GRADUATE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

In This Issue . . .

Graduate Student Recognition Week
Distinguished Dissertation Award 
10 New Muskie Scholars at Ball State 
Graduate Students of the Future 
Audiology Student Honored
Internship Leads to Job for Geography Student 
Graduation Deadlines
Electronic Graduation Application 
Important Dates
Art Museum Renovated
Grant Opportunities 
Graduate School Policies
Registration Information
Student Publications/
   Presentations


                   . . . and more

 DISTINGUISHED DISSERTATION AWARD

The 2002-2003 Distinguished Dissertation Award competition will be held during Spring Semester.  The purpose of the award is to recognize a doctoral student for excellence in the creation of knowledge; the amount of the award is $500.  Dissertations completed in Summer 2002, Autumn 2002, and Spring 2003 are eligible for nomination and only those of the highest quality will be considered.

Candidates for the distinguished dissertation Award may be nominated by any member of the graduate faculty at Ball State University.  Nominations are made to the Doctoral Program Director in the student's major field of study and must be supported by three letters of recommendation.

It is anticipated that if a dissertation is selected for the award it will be announced during the ceremony for Graduate Student Recognition Week on Thursday, April 17, 2003.  For further information on the criteria established for the award and the deadline date for submission of nominations, you may contact  Jacquelyn Nelson , Assistant Dean of the Graduate School, at 285-1301.

Ten international students were named Muskie Fellows this academic year.  The Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Program selects outstanding citizens of the New Independent States (NIS) and the Baltics to receive scholarships for master's level study in the United States in the fields of business administration, economics, law, and public administration.

Fellowships are awarded to qualified young and mid-career individuals who are citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzebekistan.  The program is designed to fister democratization and the transition to market economies in the NIS and Baltic countries through intensive academic and professional training.  Fellows are required to return home to use their newly gained skills at the end of their fellowships.

The following international students received this award.  Their home countries and disciplines are identified.

Alena Avanesova                      Russia                      Educational Administration
Natavan Guliyeva                     Azerbaijan                Journalism
Khasan Khandeldiyev              Uzbekistan                Journalism
Vera Kopytina                           Kazakhstan              Special Education
Oksana Kutna                           Ukraine                    Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Iryana Myroshnychenko          Ukraine                    Educational Administration
Rostyslav Pavlovskyy               Ukraine                    Business Administration
Maksym Samadov                     Ukraine                    Public Relations
Larysa Sledz                               Ukraine                    Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Anna Vanesyan                          Armenia                   Educational Administration

The above students join the following seven, second-year Muskie Scholars on the Ball State campus:  Olekisy Barankevych, Evgueni Beletski, Navbahor Imamova, Aliaksei Khmyl, Tatiana Kuzmenko, Edvard Safaryan, and Maria Trach.

Amy M. Lindsey, a second-year Master's student in the Department of Geography, has been working with the Indiana State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) after a summer internship there.  Amy is currently completing her degree in Geography with a concentration in Applied Atmospheric Sciences.  She earned her undergraduate degree at Ball State 2001 with a Bachelor of General Studies with an Education specialty.

Amy has been training personnel involved with emergency services such as emergency managers, police, firefighers, and emergency medical staff.  Additionally, Amy utilized her background from Geography in assisting in the development of Hazards Analysis on a county and state level, Severe Weather Identification, and a Professional Emergency Manager Program.  After the tornadoes hit central Indiana on September 20, 2002, she conducted damage assessments in Greenwood and Martinsville.

Amy's position gave her the opportunity to gain further education from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), SEMA, and the American Red Cross.   These courses helped her in training others for SEMA, and she is still involved with the Ball State University Storm Chase Team.

How old were you when you first considered graduate school?  Or understood what graduate education was?  As part of the UniverCity 2002 celebration, the Graduate School sponsored events that encouraged elementary and middle school students to look beyond the baccalaureate.  After all, by the time students of these ages are undergraduates, obtaining a graduate degree may well be the norm. 

