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July 11th, 2014 5:00 pm by Jeff Bobo

ROGERSVILLE After weeks of planning, with organizers doing everything the Board of Education asked them to do, this year's Hawkins County alumni football game was nearly derailed Thursday night by a board member who expressed concerns about players getting hurt or killed.

The third annual game, which pits former Cherokee High School players versus Volunteer High School alumni, serves as a fundraiser for both schools.

Thursday evening the BOE voted 4-3 in favor of this year's game which will be played at Cherokee on Sept. 20.

The schools will split the gate receipts with Alumni Football USA, which organizes the game and provides uniforms and equipment for $100 per player. There will be no pre-game ticket sales this year, and all concession sales will go to the school.

All players will have signed a waiver releasing the school system and Alumni football USA from any liability, and BOE chairman Randy Collier strongly urged organizers to make sure all players have heath insurance.

There were a couple of injuries last year in which players unsuccessfully sought assistance for medical bills from the school system.

As the board was preparing to take its vote, board member Bob Larkins interjected some concerns about the game, and whether it is something the BOE should be involved in.

"I know a lot of work has been done on this in the past several weeks and months, but my particular concern is, the mission of the school board has little or nothing to do with alumni football," Larkins said. "We're here to educate and graduate, to focus on academics, and not be fundraisers. I think this has tremendous potential for something to go afoul."

Continued here:
Alumni football game OK'd despite BOE member concerns about player injury, death

Paper Snubbed a Good Parade

To the Editor:

The Lebanon High School Alumni Day parade is a long-time tradition for us folks who live in Lebanon. Its a big deal! Its a fun time for classmates working on the floats as a team and a joy to behold for people watching the parade.

The floats this year were excellent. The theme Beatles songs. Very creative.

Ive been watching the alumni parade since I was a kid as well as marching in the band. And I am no spring chicken now.

Whats up with the Valley News ? It used to do a half-page to full page showing at least the first, second and third-place winners. One couldnt wait to get the paper and see who won.

This year the Valley News showed one small picture of the third-place float in back of City Hall.

Why cant our local paper cover our once-a-year parade of floats? Why the snub?

Linda Facto

Lebanon

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Forum, July 11: You Snubbed a Good Parade; Math Rules Dont Add Up; Vanity and Immorality; The Co-op Debate

For Donovan Rose, affection toward his alma mater and a fresh start overcame the sour taste of a disappointing ending.

Rose, whose firing last fall ended a 23-year coaching run in Hampton Universitys football program, agreed to return to the school as an athletic fundraiser.

Rose will fill the newly created position of Assistant Athletic Director for Development. He will report to new Pirates athletic director Eugene Marshall Jr., who has said he wants to make raising money and community outreach priorities.

When people are asked to give, they want to give to people theyre familiar with, Rose said. Theyre going to give to people they know and to a good cause. Hampton University is a good cause.

Though Rose is known primarily as a football coach, he is plenty familiar with raising money. When he returned to Hampton in the early 1990s following a professional football career, he not only was an assistant coach, he was director of the schools Job Education and Training (JET) program for 17 years.

The JET program provided opportunity for at-risk youths in Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk and Portsmouth. He sought individual and business sponsorships and assistance. He believes the experiences he had and the relationships he formed will dovetail into his new position.

He said that he had opportunities to coach elsewhere, but he and his family have deep roots in the area. He is a Norfolk native and he and his wife, Sylvia, are Hampton alumni. She is a professor of finance in HUs business school. Their son, Donovan, is scheduled to begin his freshman year at HU in the fall. Their daughter, Deja, attended Georgetown and is now at Tulanes medical school.

I thought about it, he said, but in the end, I didnt want to be anywhere else.

Rose said he has met with new football coach Connell Maynor. He didnt sound the least bit resentful about working with those who relieved him.

Ive got nothing but love for Hampton, he said. Its my school. I want them to do well. Id like to think I left the program in good position, in terms of grades and APR (Academic Progress Rating) numbers and some young talent. Now, Im in a position to help the program and the athletic department in other areas.

