Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010
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Dean of HASS Microsoft selects USU student for video to step down By PETER BROWN staff writer
By RACHEL A. CHRISTENSEN news editor
Yolanda Flores Niemann will return to USU next fall, but not as the dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. As of last week, Niemann said she sent a request to USU President Stan Albrecht to not renew her appointment as dean. Niemann announced her decision to faculty and staff Tuesday, said John DeVilbiss, USU spokesperson. Niemann will remain dean of HASS until the end of the academic year, ending June 30. DeVilbiss said Niemann will return to the university in some other capacity, but what she will be doing on campus has not been decided. He also said Niemann will help with the transition process. Provost Raymond Coward said because Niemann NIEMANN wants a position where she can serve the whole university, Coward, Niemann and Albrecht will work together to find the right position for her. Every dean signs a contract for multiple years, said Niemann, who is two years into her five-year contract, but the contract has to be renewed annually. With the plans moving forward to separate the College of HASS into the Caine College of the Arts and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Niemann said she felt it was a good time for her to make a clean break. This way, the reorganized colleges will each get a new dean. The fact that Niemann announced her intentions this early is a “gift,” Coward said, because administration can take time to find a new dean. Coward said the university will begin looking for an interim dean, instead of conducting a national search. He said he will consult with the faculty, staff and students in an effort to find the bestsuited person for the job. Coward will then make a recommendation to Albrecht, who will appoint the new dean. When Niemann took the position of dean, she inherited a budget deficit. Niemann said the university’s financial situation made it hard to become a firstyear dean. “I don’t want to be a dean unless I can be an excellent leader,” Niemann said. Niemann said when she was hired, she was given two tasks: to get the college back on its feet financially, while at the same time moving the college forward. “It meant doing what I had to do,” she said. In her efforts to put the college back on solid fiscal ground, Niemann said she had to make decisions that many faculty and staff didn’t like. She said some departments that were expecting to hire weren’t able to, instead positions had to be cut and some faculty and staff had to be laid off. “Nobody likes when their friends are laid off,” she said, adding that these decisions regarding people were the most painful she had to make. The students were inspiring to Niemann, who said she sees Aggies as students who are engaged and don’t want to just sit on the sidelines. “The students give me tremendous hope for the future,” she said. – rac.ch@aggiemail.usu.edu
Inside This Issue
Microsoft selected a USU student for a video to be launched with its new product, Office 2010. Sterling Morris, a Huntsman Scholar with a dual major in international business and economics, was one of 30 people invited to participate in the beta-test program from 30,000 applicants. He is one of three people Microsoft is currently featuring on video at its Web site. “I found the opportunity through commercials in between episodes of NBC’s ‘The Office’,” Morris said. “They were looking for students, and I told them what I’m doing here at the university. They caught up to me while I was in Chile on a Study Abroad and interviewed me over Skype. I think that really helped give me an international flare.” Microsoft narrowed the conSTERLING MORRIS, a Huntsman Scholar with a dual major in international business and economics, will appear in testant pool down from 200 to a video launching Microsoft’s Office 2010. Morris, a home user and a small business owner were filmed for Microsoft’s group of 30 individuals, who would a“Real Life Stories” program. MAKAELA HERRAN photo be loaned a laptop with the beta version of Microsoft Office 2010, Business has really provided great Hills, co-director of the Huntsman Hills wants students to be Morris said. The participants are opportunities for him.” Scholars program. “For students inspired by this story. She wants required to do training sessions Being one of the Huntsman who have maintained academic students to know that the Jon M. over the phone twice a month on Scholars, Morris was able to travel excellence, we fund these trips. Huntsman School of Business is how to use all of its new features. to South America and Europe. He But there is also the Study Abroad seeking to provide opportunities Microsoft selected a small busihas worked with the Hope Alliance program, and this is open to all for education and travel for all USU ness owner, a home user and a to provide several eye clinics and students, not just the Huntsman students. college student to film for its “Real glasses to those in need. Morris students.” “What I hope this whole experiLife Stories” program. The three said people from all over the counMorris will continue with the ence does is give other students the were filmed and told their story of try send in glasses that they either training sessions for the next four confidence to pursue something how they use Microsoft Office in don’t need or have gone out of fash- to five months. Microsoft has that they really want to do,” Hills their personal lives. ion. The glasses are cleaned, clinics asked Sterling whether he would be said. “Sterling did it because he was “They were looking at a human are set up and there are about 7,000 willing to speak to the press on its passionate about it. We want to get angle to take this,” said Steven pair of glasses that are taken on any behalf. students excited about being themEaton, director of communications one of these humanitarian trips. Eaton said Morris’ story has selves, but do things that they’re for the Jon M. Huntsman School of Morris said the Huntsman Scholars already been picked up by more really excited about and that they Business. “Sterling is genuinely a plan to take a trip to Senegal in than 200 news publications. think are cool.” humble man. What really sold the May and Peru in June. “I think this will continue to – peter.brown@aggiemail.usu.edu story is two-part: Sterling is articu“The Huntsman Scholars is a generate a lot of positive buzz,” late. Also, the Huntsman School of scholarship program” said Stacey Eaton said.