Students from several Muncie schools read the works that led to their selection as "Young Authors" last spring; others presented science fair projects that won them a trip to the East Central Indiana Regional Science Fair.  Fourth graders in Mrs. Sara Jarvis' class at Washington Carver Elementary were treated to pizza and a terrific presentation on bats, given by Biology graduate students Amy Duff and Rachel Henderson.  Corey Rieman, an undergraduate Biology major, also presented.  Participants in all of these programs received a button and certificate naming them "Honorary Graduate Students."

The presentation entitled "Research on Bats" included an excellent slide show and the opportunity to feel and touch bats.  The hit of the afternoon, however, was a game where students, taking the role of mother bats, tried to identify their baby (another student) based only on smell.  (Bats leave their offspring in large groups while they hunt, later finding them by their unique odor.)  As the students now know, bats aren't blind, but their other senses are highly refined.  Our mother bats did fairly well, too.

As their teacher Mrs. Jarvis wrote, "It was truly a great experience for the students and one they'll remember for a long time."  The students' thank you notes confirmed how successful the day was.  Tiara wrote, "I think it was cool that you invited us instead of another class.  I like bats now.  I used to hate them."  Brandon wrote, "Thank you for teaching us about bats.  I liked the part about the wings.  I also liked the part where you told us where you caught it.  It made me feel like I was older."

When the students are older, we hope to see them back as Ball State students!

 GRADUATE STUDENT RECOGNITION WEEK

Graduate Student Recognition Week will be held April 14-18, 2003.  A graduate student reception will be held on Thursday, April 17 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. to recognize achievements and honors received by graduate students.  The winner of the Distinguished Dissertation Award, if given, will be recognized.  The place for the reception will be announced at a later date.

Gretchen Zehring, a third-year student in Ball State's Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) program, was recognized by the Audiology Association of America (AFA) as an outstanding Au.D. student at a luncheon held at Ball State in September. The Outstanding Au.D. Student Award was established to recognize and support the "best of the best" Au.D. students across the country.  It is funded by a grant from the Oticon Foundation, also known as the William Demand and Wife Ida Emilie Foundation.  Only two students each year receive the prestigious award, which includes a $4,500 scholarship for the 2002-2003 academic year.  According to AFA Executive Director Susan Paarlberg, "these students [including the second recipient from the University of Texas-Dallas] represent the future of the audiology profession and the AFA is very pleased to support them during their critical professional training."

Two years of renovation work has boosted Ball State's Museum of Art's 67-year-old mission to display and preserve priceless works of art.  The expansion of the museum, now occupying the entire third floor of the Fine Arts Building, allows the exhibition of twice as many works at one time, showing more of its permanent collection of 11,000 objects valued at more than $40 million.  The added space has also created more room for researching, framing, crating, and storing works.

Other features of the renovation include new museum offices and a sophisticated air handling and control system to protect the art collection.  A new two-story north entrance facing Riverside Avenue provides better access for the public and individuals with disabilities.

The museum's collection houses two new galleries of exhibitions featuring furniture and decorative arts and works on paper.  Included are examples of furniture and decorative arts from the modern period and earlier.  The second new gallery showcases the museum's collection of works on paper with rotating exhibitions.  Prints by Rembrandt and Whistler inaugurated this gallery early last fall semester.

Other galleries in the museum feature European and American art, ancient and Asian works, and special exhibitions.  The museum also contains a sculpture court and the David T. Owsley Ethnographic Gallery.  The Francis F. Brown Collection Study Room currently features drawing from the Renaissance on.

Art Museum hours are Monday thru Friday, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Graduate students may register for classes in person, by mail, or by phone. Students may utilize the University's Touchtone Registration System to enroll for classes by calling (765) 285-7347 from any touchtone phone and listening to the instructions (only currently registered or continuing students may use this system).  Normal operating hours are Sunday, noon-7 p.m., and Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.   Please also check with your major department to be sure that it has given clearance for students to register by phone.
To register by mail, please send registration forms directly to the Registrar's Office, Ball State University, Muncie IN 47306.

Click  here to register on-line via the Ball State website.

Registration for Summer 2003 begins February 10 by phone or web; on-line registration begins February 12.