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Former HU coach Rose takes athletic fundraising job at school

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) After years of clashes with Texas Gov. Rick Perry and the group that oversees the University of Texas System, the president of its flagship Austin campus reached a resignation deal Wednesday that will keep him on the job until June 2015.

University of Texas President Bill Powers' exit agreement comes after system Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa met with Powers last week and urged him to resign effective in October or risk being fired. Powers offered to quit next June, a deal that Cigarroa accepted after Powers' allies on campus and in the state Capitol rallied behind him.

Powers had pleaded to stay on the job to finish a $3 billion fundraising campaign, aid the startup of the university's new medical school and help guide the university through state budget negotiations in the 2015 legislative session.

Powers said he met with Cigarroa and board Chairman Paul Foster to reach the deal, which was announced by the University of Texas System at the same time a school provost told a faculty meeting.

"I'm delighted with this. This is a plan that makes sense to me," Powers said.

Powers has led the 50,000-student Austin campus since 2006. He fought with governor-appointed regents over tuition and graduation rates and other higher-education policies, and had survived previous attempts to fire him.

Powers has been a popular figure among students, faculty and state lawmakers, who rallied to his defense this week with warnings that firing him would harm the university's reputation. Powers is chairman of the Association of American Universities, a consortium of top private and public research institutions. One alumni group had planned a pro-Powers rally outside the Board of Regents meeting Thursday, where his employment is still on the agenda.

On Monday, Cigarroa had described his relationship with Powers as "fractured" and cited a lack of trust between Powers and the regents. In accepting the deal that keeps Powers on the job another year, Cigarroa called him "an admired leader who, as I've said before, has advanced the University in many ways."

Powers has had several high-profile clashes with Perry and the regents over higher-education policies. One regent, Wallace Hall, is facing possible impeachment and removal from office over his relentless pursuit of university records and questions over Powers' leadership.

Cigarroa recently called for an external investigation into Hall's questions about whether Powers and some state lawmakers exerted undue influence over school admissions. The House panel investigating Hall had told the regents not to question potential witnesses including Powers during their investigation.

See the rest here:
University of Texas president resigning next year

More than 1,200 alumni of Jesuit universities and high schools have sent aletter this week to fellow alumni in the US House of Representativescalling on them to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation. Thegroup of 43 House members, which includes Speaker of the HouseRepresentative John Boehner (Xavier University 77) have attended one ormore of the 28 universities and 60 high schools sponsored by the Society ofJesus in the United States.

Citing the 'Jesuit spirit of generous service to people in need and apersevering commitment to the common good', alumni, led by the IgnatianSolidarity Network, are calling for reform that includes: a process forearned citizenship for the undocumented, respect for the rights of workers,preservation and protection family unity and human dignity, and therestoration of fairness and accountability to the US immigration system.

The 1,200 signatories include Dr Eugene Cornacchia, PhD, president ofSt Peter's University (Fordham University 85); Rev Steve Privett, SJ,outgoing president of University of San Francisco (Loyola High School ofLos Angeles 60, Gonzaga University 66, Jesuit School of Theology 72); RevDavid Hollenbach, SJ, Director, Center for Human Rights andInternational Justice, (St Joseph's University 64); Dr Kristin Heyer,PhD, ethicist and theologian, and author of "Kinship Across Borders: AChristian Ethic of Immigration"; (Boston College 03); and Rev JamesMartin, SJ, author and speaker (Weston Jesuit School of Theology 98).

Despite the growing humanitarian crisis of unaccompanied migrant childrenand the continued presence of 11 million people without documentation inthe US, President Obama and Congressional leaders like SpeakerBoehner havedeclared immigration reform dead. The fact that our countrys leadershave declared immigration a dead issue for the imminent future increasesthe need for people of faith to speak out for immigration reform. We haveto let them know we are not going away. "The current humanitarian crisis ofunaccompanied children is just one more signal to the US House of Representatives that our nation needs to act on immigration reform,said ChristopherKerr, executive director of the Ignatian Solidarity Network.

