July 16, 2012

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

NCAA MOVES CBU INTO PROVISIONAL YEAR

California Baptist University received notification from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) that it will be moving on to its final year in the three-year Division II membership process after successfully completing Candidacy Year 2.

CBU Director of Athletics Dr. Micah Parker was notified in a phone call July 12 that CBU had been approved for its provisional year.

“I’m thrilled that the NCAA has moved us to the provisional year of this process,” said Parker. “Our administration and coaching staff have worked hard to ensure that we keep moving successfully through this process. Athletics is so appreciative of the cooperation we’ve received from  admissions, advising, financial aid, the registrar and from our president Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, vice president Kent Dacus and faculty athletic representative Dr. Dave Pearson.”

The result keeps the Lancers on track to become full-fledged NCAA Division II members in 2013-14.

The Lancers played their first full season of NCAA Division II competition this past season as part of Candidacy Year 2, joining the Pacific West Conference. The Lancers were eligible for conference championships immediately, winning a conference-record six in 2011-12, but were not yet eligible for NCAA National Championship competition.

The same holds true for the coming provisional year as the Lancers can once again compete for PacWest titles, but will not be eligible for national competition until they become active NCAA members. CBU will continue to function as a Division II institution in all regards.

The Lancers made application to join the NCAA Division II in 2010 and were accepted into the process on July 12. CBU was moved ahead to Candidacy Year 2 on schedule by the NCAA July 12, 2011.

Also receiving a call from the NCAA on Thursday was fellow PacWest member Academy of Art, which was informed it had been granted full NCAA membership after completing the three-year candidacy process.

Coming into the NCAA Division II membership process a year behind the Lancers were former GSAC members Azusa Pacific, Point Loma, and Fresno Pacific. The three schools’ applications were all accepted last year and they will now join the PacWest for competition this coming season. All three will receive calls from the NCAA regarding their status in the process Friday. Holy Names also joins the PacWest next season as they await word on their application to join the NCAA Division II membership process.

CBU’s NCAA Membership Process Timeline:

July 12, 2010 – Application approved for Candidacy Year 1

July 12, 2011 – Approval granted for Candidacy Year 2

July 12, 2012 – Approval granted for Provisional Year

July 2013 – Potential announcement of full NCAA Division II membership

CBU NAMED TO COMMUNITY SERVICE  HONOR ROLL

California Baptist University has received national recognition for its commitment to community service.

CBU was one of 642 colleges and universities across the country to be named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The award, launched in 2006, recognizes the contributions of higher education institutions to their local communities through community service and service learning.

The initiative is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and the U.S. Department of Education.

“We are honored to be recognized for CBU’s commitment to community service by our students, faculty and staff,” CBU President Ronald L. Ellis said. “National recognition among such a prestigious group of universities is a wonderful encouragement for everyone involved.”

CBU serves the community in a variety of ways. Volunteers work through Compassion Ministries, which provides service to the local area, and through a team approach in International Service Projects (ISP), United States Projects (USP), and Summer of Service (SOS) programs. In addition, academic departments provide students with opportunities for service learning projects.

“We are inspired by the dedication CBU has demonstrated to serve your local community,” said Wendy Spencer, chief executive officer at CNCS. “Your institution plays a critical role in expanding the opportunity for citizens to serve; increasing the capacity of individuals, organizations, and communities to become more effective; and demonstrating that service is a crucial tool for addressing the challenges that our nation faces.”

The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll celebrates the transformative power and volunteer spirit that exists within the higher education community. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school’s commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service.

LINAMEN NAMED VICE PRESIDENT FOR GLOBAL INITIATIVES

California Baptist University today announced the appointment of veteran educator Dr. Larry Linamen as Vice President for Global Initiatives effective July 16, 2012. Linamen comes to CBU after three years as president of Greenville College in Illinois.

At CBU Linamen will be responsible for promoting global engagement across the university through international recruitment, faculty and student exchange programs and related activities. He is also charged with increasing awareness among CBU faculty and students of emerging global issues as well as initiating and increasing preparation for an educational environment extending beyond national boundaries and driven by global marketplace demands.

“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Linamen to the leadership team at California Baptist University,” said Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president. “We are confident that he will help strengthen the role of CBU as an impact player in global educational and service opportunities.”

Linamen has traveled extensively throughout Central and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East, conducting high-level negotiations for international cooperative endeavors, leading classes, and performing service projects.

“I applaud California Baptist University for anticipating the future by including global initiatives in its strategy for the coming decades,” Linamen said. “I am honored to join the team as we work to fulfill the Great Commission.”