Course request for Autumn Semester, 2003 for students taking courses ON-CAMPUS begins March 24.   On-line registration begins April 26.

Click here for information on registration for distance education courses.



 GRADUATE STUDENT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

The Office of Academic Research and Sponsored Programs provides students with an opportunity to apply for an Internal Research or Creative Arts Grant.  If awarded, up to $400 in funds can be provided to assist in project costs such as travel, supplies, data acquisition or survey costs.

You may call the Office of Academic Research and Sponsored Programs (765-285-1600) if you have any questions or visit its website to obtain a copy of the Internal Grant Guidelines for Students.

Deadline Dates:   Winter Competition - January 15, 2003
                              Spring Competition - April 1, 2003

The Office of Academic Research and Sponsored Programs offers several sources of information pertaining to grants, scholarships, and fellowships.  Located in the same building as the Graduate School, the office maintains an Information Center featuring several excellent print resources.  Notable among these is The Graduate Fellowship and Assistantship Guide 2000, a compendium of funding opportunities that are available across disciplines and that are not geographically restrictive.  Also available in OARSP is Dialog OnDisc, a searchable CD-ROM database that includes many programs for graduate students.

On the Web, be sure to check out the COS Community of Scholars at www.cos.com.  COS lists over 3,000 grants which specifically target graduate students.  COS is available from any computer within the Ball State network, including those in Bracken Library and the campus computer labs.

To search, go to www.cos.com and select COS Funding Opportunities from the Services tab.  Choose Main Search from the list of search tools.  Scroll down to the Requirements section; click on Graduate Student. Next, return to the All Fields search box (at the top of the page) and enter one or more keywords that describe your interests.  You may include additional terms in other fields if you wish; however, it is not necessary to complete the entire form.  It is often best to begin with just one or two broad, general terms; you can narrow your search later if necessary.

Questions may be directed to Stanley Geidel, Systems Coordinator, at the Office of Academic Research and Sponsored Programs (285-5083 or sgeidel2@gw.bsu.edu).

Sponsored by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, the Student Symposium is an opportunity to recognize and promote Ball State student accomplishments in the areas of research, creative endeavors and other scholarly works.  This event will take place on Thursday, March 20, 2003, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. in Cardinal Hall in the Student Center. Students engaged in work directed by a Ball State faculty mentor in one of the areas mentioned above are eligible to participate.  Theses and dissertations, as well as scholarly activities conducted independently of a class would qualify.  The student should have had a major role in the conception and methodology of the project.  The work does not have to be completed as long as a reasonable presentation can be made which conveys the essential aspects of the project.  Students from all disciplines are invited to participate in this event.

For the purpose of this Symposium the following definitions apply:  1) research is the formal, systematic process which contributes to basic knowledge;  2) a creative endeavor is the result of a creative process; and  3) scholarly work is any other advanced study in an area, which might not fall into one of the above categories.

To participate, all interested students must register by 5:00 p.m., Friday, March 7, 2003. Space is limited and will be filled on a first-response basis, so register early.  Registration forms are available in the Office of Academic Research and Sponsored Programs or online at www.bsu.edu/oarsp .  For information, contact Sandra Smith at 5-5070.

Educational Testing Service (ETS) is sponsoring an eight-week summer research program for qualified doctoral students.  Graduate students who are currently enrolled in a doctoral program and have completed a minimum of one year of full-time course work are eligible to apply.  Students selected for this program will participate in research under the guidance of a senior ETS staff member in one of the following areas:  psychology, education, teaching, learning, psychometrics, statistics, literacy, policy research, computer science, linguistics, psycholinguistics, educational technology, minority issues, testing issues including alternate forms of assessment for special populatiohns, and new forms of assessment.

