WSU Spokane Campus Bulletin
Issue 2004-6 (March 17, 2004)
IN THIS ISSUE
Academic Center FUNDED
Gov. Gary Locke Supports Full Funding for Riverpoint Campus
OLYMPIA – March 17, 2004 – Gov. Gary Locke today
announced his intention to support full funding for Washington
State University's Riverpoint campus building in downtown
Spokane.
The governor made the decision following discussions yesterday
with Senate Minority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, local business
leader Don Barbieri, and Spokane Schools Executive Director Laurie
Dolan.
When the governor signs the state construction budget later this
month, he will include the $31.6 million in funding authorized by
the state House and Senate last week. The funding is intended to
build a combination library, classroom and office building at the
downtown campus.
Read more in the governor's
news release online.
For news from WSU's government relations office, see their
Web page. The Olympia
Updates include reports on the progress of the Academic Center and
other WSU priorities through the legislative session. The updates
note active support from the entire Spokane community--business
leaders, elected officials, and others--that helped make the case
for the Academic Center as a priority for the region.
Apricot (soy) smoothie,
anyone?
As agriculture and health become more closely linked, you see
more and more health claims on food packaging, and crops being bred
for specific nutrient properties. Someday, based on research being
conducted here at WSU Spokane, you may see boxes of tofu and other
soy products marked “Contains phytate—helps prevent
kidney stones.” 
Past work by nutrition professor Linda
Massey, a nationally recognized expert on mineral
metabolism and kidney stone formation, found that soybeans and
soy-based foods may promote kidney stones in those who are prone to
them.
The findings were published in the Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical
Society, the world's largest scientific society (news release
online).
A 2003 WSU Spokane Faculty Seed Grant (see related story below) funded a two-phase project.
The first phase examined soy products found in local grocery stores
to establish their levels of phytates, oxylates, calcium,
magnesium, and sodium. PhD student Ismail Al-Wahsh
is completing analysis of the data as part of his dissertation
work.
Some soy foods contain high levels of oxylates, which contribute
to stone formation. However, soy phytate, an antioxidant, may
reduce risk of kidney stones.
The massive Nurses Study being conducted by Harvard University
has shown an association between high dietary phytate consumption
and protection from stone formation. Foods high in phytate include
whole grains, legumes and many fruits and vegetables. Massey notes,
"This should sound familiar--eating more of these foods is
always good dietary advice."
As a self-report of eating habits, the Nurses Study does not
test the potential link directly. Only one very small study of 7
non-stone-forming people has examined phytate levels related to
phytate consumption, so Massey's study is essential to
developing an understanding of the interaction of phytate, oxylate,
and stone formation.
The second phase of the study is designed to determine whether
there is a limit on the amount of phytate that can be absorbed.
Since the first phase of the study found that soy products high in
phytate tend also to be high in oxylate, people who have a tendency
to form kidney stones want to consume as much phytate as is
helpful—but no more than is helpful, since high
phytate levels can bind calcium and magnesium in the gut so they
can't be absorbed.
The second phase of the study involves feeding studies.
Volunteers will drink high, medium and low phytate tofus in the
form of apricot smoothies—6 smoothies, consumed at least two
days apart—then collect urine for 8 hours.
All volunteers receive a general screening that includes dietary
analysis, determination of levels of oxylate and minerals in the
urine, and a body composition analysis in the BodPod—work
that would cost several hundred dollars if you had to pay for it.
Volunteers are also paid $10 cash for each visit and receive lunch
each day that they consume a smoothie.
Massey's work is used by the American Dietetic Association
to set dietary standards for kidney stone sufferers. In this case,
the results of this study can be built upon to set recommended
levels of consumption for soy products.
She is also engaged in collaborative research with Iowa State
University to examine oxylate and phytate levels in soy cultivars.
She has tested 70 varieties and found these values varying
fivefold, indicating potential for their commercial qualities to be
enhanced by breeding for specific levels that have health benefits
as determined by her work on kidney stones.
The study needs volunteers, both people with a personal or
family history of kidney stones, and those who do not have such a
history. To sign up, contact Al-Wahsh, 368-6715.
(Why apricot? It's one of the few low-phytate fruits, and
has a flavor strong enough to give the otherwise bland tofu some
zing. Other low-phytate fruits include apples, pears, and
peaches.)
WSU Spokane
faculty seed grant
program
From work in nutrition and breast cancer to diabetes and kidney
stones, the WSU Faculty Seed Grant Program for Research in Spokane
has funded work by WSU faculty to enhance their investigations'
potential for extramural support, in particular from the National
Institutes.
While Spokane-based clinical health research proposals have
priority, applications for research based in Spokane by
investigators on other WSU campuses are also encouraged. All WSU
faculty embarking on a previously unfunded research project are
eligible to apply.
