In this issue…
Current News
New student orientation begins early at CBU
Nicci Hinderaker, of Long Beach, strolled on campus at California Baptist University, excited to visit classrooms and meet other new students.
Hinderaker, whose sister, Tori, also attends CBU, will play on the volleyball team. She was one of the approximately 270 incoming freshman, with family members in tow, who streamed onto campus June 8 for Step Ahead Orientation.
Hinderaker’s mother Beth liked that orientation was held early. “It gives them time to prepare and to get excited,” she said.
Orientation is coming early and often this year. Step Ahead Orientation will happen four times for freshman and three times for transfer and non-recent high school graduates.
Several reasons led to the change, said Kelli Welzel, director of new student programs. Students and parents have questions about services and academic programs. Providing all that information the weekend before school starts when students are moving in can be overwhelming, Welzel said. Last year, about 3,500 parents attended orientation. It’s difficult to program for that many people.
“We’re growing, so we’re trying to meet a growing need and still offer the same feeling of intimacy,” she said. “We believe it showcases the university well and what the university has to offer to students.”
During orientation, incoming students will meet with faculty from their school or college, register for classes and learn about other services. The freshmen will spend one night on campus. The students also will participate in the Kugel walk. The Kugel, a floating granite globe sculpture, is a symbol of Christ’s Great Commission. CBU tradition calls for newly enrolled students to touch the Kugel as they begin their educational experience at CBU.
They will also hear about CBU’s history and purpose.
“We want to make it real clear in the summer — this is what you’re signing on to, this is who we are as a culture, this is the benefit of being a part of CBU,” Welzel said.
Braden Sapp, from Colorado, is coming for the music program. He looked forward to learning about the campus and registering for classes. His mother, Analee Sapp, also appreciated an earlier orientation, because she has two children attending different universities.
“It makes it so much easier,” she said.
A final orientation day before classes start will be held for international and out-of-state students who could not attend during the summer. This will be followed by Welcome Weekend, when new students move in and get connected socially and spiritually.
Welzel acknowledges holding multiple orientation sessions is more work for staff and for the schools and colleges that arrange for faculty members to participate.
“It’s taken everybody coming together to make this happen,” she said. “It’s been amazing to see how everybody has come behind it and has been willing to do this to serve the students. I think it says a lot about our CBU community.”
Drought highlights conservation as an ongoing process for CBU
The expansive Front Lawn at California Baptist University is home to flag football and soccer intramurals, the Fortuna Bowl, the homecoming block party and the campus Christmas Party. The lawn has great practical value, but it also is the 200,000-square-foot heart of CBU.
“There’s an iconic imagery,” said Steve Smith, director of facilities and planning services (F&PS). And the imagery will remain green even in the most severe droughts in California history.
Aware of public perception as one drives by the Front Lawn, Smith wants people to know that 80 percent of the irrigation is provided by two wells on campus that tap a local groundwater basin. One well was drilled before the founding of CBU, the other in 2012. The well water is non-potable, but well suited for irrigation.
Thanks to the campus water source, the signature Front Lawn is expected to retain its verdant beauty. But CBU continues making a number of other changes in response to California’s record drought. For Smith, conserving water has been an ongoing process for the past several years. Low-flow plumbing fixtures have been installed. Sprinklers have been changed to drip lines and landscaping switched to drought-tolerant.
“We should all strive to be good stewards constantly, he said. “The biblical call on us is to care for these resources and make them long-lasting. That sounds idealistic, but I think that can be done and we’re doing a good job of that here.”
For landscape and irrigation, F&PS created an Xeriscape plan. Xeriscape refers to landscaping and gardening practices and design that reduce, mitigate or eliminate the need for supplemental water from irrigation. Water-wise plants and drip systems have been installed in front of the School of Nursing, in planters and strip areas in the housing areas and parking lots. Fewer annuals are being planted. Landscaping associated with new construction will follow that model.
“There is a strategy to convert more and more turf area to what we call our CBU native or sustainable planting,” Smith said. Several areas on campus have been identified for turf removal that has already begun in some locations.
By the athletic fields, F&PS, the environmental science program and Provider Food Services are collaborating on a garden. There F&PS will test what new plants grow well; environmental science will use a portion for projects, and Provider will use herbs grown there for food preparation.
Along with conserving water, CBU is conserving energy. Lights are going to LED. In the newer buildings, light and temperature control sensors are linked to occupancy. Lancer Palms on Wayne Court is powered partially by solar. More solar panels may be coming.