Each graduate intern will receive $4,000 for the internship period which runs from June 2, 2003 to July 31, 2003.  The following document must be submitted to the ETS Fellowship Program Administration Office:

• Completed internship application containing project selections (submit online or in hard copy)
• Applicant's curriculum vita
• Letter of reference from two individuals (e.g., academic advisor, professor, department chair) who are familiar with the applicant's academic work
• College and university transcripts of undergraduate and graduate courses

For information and application materials, please contact the ETS Fellowship Program Administration Office at MS 10-R, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541-0001; telephone: 609-734-5949 or 609-734-1806: e-mail: gmoreland@ets.org or ldelauro@ets.org; internet:  http://www.ets.org/research/fellowships.html .

Applications must be postmarked no later than February 1, 2003.  Applicants will be notified by April 1, 2003.

Time to Degree Completion - Please be reminded that for all master's and specialist level students all degree requirements must be met within six years of the time the first Ball State graduate course is completed.  See the Graduate Catalog, p. 21, for further explanation of the above, e.g., how to request an extension of time or how to apply to revalidate courses that have exceeded the six-year time limit (revalidation applies only to courses taken at Ball State ).

Doctoral students have seven years from the time the first course is completed after admission to complete all degree requirements.  Further details about extensions can be found in the Graduate Catalog, p. 36.

Transfer Hours - The time limit for use of transfer courses (courses taken at a college or university other than Ball State) on master's and specialist level graduate programs is six years.   Transfer courses more than six years at the time of graduation from Ball State cannot be applied to a master's or specialist degree program, even if the courses met the six-year rule when degree work was started.  If transfer work exceeds the six years at the time of graduation, students will be required to take additional courses at Ball State to complete degree requirements.

Graduate and Doctoral Assistant Work and Pay Schedule - Please be reminded that for the academic term the work schedule for graduate and doctoral assistants begins with the first day of classes and continues through the final examination period.  Work is not required during university-scheduled holidays (holiday calendar).

Ball State University is a member of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS), a nonprofit organization representing graduate school and student organizations at nearly 200 universities.

NAGPS assists students of affiliate universities in their job searches. Its website offers exclusive listings of employment opportunities as well as links to academic, corporate, government and nonprofit jobs worldwide.  (To secure your password for the job bank, follow the automated procedures on that page.)

If you have not already discovered it, the Graduate School strongly urges you to check out the website for the Council of Graduate Schools.  Faculty and program directors will find comparative data on degrees, employment patterns, meetings and workshops, governmental decisions affecting graduate education, and international/minority student affairs.  Students can locate information about scholarships and fellowships, statistics on careers, research opportunities, student organizations, insurance and other benefits, legislative news, and the like.

The site is reliable, current, and very easy to use.  It is a wonderful resource about issues of interest to those in graduate education.

The Career Center sponsors a full range of workshops throughout the academic year on topics including job hunting, tips on resume writing, interview techniques, and obtaining career related experience.  You may call 765-285-5634 or visit their website for further information.

Ball State University is preparing for its 2003-04 institutional accreditation evaluation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA) of Colleges and Schools.  A Steering committee was appointed by President Brownell in fall, 2001.  Nine Task Forces, which include faculty members, undergraduate and graduate students, administrators, and staff members, are in the process of collecting and evaluating institutional data for inclusion in the Self-Study.  As a member of NCA, the university conducts a comprehensive institutional self-study every ten years.

The Self-Study will document the extent to which BSU meets the standards outlined by the Higher Learning Commission.  Participation in the accreditation process provides an opportunity for BSU to reflect upon its mission, how well it accomplishes its purposes, and ways in which it can improve.  Institutional accreditation assures the public of acceptable institutional quality and is essential for BSU to continue to be competitive in attracting high quality students.

The North Central Association is one of six non-governmental regional accrediting agencies in the United States.  The Higher Learning Commission, an independent corporation holding membership in the NCA, evaluates and accredits institutions of higher learning in 19 states in the region.  A team of consultant evaluators is selected to  review the self-study and conduct a site visit focusing on the following:  formal educational activities, governance and administration, financial stability, admissions and student services,  institutional resources, student academic achievement, institutional effectivness, and relationships with constituencies within and outside the institution.

Ball State University will host a team of consultant evaluators in February, 2004.  Detailed information about the Self-Study and updates on our progress will be available on the BSU web page during Spring 2003.