On why Jesuit school alumni would call on congressional members to act,Kerr, a signatory of the letter, said, Jesuit education has challengedeach of us to be people of solidarity who take responsibility for the mostvulnerable in our world. Jesuit and lay teachers implore students to bemen and women for others, responding to the greatest needs that exist insociety. Our country needs immigration reform. We hope that SpeakerBoehner and other Jesuit school alumni in the US House will respond tothis call and act in the spirit of our Jesuit educational heritage.

Over the past several years, Jesuit institutional leaders have been vocalsupporters of comprehensive immigration reform. In May 2013, the nine USJesuit Provincials wrote a letter http://www.jesuit.org/blog/index.php/2013/05/largest-order-of-priests-and-brothers-in-catholic-church-calls-for-comprehensive-immigration-reform/insupport of comprehensive immigration reform, which was endorsed by over 200Jesuit institutions and communities.

Before the end of 2013, Fr KevinWildeshttp://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2013/07/immigration_reform_would_help.htmlpresident of Loyola University of New Orleans, and Dr Eugene Cornacchiapresident of the Saint Peters University, released editorials publiclyvoicing their support of humane immigration reform efforts.

On AshWednesday of this year, five Jesuit university presidents participated in anational immigration reform fast http://ignatiansolidarity.net/blog/2014/03/04/jesuit-university-presidents-join-in-ash-wednesday-fast-for-immigration-reform/.

Later that month, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, a Jesuit highschool in Indiana, hosted a panel discussioNwith representatives from thestates agriculture and business sectors, religious leaders, and students.

Read more from the original source:
Jesuit school alumni urge fellow alumni in US government to act on immigration reform

Dr. Thomas Jessen, a retired Newton family physician who practiced in the community for 40 years, was recently honored with an Award for Service during the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine 2014 Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Established in 1998, these awards are the highest honor that the medical school bestows upon its outstanding graduates. The Award for Service, specifically, honors alumni for meritorious leadership and service in a professional capacity or in the broader community.

In addition to his decades of medical practice, Dr. Jessen served as the high school football team physician and volunteered at the Jasper County free medical clinic. He led by example through his involvement with a variety of local organizations and, as written in literature from the award ceremony, is a well-respected and trusted figure in the Newton community. He has always gone above and beyond for his patients and is always available to help anyone in need. Even since his retirement in 2010, Jessens compassion for his patients and community members is unparalleled, and he has dedicated himself to serving others.

In attendance at the ceremony to support Dr. Jessen was Brett Altman, current COO of Skiff Medical Center and soon to be CEO. While Dr. Jessen is very humble about receiving this award, it is a very big deal that only a select few attain, Altman said. Dr. Jessen has been a blessing for Skiff Medical Center and the Newton community and this honor is well deserved.

Dr. Jessen said that his decision to pursue medicine followed the influence of his time as an undergraduate student (class of 1964) at the University of Iowa.

Opportunity was everywhere, and leadership from the professors was remarkable, he said.

After his time at the University of Iowa and completing an internship and rotating residency at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich., Dr. Jessen returned to Iowa to practice family medicine, which was a suitable fit for his community-oriented inclinations.

I was able for 40 years to provide day-to-day, continuous medical care for a large number of patients, he said.

Throughout his career, Dr. Jessen had a reputation for making himself readily available, even giving his personal phone number to patients who needed constant monitoring.

In addition to his many hours in a clinical setting, Dr. Jessen also extended his health-care expertise to local youth by spending much of his career serving as the Newton High School football team physician.

Continued here:
Long-time Newton doctor honored by U of I

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Prominent University of Texas alumni and supporters on Monday rallied behind embattled President Bill Powers, who is under pressure to resign or possibly be fired when school regents meet later this week.