While the goal is primarily to conserve natural resources, there’s a higher goal, too.
“Biblically, this idea of conserving and sustainability and stuff was not an invention by man,” Smith said. “God appointed us stewards of these resources.”
CBU advances in NCAA Division II Directors’ Cup standings
In just two years as a fully-fledged NCAA Division II member, California Baptist University has established itself as one of the top athletic programs in the division. The Lancers finished the 2014-15 season with a 16th-place finish in the Division II Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings, moving up 10 spots from last year’s placement.
“Our student athletes and coaches had a great year,” said Dr. Micah Parker, director of athletics. “It’s exciting to be ranked so high in only our second year in the NCAA division II.”
CBU — who claimed its third PacWest Commissioner’s Cup earlier this spring — finishes as the highest program not only among the PacWest institutions, but the West Region as well with 523.70 points. Azusa Pacific comes in at No. 17 (522.75) in its first year eligible, while Simon Fraser is the next West Region program, sitting at No. 26 (467.00).
The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution’s finish in up to 14 sports — seven women’s and seven men’s. CBU picked up a bulk of its points in the winter with both basketball programs making it to the Sweet 16 and the women moving on to finish as the national runner-up team.
After the spring season concluded, CBU was awarded points for baseball, softball, women’s golf and women’s track each advancing to postseason. Women’s golf added 60 points for its 13th-place overall finish on the year and the Lancer softball program dished out another 50 after finishing the year 17th in the division. Baseball tacked on 25 points after making its 11th postseason appearance in 12 years and ending the successful campaign as the 33rd team in the division. Women’s track rounded out the final points of the spring season after Veronica Hall became the first Lancer to earn NCAA Division II All-American honors in the 1500-meter, crossing the finish line for seventh place.
CBU teams begin next wave of summer 2015 service projects
California Baptist University sent out seven more volunteer teams to fields of service around the world June 1 through 3. The groups, which are part of the International Service Projects and Summer of Service programs, are serving in East Asia, Kosovo, Japan, Russia, Poland and Germany.
Twenty-seven teams have already been sent to service projects in areas such as Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Spain, Thailand and United Kingdom. More than 370 participants will serve this summer on 42 teams to 16 countries.
Before leaving campus, each team gathers to pray at the Kugel, a granite globe that floats on a base inscribed with the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20).
Leaders of the latest teams to head out asked for prayer for flexibility, boldness and team unity.
“Pray that we would be intentional in everything that we do, that we would be focused on serving the people and not on ourselves,” one leader said.
CBU receives national ranking for Online Programs for Veterans
California Baptist University’s online programs have earned the No. 20 spot in the 2015 Best Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs for Veterans rankings by U.S. News & World Report. CBU was also ranked in the top 100 nationwide for their Online Graduate Education and Online MBA Programs for Veterans.
“I’m delighted that once again we have been ranked by U.S. News as a Best Online Programs for Veterans,” said Dr. David Poole, vice president for Online and Professional Studies at CBU. “Online courses offer our service men and women the flexibility and convenience to complete their college education, regardless of where they may be stationed or live. This national ranking is a strong testament to the University’s continued commitment to our nation’s veterans and active military personnel.”
CBU entered the online education market in the spring of 2010 with programs offered by the university’s Division of Online and Professional Studies. Also named by G.I. Jobs magazine as a 2015 Military Friendly School, CBU Online offers 21 bachelor degree programs with 30 major concentrations, and 14 master degree programs. Degree and course offerings are accessible fully online or in a hybrid format (virtual and synchronous) at educational service centers near some of California’s largest military bases.
To help veterans choose affordable, accessible and reputable distance education, U.S. News has launched its annual rankings of the Best Online Programs for Veterans, according to its website. All of the ranked programs belong to institutions that are certified for the G.I. Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, two federal initiatives that help veterans reduce the cost of school.
For more information about the rankings, please visit the U.S. News 2015 Best Online Programs for Veterans at http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/bachelors/veteran-rankings.
CBU inks agreement with nation’s largest medical school
College students who hope to attend medical school are frequently stressed by juggling school work, studying for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and filling out medical school applications.
California Baptist University has a prescription that may help ease that stress.
CBU recently signed an agreement with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) that would allow qualified students to achieve early acceptance into their medical, pharmacy or dental school. LECOM is the largest medical school in the U.S., with its main campus in Erie, Penn.
