as we faced, to string it that far says a lot about the talent we have here."

In the win over the Miners, Ross Beveridge (Dunfermline, Scotland) scored the game-winner, after Mike Banner (Washington, D.C.) had tied the game in the 81st minute. "That win can help us down the road," said Huneke. "Knowing that we will always find a way to win and we can come from behind that is a nice tool to have."

In four years at SIUE, the senior class has a mark of 63-12-6 overall and 36-2-4 in GLVC regular season play. "We have an excellent senior class. They are experienced," said Huneke. "They have been through some big games together."

Brian Higgins (St. Charles, Mo.) and Pete Cacciatore (St. Louis, Mo.) have both been with the Cougars for four years. "Higgins leads the team well and has a good read for the game," said Huneke. "Pete has come through real big for us in terms of being utilized in different positions."

Seniors John Lamping (Barnhart, Mo.), Kevin Thibodeau (St. Charles, Mo.), and Tim Collico (St. Louis) all transferred to play at SIUE. All three players have made contributions in their time with the Cougars. "John adds a lot to our team," said Huneke. "Kevin has an unbelievable read for the game. We can always get a good goal out of Tim in tight situations."

Women's Soccer Hosts Indianapolis For GLVCs

The SIUE women's soccer team has earned the No. 2 seed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament.

The Cougars, 15-4 overall and 11-2 in the conference, take on No. 7 Indianapolis in the quarterfinals next Sunday (10/30) at the SIUE practice field at noon. "I am very proud of my team and everything we have accomplished so far," said SIUE women's soccer coach Lynda Bowers. "To come out second is fantastic and 11-2 in our conference is quite a feat."

The Cougars became just the third team in school history to reach the 15-win mark with the win over Missouri-Rolla on Sunday. "I think it is great to reach those milestones," said Bowers. "Our goal is to win the conference championship and go on and get a (NCAA) bid. If we happen to accomplish those two things and achieve the milestones along the way then, I think it is awesome."

Kristine Armstrong (St. Peters, Mo.) netted two goals in the win over the Miners. She leads the team and is tied for second in the GLVC with 12 goals. "That is her job," said Bowers. "She is supposed to be our goal scorer. She is a natural finisher."

SIUE's senior class had led the Cougars to a 20-3 record in GLVC regular season play the last two seasons.

Seniors Kelly Dill (Florissant, Mo.), Liz Fleer (Washington, Mo.), Allison Sweet (Springfield), and Sarah Landt (Carbondale) have been at SIUE for four years. "Kelly is the leader of the team," said Bowers. "Liz has been a model role player on our team. Allison is the rock of our team, and Sarah is an extremely intelligent player."

Fellow seniors Lindsey Kampwerth (Highland) and Crystal Schellenger (St. Louis, Mo.) transferred to play for SIUE. "Lindsey has started every single game for us in two years here," said Bowers. "She is just a tremendous person. Crystal is a very versatile player who can play many positions and is another element to our attack."

Volleyball Set For Final Stretch Of The Season

SIUE volleyball coach Todd Gober knows he has a tough test tomorrow (10/25) as the Cougars travel to face Southern Indiana.

It has been 10 days since SIUE's last match. The Cougars face the Screaming Eagles in Evansville, Ind., at 7 p.m.. They begin a stretch of six matches in 10 days to end the regular season. "I think it was a well-deserved rest for the team," said Gober. "We were getting banged up. It just gave everyone a chance to clear their mind and get focused on the push through the remainder of the season."

SIUE is 18-5 overall and 8-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Cougars are ranked third in the Great Lakes Region. "The USI match is one of the biggest games remaining on our schedule," said Gober. "Southern Indiana plays very well at home, and they have a very strong team."

The Cougars will visit Quincy on Friday night (10/28), before facing Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday (10/29). "UMSL is a team that is fighting for playoff," said Gober.

"This weekend is going to be a big weekend. They are both well coached teams."

SIUE will rely on seniors Heather Bonde (Millstadt), Allison Buss (Towanda), and Krystal Majernik (Normal) to finish out the season. Bonde leads the team in kills (304) and kills per game (3.85). Buss ranks first in the GLVC in digs per game (5.46), and Majernik is first on the club with 9.30 assists per game.

Men's Cross Country Places Third At GLVC Meet

The SIUE men's cross country team finished with a third place finish at the Great Lakes Valley Conference championships this past weekend.

"I was happy with how the team ran," said SIUE cross country coach Eileen McAllister. "We have to get ready for (NCAA) regionals now." The Cougars finished with 94 points as Southern Indiana won the meet with a score of 26.

Senior Brian Taghon (East Moline) became the first runner in SIUE history to finish in the top 10 of the GLVC championships for four consecutive years. Taghon finished in third place with a time of 24 minutes, 39 .93 seconds at 8,000 meters. "Brian ran very well," said McAllister. "He really closed on the leader. He has had an awesome career."

Erik Steffens (Moline) placed seventh in a time of 25:09.02. "Erik has a good race," said. "He was disappointed by his finish, but he has been consistent over the course of the season."

Justin Crain (McLeansboro) came in 15th with a mark of 25:29.78. "You could tell by seeing Justin's race that he was very confident," said McAllister. "He did a nice job."

Women's Cross Country Comes In Seventh At GLVCs

The SIUE women's cross country placed seventh at the Great Lakes Valley Conference championships.

The Cougars ended the meet with 211 points, while GLVC champion UW-Parkside with 51 points. "It was a super competitive meet," said SIUE cross country coach Eileen McAllister. "My girls are super young, but they had a good meet."

Heather Zipparro (Mt. Prospect), a senior, led the way for the Cougars finishing in 25th place with a time of 22 minutes, 35.02 seconds in the 6,000 meter race. "Heather continues to have her best season," said McAllister.

Freshman Michelle Meador (Bower) came in 38th with a time of 23:15.74. Elizabeth Williams (Mt. Vernon) placed 42nd with a mark of 23:49.62. "They both have remained consistent and competitive over the course of the season," said McAllister. "I look for future success from both of them."