Dr. RaJade M. Berry-James was the invited keynote speaker at The Educational Opportunity Fund Professional Association of New Jersey, 38th Annual Spring Conference, Commission on Higher Education Student Leadership Conference and Graduate Awardee Luncheon. This year’s event was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey on March 17, 2008. Dr. Berry-James’ comments were centered around her professional mantra, “S/he Who Learns, Teaches“.
Dr. Rajade M. Berry-James and Ph.D. students Nichole Bunner, Juanita Elton, and Rosa Githiora presented their paper titled “Our Journey Toward Cultural Competence — Color Blind vs. Color Conscience” at the Annual National Conference on Diversity, Race and Learning, held May 6, 2008 at Ohio State University.
Dr. Ralph P. Hummel bid faculty and students farewell in May as he embarked on the next chapter in his life. Author of three books and numerous book chapters and journal articles, Dr. Hummel retired after 10 years at The University of Akron in the Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies. Dr. Hummel’s storied career began in the newspaper business with stints at The Detroit Times, The Pontiac Press, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. His first academic job was as an assistant professor at Fordham University. He came to Akron from the University of Oklahoma, where he had been since 1986. Dr. Hummel’s will be missed around the department by faculty, staff, and students alike. Best wishes in retirement, Dr. Hummel.
Dr. RaJade M. Berry-James is this year’s recipient of the Donald C. Stone Service Award from The American Society of Public Administration. Dr. Berry received the award in March at the organization’s national meeting in Dallas, Texas. Given annually, the Stone Award recognizes outstanding service to ASPA, the most prominent organization representing public administrators from all levels of government and from non-profit organizations. Congratulations Dr. Berry-James!
Nearly 200 people, mostly men, marched one mile around the Polsky Building on April while wearing high heeled shoes to raise awareness and money for the Rape Crisis Center of Medina and Summit counties. Dr. Ramona Ortega joined other university faculty members and PAUS instructor David Merolla in marching. Dr. Ortega is an ongoing sponsor of the TKE fraternity. This year’s march raised nearly $10,000, about twice the amount of the previous year.
Organizers of the 4th Annual Conference on Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research recognized Maria Veronica Elias, a Ph.D. student, and retiring faculty member Dr. Ralph Hummel. Ms. Elias received recognition for her nomination for the Outstanding Student Research Award, and Dr. Hummel received recognition for his nomination for the Faculty Mentor of the Year Award. Congratulations!
Students Tom Reynolds and Kimberly Beckett, as well as faculty member Dr. Raymond Cox, attended the 2008 winter conference of the Ohio City/County Management Association in February. The title of the conference was “Looking Ahead: The Economy and the Future of Ohio.”
According to Mr. Reynolds, some of the most interesting seminars were: Foreclosures: What’s a Community to Do?;
Regionalism: Initiatives that Work; Ohio’s Ethics Code; Appleseeds, Filaments & You: Lessons in Leadership from Ohio’s Great Change Agents; Connecting OCMA with Ohio’s MPA Programs (presented by Dr. Cox); and Bringing Retail to Underserved Markets and Plugging Retail Leaks.
Dr. Raymond Cox has reached an agreement with the Ohio Association of Public Treasurers for the department to host for three years the organization’s annual statewide training program. Treasurers from public organizations from across Ohio will spend five days on campus earning certification credit by attending sessions hosted by professors, bankers, and bond counselors. This summer’s program is being held June 16-20.
Be on the lookout for the following publications by Dr. Raymond W. Cox III:
Cox III, Raymond W., Terrance Johnson and George Richards “Routine Activity Theory and Internet Crime” in Frank Schmalleger and Michael Pittaro, ed. Crimes of the Internet. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 2008 (February).
Cox III, Raymond W. “Donald Plusquellic: Facilitate Leadership” in James A. Svara, ed. Mayors and Board Chairpersons: Reexamining the Contributions of Facilitative Leaders. New York: Taylor and Francis. 2008 (March).
Cox III, Raymond W and Kelly Cronin. “Instituting Innovation: A Model of Administrative Change in a State-level Liquor Control Board” in C. L. Jurkiewicz. Social and Economic Control of Alcohol: The 21st Amendment in the 21st Century. New York: Taylor and Francis, (2007), 189-207.
Dr. Cox also wrote six columns for the “Adjunct’s Corner”, which is an electronic newsletter for city managers who teach public administration. The newsletter is co-sponsored by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration and the International City/County Management Association.
Congratulations to students Michael L. Hill and Sucheta Pyakuryal and faculty member Dr. Raymond Cox III on their efforts. Look for the following title in an upcoming volume of Public Integrity.
Cox III, Raymond W., Michael L. Hill and Sucheta Pyakuryal. “Tacit Knowledge and Discretionary Judgment” Public Integrity (forthcoming Volume 10, Number 2).