Starting this fall, incoming freshmen or sophomores can apply for the program.
CBU students don’t need to major in anything specific. However, they do have to work through the department of health sciences to negotiate the process, said Dr. Wayne Fletcher, assistant professor of health science.
Fletcher deals with students who are applying to medical school in their senior year. He said early acceptance gives students peace of mind.
“It takes a lot of pressure off of students,” he said of the early acceptance. “I think that’s the biggest incentive for students.”
The students apply online and go through an interview process. Once accepted, students must maintain their grades before enrolling in LECOM’s program. LECOM has guaranteed CBU students five seats per year.
LECOM contacted Fletcher about the program.
“We have found that institutions with a religious affiliation often have mission statements and a philosophy that parallels LECOM’s commitment to professionalism, a strong work ethic and moral principles,” said John Wojtkielewicz, LECOM’s institutional director of undergraduate affiliations. “These schools also have strong academic standards that generally lead to their students being successful in our programs. Therefore, we reached out to California Baptist.”
For CBU, the agreement allows the university to help students live their purpose, Fletcher said.
“How can you do that better than providing students with a window, an opportunity to go directly into what they wanted to go?” he asked.
Dean of School of Christian Ministries contributes to new Bible
The wrath of God can evoke spirited debate. Some people downplay God’s wrath, saying God is too loving to do that. Others say God is as wrathful as he is loving.
Neither side is biblical, said Dr. Chris Morgan, dean of the School of Christian Ministries, citing passages like Exodus 34:6-7, which depict God as slow to anger but abounding in covenant love.
“We tend to view God through our own sentimental lens rather than through the biblical story,” Morgan said. “The wrath of God is a part of who God is. God is a just and loving and a good God who is opposed to evil.”
Morgan wrote about the wrath of God for the NIV Zondervan Study Bible that is scheduled for publication in August. The NIV Study Bible is the best-selling study Bible. The new edition features Dr. D. A. Carson as general editor and more than 60 contributors, as well as new study notes and other study tools that combine to present a biblical theology of God’s special revelation in the Scriptures, according to the Zondervan website.
Morgan is one of those contributors. He has written or edited 15 books ranging from the love of God, heaven, the church, the kingdom of God and the doctrine of sin. Four of those books are related to hell, so the request for the article about wrath was not unusual.
God’s wrath is not an attribute of him like his love or holiness, Morgan said. Those are intrinsic and eternal, but wrath is occasioned by sin.
“Partly because God is a God of love, he gets angry,” he said. “Evil and sin contaminate and destroy and he’s seriously opposed to all things that would hurt his creatures.”
Morgan said the new edition includes summary articles on doctrines in the Bible, such as the glory, the justice, the love of God.
“Christian doctrine isn’t really a smorgasbord or about what we might prefer to believe. It’s our job to study what is and follow what the revelation of God is in the Scriptures, so it’s not really a creative enterprise,” he said. “It’s a research and processing what’s there enterprise.”
CBU named one of America’s best for intramural sports
Almost 1,300 California Baptist University students participated in intramurals during the 2014-15 academic year. Thirty teams – 19 men’s and 11 women’s – competed in flag football. Several thousand came to watch the last games of the season at the Fortuna Bowl during Homecoming in November 2014.
BestColleges.com recently named CBU as one of the best colleges for intramural sports. Colleges were vetted based on the number of intramural sports they offered, the qualities of team management and coaching, and student surveys, which assessed how enjoyable intramural sports were to play at each school, according to the website.
Flag football, volley, basketball and soccer are the main intramural sports offered at CBU. Wiffle ball, kickball, ping pong, racquetball and dodge ball are available for one or two weeks or a single day event.
Intramural sports are popular for several reasons, said Tyler Cox, director of recreation programs. Students spend more time out of class, than they do in, so intramurals give them something to do. Athletes who do not play at the collegiate level enjoy the competitive outlet.
“The No. 1 thing, it just builds relationships,” Cox said. “People are going to have a more enjoyable experience while they’re here because they feel a part of something. They’ve made some deeper connections. I think that’s going to overall just enhance the students’ experience while they’re here.”
One of the most popular options is flag football. The season culminates with the Fortuna Bowl, which includes fireworks and brings an exciting end to Homecoming Weekend. Students often join a flag football team because they hope to make it to the end and be part of the event, Cox said.