Linamen has extensive experience in higher education. In addition to the presidency at Greenville College, he has served as Acting President & Executive Vice President at Crichton College; Dean of Graduate Business Programs at Taylor University; Provost at Colorado Christian University; and Provost at Dallas Baptist University. Previously he was Associate Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Biola University and vice president of The Barna Research Group in Glendale, California.

Linamen earned B.A. degrees in Business Administration and Accounting from Anderson University; an M.B.A. from Ball State University; and an Ed.D. in Business and Educational Administration from Ball State University.

Family Updates

Ted Meyer, OPS dean of enrollment, received the award for Graduate and Professional of the Year from the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals. The award was presented during NACCAP 2012 meeting in Chicago May 30-June 2.

Winners are nominated by a member of NACCAP through a written narrative of 250 words or less that is sent to Executive Director, Chant Thompson and The Board for a vote.

The Inland Empire American Society for Public Administration (IEASPA) awarded scholarships at its June 21 luncheon to three CBU students who have shown scholastic achievement in the field of public administration. Lourdes Nery and Duane Winchell each received $500 scholarships, and Cynthia Pledger received a $750 scholarship. In addition, the organization recognized Mike Fine, assistant superintendent of Riverside County Unified School District and CBU alumnus, as Outstanding Education Administrator. Dr. Elaine Ahumada, CBU’s Online and Professional Studies MPA program director, was voted president of the IEASPA board for 2012-2013.

Chris Wynn, OPS adjunct professor in criminal justice, graduated from the FBI National Academy Program in Quantico, VA on June 8.  Wynn is employed by the Escondido Police Department as a lieutenant assigned to the Investigations Bureau. The FBI National Academy is a 10-week program for law enforcement managers selected from agencies all over the world.

Matthew Goddard, digital services librarian, served on a panel at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Anaheim on June 24. The panel was called “Springer Innovations for Academic Libraries” and the title of Goddard’s presentation was “E-books at CBU: A good fit for a growing institution.”

David E. Isaacs, assistant professor of English, just published “Begging to Differ: Examining the Faulty Logic in Moroni 10:4” in the Midwest Christian Outreach Journal (Spring 2012). The article examines how a widely-used verse from the Book of Mormon does not offer a compelling reason to pray about the truth-claims in the Mormon text, as it is based on inherent logical fallacies.

Belinda Lowry, adjunct professor in the School of Nursing , announces the birth of her first child. Olivia Lee Lowry was born June 13, 2012 at 3:51 p.m., weighed 6 lbs., 9 ozs. and was 17 1/2 inches long.

J. Aaron Christopher, assistant professor of business, published a book chapter titled, “The Kickback Mine: Vendor Fraud with a Kickback Twist” in Bribery and Corruption Casebook: The View from Under the Table edited by Joseph T. Wells and Laura Hymes (2012).  He also presented a case study session modeled on the book chapter and participated in two panel discussions at the 23rd Annual Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Conference and Exhibition June 17-22^nd in Orlando, FL. The topics of the panel discussions were “Designing Fraud Assignments for Today’s Anti-fraud Students” and “Building an Investigative Team.” In addition, Christopher was named chair of the scholarship committee of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Dr. Angela Brand Butler, associate professor of music, performed authentic, historical music for the Manitoba Theater for Young People’s production of Romeo and Juliet. Butler and two other musicians researched, practiced and even recorded some of Shakespeare’s contemporaries’ music. They presented the pieces before, during and after the four performances of the play.

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, assistant professor of civil engineering, gave a presentation entitled, “Seismic Fragility Analysis and Loss Estimation for Concrete Structures,” for the civil engineering graduate students at the University of California, Los Angeles in May 1st. Bai discussed seismic vulnerability of concrete structures under earthquake events and expected losses due to three scenario earthquakes in Mid-America.

Dr. David Poole, vice president of Online and Professional Studies and Dr. Tran Hong, associate vice president of technology, presented at the UBTech Conference in Las Vegas in June.The topic was “Using Video-centric Collaboration to Extend High-Touch Culture.”

Dr. Elaine Ahumada, OPS MPA program director, and Mark Kling, OPS assistant professor of criminal justice, presented a workshop at the Teaching Public Administration Conference (TPAC) on May 21st on South Padre Island, TX. The workshop addressed professional and technical skills required of MPA students/practitioners working in and for a diverse public sector.  The workshop was called “MPA 2.0: The Integration of Professional Development Skills and Competencies for a Diverse Workforce.”

Liz Jorden, assistant director of career services and internship coordinator, was elected to the board of directors for the California Internship and Work Experience Association (CIWEA) in May.  CIWEA is dedicated to supporting college-level internship and work experience programs. Membership includes representatives from two-year and four-year institutions of higher education in California as well as a variety of national employers.

Personnel Updates