Graduate and doctoral assistants are required to file a tax return by April 15 of each year.  University attorneys are of the opinion that the stipend associated with an assistantship is taxable income, but students should consult a qualified professional for further information.  Students holding assistantships, however, are eligible for a variety of benefits, some due to graduate student status, others due to their overall income level, family status, and number of children.  It is important to claim any credits such as the student loan interest deduction, lifetime learning credit, or the earned income tax credit for low-income individuals, especially those with dependent children.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can be very helpful in mastering the complexity of income ceilings and other eligibility requirements.  The IRS website (www.irs.gov) is a substantial resource.  From the website one can download any form or publication needed to file a tax return.  A brief list of important ones would include:  IRS Publication 970; Tax Benefits for Higher Education; Announcement 97-60:  Consumer Guidance on Educational Tax Incentives; and IRS Publication 520;Scholarships and Fellowships.  Publication 596 explains eligibility for the earned income tax credit for individuals with low incomes and dependents.  Publication 508 explains eligibility for tax benefits for work-related education that part time graduate students such as teachers or other professionals may qualify to use.  All documents are available on the IRS website or by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.  Other webistes can also be helpful; see for example www.1098T.com or the website of the National Association for Graduate and Professional Students (www.nagps.org).  Look for links to tax information for graduate students and specialized sites that individual students or campus may make available.  One such example is the website at Indiana University (http://taxpayer.fms.indiana.edu) which can provide helpful information to students and parents about most common tax benefits.

International students often have even more individualized problems, such as tax treaties with individual countries.  The status of individuals who must file non-resident tax forms is complex and non-standard.  The IRS has specialized information for individuals in this situation.  IRS Publication 519 is designed to assist non-residents in filing any required U.S. tax returns.  Publication 901 deals with any tax treaties that may apply to individuals from countries where tax treaties govern tax policy for students.  Additional resources for international students can be found at www.nafsa.org (Association of International Educators).

Please note that this information is not intended as legal or tax advice.  Students should consult the IRS directly or a tax practitioner about personal tax situations.

Recreation Facilities 

Art Museum

University Libraries 

       Barrett, Andrew, and Karen Lang, et al, Adult, Higher, and Community Education, "International Interagency Cooperation:  A Global Perspective for Maximizing Community and Economic Development," New Visions of Marketing and Developmental Globalization, Transformation, and Quality of Life, Bangkok; with George Brutchen, Sylvia Chamboneth, Jacquelyn Stillisano, et al, "How to Engage in Successful Collaborative Learning:  A Participatory Action Research Study of the Collaborative Learning Process," Midwest Research-to-Practice Conference, Northern Illinois University.

        Bird, Douglas(MA 2002), et al, Educational Studies, "An Advanced Placement Case Study:  How Do You Measure Success?"  Midwestern Educational Research Association, Columbus, Ohio.

        Blosser, Rachel, with Ronald Waclaw (MS, 1999), et al, Biology, "Cyclin Expression in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos in Vivo and in Vitro," Indiana Academy of Science, Butler University.

        Chalk, Carol, and Carmen Siering, English, "The Price of Efficiency:  A Richer View of Rhetoric in the Writing Center," Conference on College Composition and Communication.

        Chamboneth, Sylvia, et al, Adult, Higher, and Community Education, conducted a four-week training seminar/workshop on collaborative education for faculty members employed by universities in Panama as part of her dissertation proposal.

        Dale, John, et al, Adult, Higher and Community Education, "A Program Evaluation Model;" with Fernando Rovelo, "Helping Latinos and Anglo Communities Learn Together," Midwestern Educational Research Association, Columbus, Ohio.

        Doty, Daniel, Music, selected as a summer participant for "I Solisti di Lucca" as a part of the Opera Theatre and Music Festibal of Lucca, Italy, "A European Platform for Emerging Young Artists."

        Dougherty, Brian, et al, Educational Administration, "Middle School Principal Dispositions Toward Teacher Employment Criteria," Midwestern Educational Research Association, Columbus, Ohio.