Research that involves collaborations with the medical community
in Spokane is particularly encouraged, as is research that involves
collaborations between Pullman and Spokane faculty.
Applications, which must be reviewed by the investigator's
department chair and dean prior to submission. are due July 1,
2004. Information concerning the 2004 WSU Spokane Seed Grant is now
available online.
To read about the 2002 seed grants, see the news release
and detailed
project descriptions. In 2003, seed grants were awarded to
Linda Massey for her soy study (above) and to
E. Carolyn Johnson, exercise science, for a study
of possible injurious effects of increased levels of amino acids,
with and without high glucose, to simulate a high protein diet in
diabetes or non-diabetes conditions.
Lorna Walsh named
associate director of
development
 Lorna Walsh has been named associate director of
development for Washington State University Spokane. She comes to
the position with over 15 years of experience in development and
public relations.
Walsh most recently headed up the capital campaign for the
Fox
Theater. Prior to that, she was with the Health Improvement Partnership as
director of development. Her background includes work in higher
education, social services, the arts, and the nonprofit sector.
She holds a bachelor of arts in history from University of
Arizona, with additional education in fundraising. Her office is in
the Administrative Annex; phone 8-7565, email
lornawalsh@wsu.edu.
“We're pleased to have someone with Lorna's
extensive background in fundraising join the campus advancement
efforts,” said interim chancellor Rom Markin. “She is
an asset to the campus and to the university as we grow our Spokane
programs.”
Walsh holds a certificate in Spanish from the Defense Language
Institute, and lived in Uruguay for two years. She has two
children, Joe, 14, and Elizabeth, 6, and is a member of Rotary
South and Toastmaster's. Her hobbies include skiing, travel,
reading, and scuba-diving when she gets the chance. She has lived
in Spokane since 2001.
David Wang named to
President's Teaching Academy
David Wang, associate professor of architecture,
has been named to the inaugural 12-member cohort of the
President's Teaching Academy Advisory Board. 
The academy is being created, along with other initiatives such
as the establishment of the Office of Undergraduate Education, to
work toward Washington State University's strategic goal #1:
Offer the best undergraduate experience at a research
university.
In naming the members of the academy, WSU Pres. V. Lane Rawlins
wrote, “Membership in the Academy and service on the Board is
an honor that not only affirms your past contributions to teaching
and learning at Washington State University, but also recognizes
your ability to help implement key aspects of the University's
Strategic Plan related to the academic experience of our students.
The President's Teaching Academy is an important initiative
that has the potential to have a profound and lasting impact on
teaching and learning at Washington State
University.”
Since joining WSU Spokane in the mid-1990's, Wang has
contributed significantly to the growth and maturation of the
Interdisciplinary Design
Institute and has mentored many students from the design
disciplines, as well as Honors, through their programs of study. He
founded the Design Institute's Annual
Design and Construction Charrette, entering its eighth
year.
Students say that Wang creates a teaching and learning
environment that is not only thoughtful, but thought provoking. By
approaching teaching as an art that transcends traditional
disciplinary boundaries, they say, he invites students to learn by
exploration and through examination of the connections and bridges
among disciplines, as well as through the content within specific
disciplines.
The goals of the academy are to encourage the use of information
about the quality of the learning experience for changes to
curriculum and teaching practices; to facilitate the acquisition of
knowledge, skills, and techniques for effective learning and
teaching; and to develop a peer mentoring network for interaction
and sharing of ideas about ways to improve the quality of
undergraduate education.
Pharmacy school
attracting
lots of applicants
 Applications for admission flooded into the College of Pharmacy in
January, partly because of a new online national application
service that allows students to apply to several pharmacy schools
at once. Stacks of Fed Ex mailers arrived at the College every
morning for about two weeks before the Feb. 1 deadline.
As of the Feb. 1 deadline, the college had received 833
applications, compared to 387 last year, although about 200 of this
year's applications were incomplete.
This is the first year the college has used PharmCAS application
service. Students can apply to several schools using a single
application and a single set of transcripts, although there still
is a fee for each application.
The number of applications probably would have increased even
without the new online service because there is a shortage of
pharmacists, said Keith Campbell, the
College's associate dean of student affairs.
College faculty and staff will interview about 190 applicants
and admit 94 to the program, Campbell said. About 170 were
interviewed last year.
Pullman High School wins
third
annual Science Bowl
 To
win this particular battle of the brains, it helped to know:
- that the substituent or group name of an alkane that has an end
hydrogen removed is an “alkyl” in the IUPAC
system;
- that there are 9 total carbons in the organic compound
“1, 1-dichloro-3-ethyl-2,4 dimethylpentane”;
- and that compared to mafic igneous rocks, felsic igneous rocks
do not contain a greater concentration of magnesium, pyroxene, or
iron (they do, however, contain a higher level of silica).
