Bill Crosby, Ph.D., Certified Public Accountant, has been named Jacksonville University Professor of the Year for the 2012-2013 academic year. Crosby was honored at the close of the 54th annual faculty recognition dinner on March 30, which served to highlight professors’ accomplishments in such areas as university service, scholarship and teaching.

Over the course of 18 years, Crosby has filled a variety of roles at JU, beginning as an adjunct teacher of accounting. Crosby has served as NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative, vice president for finance and administration, and chair of numerous university committees, according to a JU press release. He is currently serving for the second time as interim dean of the Davis College of Business, meaning that he was appointed directly by JU President Kerry Romesburg, Ph.D.

“Dr. Crosby has always been a willing candidate to fill any role that the president needed him to fill,” said Camille Howard, administrative associate to the dean of the College of Business. “He is well-liked and respected by his faculty, peers and the students.”

Indeed, Crosby’s colleagues consistently characterize him as honest, professional and personable.

Ruth O’Keefe, Ph.D., professor of accounting, was recognized both for excellence in teaching and for longevity of service at the faculty recognition dinner. She said she “thinks the world” of Crosby.

“He makes all his decisions God first, wife second,” O’Keefe said. “The man is above reproach. I will say he has a wicked sense of humor, which I have been the butt of.”

In separate interviews, O’Keefe and J. Rody Borg, Ph.D., professor of economics, use the same anecdote in order to illustrate Crosby’s personality.

According to Borg, when asked at a faculty meeting why the university was in a poor financial position, Crosby gave an unforgettable response.

“He said, ‘For about five or six years, the university spent significantly more money than it took in. Does anyone have any questions?’” said Borg.

“Everyone cracked up,” said O’Keefe. “[Crosby] is a truth-teller with humor.”

Angela Mattia, Ph.D., assistant professor of decision science and information management, said that she enjoyed working with Crosby as they established the JU chapter of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society, an international honor society for AACSB-accredited business colleges.

“Establishing a new organization is time-consuming and requires a lot of additional work, but my experience was great,” said Mattia. “Dr. Crosby always answered questions quickly, accurately and with patience. He always has an open door and was always available to help — with a smile.”

“He’s a doll,” said Nancy Srock, administrative associate in Academic Affairs. “He’s a really nice guy and funny.”

Srock said an individual can win the distinction of JU Professor of the Year only once. Professors vote for their colleagues through a secret ballot on BlackBoard.

“It was a very close race this year,” said Srock. “I think ten votes separated first and second [places].”

This year, the four finalists were Crosby; Cari Coble, associate professor of dance; Karen Jackson, Ph.D., professor of biology and marine science; and Raymond Oldakowski, Ph.D., professor of geography, who received an award for excellence in community service.

Rose Borkowski, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology and marine science, was recognized for excellence in scholarship and professional activities, while Julius Demps, Ph.D., assistant professor of management, was recognized for excellence in university service.

Recognition of the new Professor of the Year came at the end of the dinner. Robert Houmes, Ph.D., assistant professor of accounting, said that Crosby accepted his silver bowl gracefully.

“He was humble,” Houmes said. “He doesn’t let things go to his head.”

Crosby, who was nominated for the honor last year, said that hearing his name called as the winner was “sort of a surreal situation.”

“It really is an honor, but at the same time you look at the others — you look at the list and think, ‘Do you really belong with people of that caliber?’” he said.

Crosby quickly directed the conversation away from himself. He described the joy he gets from interacting with a variety of people on campus.

“He cares about students, and he cares about them long-term,” said Borg, who served as emcee at the faculty recognition dinner.

“He’s been very important to me as a friend and colleague,” Borg said. “Whatever issue I have going on, whether it’s professional or personal, I know that I can go into his office, shut the door, and tell him about it and nobody else is going to hear it. And that’s very unusual in this world of ours.”

Crosby said that his office welcomes as many students he hasn’t taught as students he has taught. He readily accepts his role as a mentor, particularly for students who are far from home.

“I’m like a second dad; they ask me things they’d ask their dad,” said Crosby. “When a student comes to me and says, ‘I’m engaged,’ I say, ‘You’re not getting married until I meet your fiancé!’”

Howard said that Crosby will become the inaugural dean of a new college of interdisciplinary and professional studies this summer when Don Capener, Ph.D., assumes the role of dean of the Davis College of Business. The new college will house the Public Policy Institute, the Accelerated Degree Program and the sustainability program.