At new student orientation, students learn about different opportunities for participation, from service projects to clubs to intramural sports. Sports is a popular activity that draws people together, Cox said.
“We’ve seen those connections last throughout the four years,” he said.
Family Updates
From left: Dr. Joseph Castleberry, president, and Dr. Jacqueline N. Gustafson
Dr. Jacqueline N. Gustafson, dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences, received the Honorary Sigma Chi Pi Alumni Award from her alma mater, Northwest University, in Kirkland, Wash., on May 9.
Dr. Monica O’Rourke
Dr. Monica O’Rourke, associate professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, was elected as Region 48 legislation leader by California Association for Health Physical Education, Recreation and Dance in May.
Dr. John D. Obradovich, adjunct professor for Online and Professional Studies, co-authored an article titled Promoter Ownerships and Corporate Leverage: Evidence from Indian Firms, which was published in the spring issue of the journal Corporate Ownership & Control.
Dr. Chuck Sands with students at Zhejiang Medical College in China.
Dr. Chuck Sands, dean of the College of Allied Health, spoke at Zhejiang Medical College in China on May 22 to more than 250 students and parents who expressed interest in the 3+2 program between ZJMC and the CAH at CBU. He also met with students who are in the first cohort of the program.
Dr. Marshare Penny
Dr. Marshare Penny, associate professor of public health, is teaching at Zhejiang Medical College in Hangzhou City, China. She will be there for eight weeks as part of a partnership between California Baptist University and Zhejiang Medical College.
Jeremy Zimmerman
Jeremy Zimmerman, director of marketing, and Melissa Rekos, senior vice president of digital strategies at Carnegie Communications, presented Surround Sound: A New Way to Find, Engage and Recruit Students at the Western Association of College Admissions Counseling 2015 Conference in Reno, Nev., on May 20.
Sixteen students from the College of Allied Health (CAH) completed the 2014-2015 Leadership Allied Health program and were awarded certificates of completion at the CAH hooding ceremony and graduation reception on April 28. Leadership Allied Health is a student leadership program within CAH.
Dr. Michelle Nielsen
Dr. Michelle Nielsen, assistant professor of mathematics, assisted with a workshop for graduate students at the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences conference May 25-30 at Redeemer University in Ontario, Canada.
From left: Dr. Billie Yeager, Dr. Robert Lambeth, Dr. Phoebe Lambeth, Lisa Collinsworth, Jill Bourns, Dr. Gordon Bourns, Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, Cheryl Salyer and Richard Salyer
The Founders received a limited edition print of an original watercolor painting of the James Building.
The Bell Tower Society hosted its inaugural Evening of Celebration on May 21 to honor and recognize some of CBU’s most generous supporters. Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president, opened the evening with stories of the past and visions for the future. Individuals and organizations were recognized for annual and lifetime giving. Five were honored at the Founder Level of the Bell Tower Society: Dr. Gordon and Jill Bourns; Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth (represented by their daughter, Lisa Collinsworth); Drs. Robert and Phoebe Lambeth; The James L. Stamps Foundation (represented by Richard and Cheryl Salyer); and Dr. Billie Yeager and her late husband, Eugene. The Founders received a signed and numbered limited edition print of an original watercolor painting of the James Building by Jessica Schoellerman, a CBU graphics design student.
From left: Megan Adams and Bryce Erickson
Two CBU students volunteered at a workshop for teachers and interested students in learning how to improve communication skills for English language learners held by the Inland Empire Chapter of CATESOL, an organization which serves Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in California and Nevada. Megan Adams, who is pursuing her master’s in English, and Bryce Erickson, an intercultural studies major, volunteered at the event, which had about 30 participants and was held at CBU May 16.
Dr. William Flores
Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, made a presentation titled Accreditation and the City College of San Francisco: A Case Study on Governance at a symposium on Higher Education Administration and Policy at the University of California, Riverside, on June 1.
The University Advancement and Alumni & Parent Relations offices’ eChristmas Card won a bronze prize in the Circle of Excellence Awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. CBU was recognized in the Short Videos category. The ecard also placed second in the Wilmer C. Fields Awards Competition held by the Baptist Communicators Association in April.
Dr. Robert G. Crosby
Dr. Robert G. Crosby, assistant professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, published an article, Examining the Formal Education of Children’s Ministers in the United States: Suggestions for Professional Development, Christian Education, and Emerging Research in the spring issue of the Christian Education Journal.
Personnel Updates