Read more about last Saturday's Department of Energy Spokane
Science Bowl in the news release
online.
MESA events bring science to
life
During the weeks of March 15 and 22, watch out for flying
marshmallows and Mousetrap Powered Vehicles!
The Spokane
Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program
will hold its annual science competitions for middle school and
high school students this week and next: middle schoolers Friday
March 19 at the East Central Community Center, and high school
students here on campus March 23 and March 25 in the Phase I
Classroom Building.
Read more in the news release
online.
The goal of MESA is to provide globally competitive and
individually competent students in mathematics, engineering and
science with full participation of underrepresented students,
including African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians and women.
This competition is a celebration of efforts and an excellent
opportunity to see bright young minds in action.
Faculty Excellence Award
2004
nominees sought
Each year, WSU Spokane honors a faculty member selected for
teaching excellence in academic and/or community settings. The
recipient is honored at the
Commencement ceremonies, receiving a medallion to be worn with
academic regalia, and a sponsored award of $1,000.
David Wang will chair this year's selection
process. See the new Excellence
Awards information page for the list of eligible faculty and
more information.
Nominations are due on or before Friday, April
2, so start thinking now about how you will document
outstanding performance in teaching as well as other areas of
faculty responsibility such as advising, research, or community
service in support of your nominee(s).
Artwork now
available for flyers
 Thanks to
campus Webmaster Sicco Rood, we have some cool new
artwork that can be dropped in at the top of a Word document to
create a flyer.
Download the customized Phase I and Health Sciences Building
headers from the Image
Files page. Choose the header that fits the location of your
event or meeting to provide an extra visual cue to your audience
about where to go.
If you need a flyer for an event being held on campus that
isn't a WSU Spokane event, you can use the version that
doesn't have the logo. In Word, place your heading text in the
black space and set its color to white, and it will show up against
the black.
Personnel and
staffing changes
Searches
Research Professor/Director, Sleep Research Initiative, Health
Sciences, position is open until filled
Clinical Assistant Professor (3 positions), Pharmacotherapy,
positions are open until filled
Chancellor
& Vice Provost for Health Sciences, WSU Spokane, position
is open until filled
Business Development Specialist, Small Business Development Center,
apply by 3/19/04
Academic Coordinator Upward Bound Program, Student Services, apply
by 3/19/04
Assistant/Associate Professor, Criminal Justice, position is open
until filled
Community
connections
INTEC
Energy Technology SIG March 18
Could the Inland Northwest have an energy technology
concentration that someday rivals agriculture, health care, and
other traditional strengths? What is the most important thing the
community should do right now if it wants to use energy technology
as a source of economic development?
If you want to find out the answers, don't miss the INTEC Energy Technology Special
Interest Group. A panel of experts will discuss regional
initiatives, company highlights, sector growth, and more:
Thursday, March 18, 2004
5:30-8 p.m.
The Davenport Hotel, Early Bird Room
Register
online for this free event.
Event followed by a March Madness Basketball Social sponsored by
the Terabyte
Triangle: Gonzaga University vs. Valparaiso University on the
GIANT screen! 7-9 p.m.
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture Educators
Night March 23
The Northwest Museum
of Arts & Culture cordially invites all area educators
(K-12 and higher ed) to a special preview of the MAC's new
American Indian exhibit: Portraits of a People: Karl Bodmer and the
Plains Indians.
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
6 - 8 p.m.
Eric A. Johnston Memorial Auditorium
Cheney Cowles Center
2316 W. First Avenue, Spokane, WA
Introductory lecture/slide program by Gonzaga University history
professor Robert Carriker. Tour the American Indian collection with
Michael Holloman, Director, Center for Plateau Cultural Studies.
Educator's packet of resource information provided. For more
information call (509) 363-5328 or e-mail krism@northwestmuseum.org.
KPBX Community
Forum March 24
Health policy and
administration associate professor Melissa
Ahern will be one of the panelists at this year's KPBX
Community Forum.
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
6-8 p.m.
Spokane City Council Chambers
808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
The forum asks how the Baby Boomers will age, and the discussion
will range from government programs such as Medicare and Social
Security to housing options and career changes.
WSU Spokane serves as one of the sponsors of this event each
year. For more information, see the KPBX Web page for the
event.
University District planning to get under
way;
community workshop March 31
The City of Spokane will host the first University District
Community Workshop on March 31, 6-8 p.m., at the Avista Auditorium,
located at 1411 E. Mission Avenue.
The community workshop is the kickoff event for public
participation in the University District strategic master planning
process. All interested citizens are invited to participate in this
process, which is planned to conclude in approximately six months.
Additional workshops are planned for summer and fall 2004.