Powers has had a rocky relationship with Gov. Rick Perry and several members of the governor-appointed Board of Regents during his nine years leading the 50,000-student campus. While Powers has survived previous attempts to fire him, Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa told Powers last week he should announce he will leave by October or risk being fired on Thursday.

Powers countered with an offer to leave in June 2015.

Billionaire Houston trial lawyer Joe Jamail, one of the school's top financial donors, said Powers called him after his conversation with Cigarroa and he told Powers not to quit.

"I advised Bill not to resign," Jamail said. "I think this is disgusting and the wrong thing to do for the University of Texas."

In a July 4 response letter, Powers told Cigarroa that a June 2015 departure would allow him to steer the university through major curriculum reforms, the startup of a new medical school and help negotiate the university's share of the next two-year state budget.

"For all these reasons, an abrupt change now would seriously disrupt the progress of UT Austin," Powers wrote, calling his plan a "graceful rather than abrupt departure."

Jodie Jiles, a Houston investment banker and former chairman of the influential Greater Houston Partnership investment group, said he wants Powers to stay on the job and should be allowed to leave on his terms.

Firing Powers would "hurt recruiting of world class teachers, researchers and students, who all would be asking what's going on down there?" Jiles said.

The Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education, which includes Jamail and other donors who have given millions of dollars to the university, issued a statement Monday supporting Powers. The coalition noted that Powers is chairman of the prestigious Association of American Universities, a consortium of public and private research schools.

Go here to read the rest:
Supporters rally behind UT President Powers

Friends reunite at the sculpture known on the University of Florida campus as "the french fries" on the first day of the 2011 spring semester Wednesday, January 5, 2010.

How much will the University of Florida have to pay for a president with a stellar academic track record and the skills to run a flagship public research university with a medical school and agricultural college?

The compensation subcommittee of the UF Presidential Search Committee will hold a conference call at 3 p.m. Monday to discuss the compensation package.

UF presidential nominees

Here is the current list of people nominated by third parties for the University of Florida presidential search, as of July 3:

Srinivas Aravamudan, professor and dean of humanities, Duke University M. Katherine Banks, vice chancellor and dean of engineering, Texas A&M John A. Delaney, president, University of North Florida Anthony A. Frank, president, Colorado State University Robert G. Frank, president, University of New Mexico Mark A. Fuller, dean, Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Zvi Galil, dean of computing, Georgia Institute of Technology Thomas C. Galligan Jr., president, Colby-Sawyer College Thomas F. George, chancellor, University of Missouri-St. Louis Joseph Glover, senior VP/provost, University of Florida Bernadette Gray-Little, chancellor, University of Kansas Freeman A. Hrabowski III, president, University of Maryland Baltimore County Lon S. Kaufman, vice chancellor/provost, University of Illinois at Chicago Pramod P. Khargonekar, assistant director, Directorate of Engineering, National Science Foundation Renu Khator, chancellor, University of Houston System Ann G. Kirschner, university dean, Macaulay Honors College, City University of New York Michael V. Martin, chancellor, Colorado University System Roderick J. McDavis, president, Ohio University Gordon G. Meneely, managing general partner, Life Management Systems Michael A. Middleton, deputy chancellor, University of Missouri-Columbia David C. Munson, dean, College of Engineering, University of Michigan Santa Jeremy Ono, president, University of Cincinnati Eduardo J. Padron, president, Miami Dade College Sheldon M. Retchin, senior VP/CEO Health System, Virginia Commonwealth University Carlos J. Reyes, attorney, Reyes Law Group Wei Shyy, executive VP and provost, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Claude M. Steele, executive vice chancellor/ provost, UC Berkeley Caroline C. Whitacre, VP/research, Ohio State University Timothy P. White, chancellor, California State University System

That could be the million-dollar question.

A subcommittee of the UF presidential search committee will tackle that question during a teleconference at 3 p.m. Monday, when it will receive a report from the Mercer consulting firm on the range of compensation for peer institution presidents.

The subcommittee will report to the full committee and the Board of Trustees on Tuesday, at which time the board may vote to adopt the salary range recommendation.