        Fahnbulleh, H. Momo, Educational Administration, "A Study of Low Graduation Rates Among Doctoral Students:  Reseach Self-Efficacy, Dissertation Completion, and Selected Variables as Interventions and Their Implications for Program Completion," Midwestern Educational Research Association, Columbus, Ohio.

        Gaines, Adam, Music, "Fanfare and Images," composition recorded by the University of Louisville Trumpet Ensemble on CD.

        Goffman, Carolyn, English, "The Literate Female Citizen:  American Rhetoric and the (Re)Imagined Orient," Conference on College Composition and Communication.

        Goodspeed, Julie, English, "The Use of Endogamous Marriage in the Formation of Creole Identity in Cable's The Grandissmes, Chopin's Athenaise, and King's La Grande Demoiselle," Southern Studies:  An Interdisciplinary journal of the South; "Lack and Desire in Absalom, Absalom!:  A lacanian Approach," Twentieth-Century Literature Conference, Louisville.

        Haley, Jennifer, English, "Strategies for Sustaining Tutor Morale," National Association for Developmental Education, Orlando; "Community Service Writing Project for the Basic Writing Classroom," Conference on College Communication and Composition, Chicago.

        Hott, Adam, et al, Biology, "Genetics Content in Introductory Biology Courses for Non-Science Majors:  Theory and Practice," BioScience, November 2002.

        Hubbs, Holly, Music, performance with the BSU Saxophone Quartet at Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY, and Cory, PA.

        Johnson, Fred, English, "A Tour of the Panopticon(line)," Conference on College Composition and Communication, Chicago.

        Kunda, Keith, Music, "Good Teaching Means . . .--Some Thoughts on What We Do," Notations (Indiana Choral Directors Association).

        Leusmann, Harald, English, "I am the Sum of My Books:  The Trails, Trials, and Tribulations of V.S. Naipaul," Atlantic Literary Review; review of A Shadow of Myself in World Literature Today.

        Moeschberger, Scott, et al, Counseling Psychology, "Building Cultures of Peace:  An Urgent Task for Counseling Professionals," Journal of Counseling & Development.

        Monk, Jill, et all, Educational Studies, "Cooperative Teachers' Perspective on Pre-Service Teaching Practice," Midwestern Educational Research Association, Columbus, Ohio.

       Moreillon, Anthony, et al, Biology, "Elementary Students and Preservice Teachers Conducting an Extended Inquiry in an Electronic, Global Environment," Indiana Academy of Science, Butler University

        Nichols, Nancy, J., and Fernando Rovelo, Adult, Higher and Community Education, "Images of Diversity:  A Hermeneutical Examination of a University Newspaper," Midwestern Educational Research Association, Columbus, Ohio; Nichols, Nancy J., et al, "Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace:  Narrative of a Battle Scarred Soldier," National Communication Association.

        Pacheco, Pedro, et al, Adult, Higher, and Community Education, "Interagency Collaboration and 10 x 10:  Opportunities for Education and Sustainable Development," Open Building Implementation Conference, Mexico City; "Second Chance Game Project," Exhibit, UniverCity; with Christiana Mann, et al, "Volunteerism:  A Way to Develop a Sense of Global Responsibility," New Visions of Marketing and Developmental Globalization, Transformation, and Quality of Life, Bangkok.

        Rountree, Clare, et al, Counseling Psychology, "Multicultural Competency and Native Americans:  An Unheard Voice"; Co-chairs of symposium, "Counseling Psychology and 9/11:  A Departmental Response," annual conference of the American Psychological Association, Chicago.

        Su, Suocai, English, "Orientalism and the Dilemma of Ethnic Writers:  Kingston, Tan and Hwang," International Conference on the Literatures of the Chinese Diaspora, University of California, Berkeley; "The Black Atlantic and the Asian American Community at the Millenium," International Conference on Asian Diaspora, University of California, Berkeley.

Back to Beginning of Newsletter

The Graduate School Newsletter is published each semester as information pertinent to graduate students becomes available.  Question, comments, or information which could be included in future newsletters should be directed to Dr. Jacquelyn Nelson ,  Assistant Dean, Graduate School.

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