Citizens will have a chance to:
- Define the vision of the University District
- Provide input and feedback on key planning issues and
challenges
- Articulate opportunities for the future
Facilitating the workshop will be Daniel Iacofano of San
Francisco-based Moore Iacofano
Goltsman (MIG), Inc. Mr. Iacofano, an award-winning, nationally
recognized urban planning specialist, is familiar with
Spokane's downtown renaissance through his work on the Downtown
Plan, the Davenport Arts District Plan, the Riverfront Master Plan
and more.
Attendees should enter the Avista building through the front
entrance, and they will then be directed to the Auditorium. Parking
for the workshop is available in Avista's adjacent parking
lots.
Bookmark www.spokane.wsu.edu/universitydistrict
and the City of Spokane
Office of Economic Development for news and updates. Please
share this information with anyone who may be interested: students,
co-workers, neighbors.
A number of people from the campus community have participated
in an ad-hoc team working to obtain funding to plan the University
District concept. WSU Spokane participants include Forster
Ndubisi, Design Institute; Bob Scarfo,
Design Institute; Bruce Thompson, capital
facilities; and Barb Chamberlain, communications
and public affairs.
Mark your
calendar: March 24 forum with WSU vice presidents
Faculty, staff and students throughout the WSU system are
welcome to participate in the Vice Presidents' Forum at noon
Wednesday, March 24, either in person at the CUB Cascade Rooms or
via Web videostreaming. After updates on university topics, the
vice presidents will open the floor to your questions and
comments.
Those participating at a distance will can now submit questions
from their computers. The Forum can be viewed via live videostream
at the Experience WSU web
site. Videostream users can post questions using the ETT Chat
Service available at the same Web page. Instructions for using the
chat feature, as well as a technical support phone number, are
provided there.
Way to go!
 Her reputation as a high-energy and impressive ambassador for
science make Sylvia Oliver much in demand as a
tour guide who can show our researchers and their labs and projects
at their best.
Oliver, assistant director of the Health Research and Education
Center and founder/director of the WSU Spokane CityLab,
conducted a stellar tour as part of the WSU regents' visit to
campus March 11 and for the university's Strategic
Communications Systems Council Feb. 12. Those who participate in
her tours without fail leave campus talking about the world-class
work being done here. (with thanks from chancellor Rom
Markin and every tour participant).
Another part of the program for the WSU regents was also
fantastic. Associate professor Sally Blank and
student Tom Asturias, of the graduate program in
exercise science, highlighted the clinical opportunities,
research partnerships, and all-around wonderful opportunities for
the program, which is the only clinical and experimental graduate
program focusing on exercise physiology in the Pacific Northwest
with access to a large clinical population and regional medical
center.
  Nancy Blossom, professor and director
of the
interior design department and assistant director of the
Interdisciplinary
Design Institute, and Emily Moses, graduate
student in interior design and president of ASWSU
Spokane, provided similarly outstanding highlights from their
nationally ranked program and the opportunities for direct
community engagement and professional design experience provided by
the Design Institute's location here in Spokane. (with thanks
from Chancellor Rom Markin and all those who heard
your presentations)
Send your "Way to Go!" comments to Renee
DeWees at dewees@wsu.edu and watch for your
thanks to be published in an upcoming issue of the
Campus Bulletin!
Correction:
Guaranteed Ride program
for CTR participants
Some additional information about the Guaranteed Ride program
was not included in the “Did You Know” section of the
March 3, 2004 Campus Bulletin: Rides home are for those
registered with the Commute Trip Reduction program who hold a card
stating they are signed up for the Guaranteed Ride program.
Find it on the Web
- World Class
Faculty: Check out the online profiles featured as links from
our home page. The images rotate randomly on the home page, but the
profiles are always available from this central profile page. You
can also navigate to this page by choosing "About WSU Spokane"
from the home page, "People"
in the lefthand navigation, and "Profiles"
in the lefthand navigation there.
-
Bulletin archives: Links to past issues of the Campus Bulletin
from Oct. 2003 forward.
- In the
News: Media coverage of campus programs and people
- News
Releases: Recent news releases and links to news releases
organized by subject.
- Events
Calendar: What's going on around here, anyway?
- Department
Overviews: Links to background information on campus units
(Word documents)
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The Bulletin is usually published on Wednesday biweekly during the
academic year, every three weeks during breaks and summer session.
Publication date may shift due to holidays. Deadline is Monday of
the week of publication.
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The Bulletin covers news of interest to the faculty and staff of
Washington State University Spokane, and associates on other WSU
campuses and on the Riverpoint campus.
Regular columns cover personnel changes, upcoming events,
professional accomplishments, opportunities for involvement in the
campus community and the Spokane community, notices of new
developments on campus, and other news.
The Bulletin also serves as a source of information for external
communications directed to alumni, future and current students, and
friends of Washington State University Spokane. You'll read it
here first!
Editorial staff:
Other contributors this issue:
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