Natural resource students encourage campus compost location to serve as a hub for the project and involve more students. “It’s still in that informal position,” Rentschler said. Students in USU’s College of Natural Rentschler said that for many students, living Resources are challenging students to comin apartments without gardens or indoor plants, post their food and plant waste. The Campus the idea of composting might not seem practical, Composting Challenge, directed by horticulbut stressed that while they may not benefit tanture sophomore Bethany gibly, they would be doing Heineman, began last semestheir part in the community. ter and continues as part of “We pay money to “The ‘why’ is to allea campus-wide initiative to viate materials in the landhave all the waste improve the sustainability of fill that can break down,” USU’s waste disposal. from campus Rentschler said. Composting, Heineman dumped.” Heineman said the said, is a process in which idea for the composting organic wastes, such as – Michael Dietz, College challenge came, in part, food and plant scraps, are doing research last disposed of in a controlled of Natural Resources from year with Campus Dining method that allows an faculty and Food Services. After increased breakdown of the gathering garbage at the USU material, as compared with Marketplace in the Taggart traditional landfill dumping. Student Center for two hours during lunch, After a period of time the material degrades to a it was estimated that the day’s total yield of state, known as humus, that returns nutrients to organic waste would be in the neighborhood of the soil and can be used as fertilizer in gardens 900 pounds. That waste, like most of the garbage and farms. on campus, goes to the local landfill. Heineman “Things don’t break down in a landfill,” spoke of research that has been done by landfill Heineman said. “You’re not going to get that archaeologists, where perfectly preserved hot stuff back.” dogs, business cards and full newspapers from Near the end of fall semester, Heineman and decades past have been recovered from tradiNatural Resource Sen. John Rentschler distributed empty Aggie Ice Cream buckets to students tional dumping sites. Michael Dietz, who teaches sustainable living to aid in separating and storing organic wastes, for the College of Natural Resources, said that and a dumping bin was set up in the parking lot aside from losing the usage of biodegradable of the Natural Resource Building to collect the material, there are financial concerns for tradimaterial. Around 60 buckets were given out and tional dumping. Heineman said she is looking for a permanent
By BENJAMIN WOOD assistant features editor
1/20/10 Storytellers create reading experiences for children and their families. Page 7
Women’s basketball is now on a threegame losing streak.
Page 10
“We pay money to have all the waste from campus dumped,” Dietz said. “It’s a waste of money and could be turned into a useful product.” According to data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), provided by Dietz, around 25 percent of landfill content nationwide is yard waste and food scraps. A full university compost program would incur expenses, too, requiring storage facilities and regular maintenance, but Dietz said that other universities have found ways to adopt composting programs and save money overall. “It’s definitely possible. A lot of other places are doing it,” Dietz said. Dietz came to USU more than two years ago. He said that when he started he was impressed with the steps the university had already taken toward green programs and hopes that such endeavors continue in the future. “I can’t say enough good things about the facilities people here,” Dietz said. USU’s waste and recycling is managed by Kevin Phillips, who said that each year USU generates an average of 2,400 tons of waste. Of that sum, 625 tons are recycled leaving 1,775 tons of garbage taken to the dump every year. Put on a smaller scale, 6.8 tons of garbage go to the local landfill every day. Ultimately, Heineman would like to see a compost program for all of USU, but for the time being, she is trying to get as many students to do their part. Composting may seem daunting at first, she said, but the initial steps of separating out organic waste is simple.
- See COMPOST, page 4
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