Bernie Machen, the current and 11th president of UF, had a total salary package of $720,594 in 2013, making him the 26th-highest-paid university president in the United States, according to a report by the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Read more from the original source:
UF looks at how much to pay new president

July 5, 2014, 4 a.m.

A university that delivers a medical program in the rural settings of Dubbo and Orange has shown some of its innovative approaches to federal education minister Christopher Pyne.

A university that delivers a medical program in the rural settings of Dubbo and Orange has shown some of its innovative approaches to federal education minister Christopher Pyne.

He visited the Dubbo campus of the University of Sydney's School of Rural Health on Wednesday as part of an itinerary that finished with a stop at the Dubbo base of a renowned aeromedical service.

The tour was welcomed by Mark Arnold, associate dean and head of the school that this year received an intake of a total of 64 students across its two campuses.

Associate Professor Arnold said they had spoken at length to the minister, his staff and Parkes MP Mark Coulton about the program's achievements and its future directions.

He said they were proud some of the school's alumni had returned to work in Dubbo and Orange, not just as general practitioners, but also as sub-specialists.

The minister then "dropped in" at the Dubbo base of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, an organisation to which he had a personal connection.

"My father was a Royal Flying Doctor in Alice Springs in the 1950s ...and the continuation of the Royal Flying Doctor Service should be valued and acknowledged.

"So I wanted to drop in while I was here in Dubbo to show we appreciate their excellent work," Mr Pyne said.

Original post:
Health program shown off to minister

The NYU School of Medicine alumni reunion was Saturday, April 26, 2014. An exciting line-up of activities and scientific programs was scheduled throughout the day. Alumni Hall was full with happy faces as alumni gathered to rekindle friendships, reminisce, and celebrate. Participants learned about the future of the Medical School and its achievements. This year's program featured talks by distinguished faculty and Berson Awardee alumni:

David Oshinsky, PhD, Director of the Division of Medical Humanities, spoke about "Jonas Salk, Albert Sabin, and the Battle Against Polio".

Eduardo D. Rodriguez, MD, DDS '82, Chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery, spoke about "Redefining the Future of Facial Reconstruction".

Robert M.Friedman, MD '58, recipient of the Solomon A. Berson Alumni Achievement Award in Basic Science, spoke about "The Peculiar Story of Interferons: From Panacea to Pariah to Paragon".

Mark Taubman, MD '78, recipient of the Solomon A. Berson Alumni Achievement Award in Clinical and TranslationalScience, spoke about "Tissue Factor, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer".

Lee M. E. Morin, MD '81, PhD '82, MS '78, recipient of the Solomon A. Berson Alumni Award in Health Science, spoke about "Overview of Space Medicine - Enabling Expansion of Our Species".

The Julia Zelmanovich Young Alumni Award, presented each year to an alumnus/a who early in his or her career has already demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the profession and our School, was presented to Jennifer A. Stein, MD '04. PhD '02, MS '00.

As part of the morning program, Laurie and Isaac Perlmutterwere installed as honorary alumni of NYU School of Medicine, paying tribute to these two remarkable leaders and humanitarians. Dean Robert I. Grossman, Hon.'08, gave his report of the year's advances at NYU School of Medicine and NYU Langone Medical Center. Following luncheon with classmates, there was a demonstration of theBioDigitalHuman which is used as an adjunct to teaching anatomy dissection. In the afternoon, student-led nostalgia tours were provided of our School and of Bellevue. Later in the evening, the Alumni Reunion Ball was held at the Ritz-Carlton Downtown.

Dean's Honors Day

On Monday September 30, 2013 faculty members, benefactors, family and freinds gathered in Farkas auditorium for the 12th annual Dean's Honors Day. The event recognizes three outstading faculty members as "Masters" - one clinician, one scientist, and one educator as well as those who have been promoted, named to an endowed professorship, received tenure, or served as chair of a department, including newly named chairs.

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Alumni Relations | NYU School of Medicine