Whatever Crosby’s position, Howard is confident that the new Professor of the Year will continue to make an impact.

“You let me know if you find anyone who has something not positive to say about Bill Crosby,” said Howard. “I would be amazed.”

Not swaying from its nuclear ‘path’ Iran is not underestimating any enemy. U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and President Barrack Obama have publicly stated that the window of diplomacy is closing between the two countries.

“When you invite discussion, you might hear things you don’t want to hear,” said Erich Freidberger, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy at Jacksonville University.

Freiberger was commenting on a possible reason for tension between the United States and the United Nations, but his observation could just as easily have applied to the latest meeting of the JUPolitical Science Society. On Thursday, members and other interested individuals met in the Gooding Auditorium in order to consider the value of the UN and its dealings with Iran. Diverging opinions and controversies helped to create an animated, informative discussion.

According to Stephen Baker, Ph.D, professor of political science, PSS members recommended the professors who served on the panel. Alongside Baker were Steven MacIsaac, Ph.D, associate professor of political science, and Dr. Freiberger. The discussion welcomed members of the United Nations Association and the JU International Students Association, a co-sponsor of the event.

“To what extent should American foreign policy cooperate with the UN in dealing with countries like Iran? That’s the big question,” said Baker.

He explained that Iran served as a case study due to widespread concern over the possibility of a future war.

The program opened with what Baker called “a two-for-one for your money,” a few words from JU alumnus Frank Mantay.

Mantay, an international studies major who currently works as a financial planner, argued against the prevailing notion that studying the social sciences is a waste of time.

“There is that pressure nowadays to put you in a certain slot to make money, but I don’t think that’s what life’s really about,” said Mantay. “What social science teaches you is how to understand other people.”

In his work, Mantay said, knowledge of geography and world politics enables him to effectively relate to his clients.

Fellow JU alumnus Yamini Munipalli, who divides her time between software testing and teaching, agreed that study of the social sciences, including political science, imparts valuable skills.

“The liberal arts background helps me in my writing skills and critical analysis,” she said. “It’s a great program we have here.”

With that introduction to what Baker labeled “the queen of all sciences,” politics, the panel presented a few key statistics related to the UN. The United States, Baker pointed out, provides 25 percent of the UN’s $7.8 billion peacekeeping budget. What does the US get in return?

Baker pointed to UN services rendered in addition to peacekeeping, such as the work of the International Telecommunications Union and efforts to contain diseases like SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). Referencing Mantay’s opening remarks, Freiberger said that the UN helps to protect America’s reputation.

“Going back to the previous presentation, you have to think strategically,” he said. “What [the UN] provides is legitimacy. The UN is the umbrella under which we can essentially exert our force as a nation.”

“We’ve seen the consequences of going it alone,” said Freiberger. “We’re perceived as uncooperative. We’re perceived as a bully.”

Senior Rommel Lopez, a political science major, asked MacIsaac to explain why the US should continue to support an organization with a record of more failures than successes.

“I’m not sure it’s clear there have been more failures than successes,” said MacIsaac, citing past peacekeeping efforts affecting Cypress, Egypt and Israel.

“The UN has done a lot of work on the ground, not in the public eye,” he said. “The failures are noticed; the successes are rather unnoticed.”

Ed Naval, president of the Jacksonville chapter of the United Nations Association, likened the mutual support found within the UN to friends splitting the check when going out to eat.

“[The UN] provides both the finances and the blood in peacekeeping missions, not just American finances and American blood,” he said. “I think that’s the biggest benefit of the UN from an American perspective.”

Analysis of the value of the UN gave way to a critical look at Iran, a controversial case study for some.

While Freiberger said that it is “inevitable” that Iran will get nuclear weapons, MacIsaac expressed another view.

“I don’t fear Iran having nuclear weapons, despite the nature of its government,” he said. “Leaders still want to protect territorial integrity.”

Melissa Penner, a senior, said that MacIsaac’s argument resonated with her.

“He’s not scared [of aggression from Iran] because no one wants to strike first,” she said. “I think I had the same opinion, but no one’s actually said it before.”

Juniors Illiana Tidd and Andrea Laursen said that they were happy to see so many in attendance that night.

“There was a lot of very stimulating conversation,” said Tidd, president of the PSS. “I don’t know a lot about international affairs, but it’s so important to know about what’s going on because we have such a big influence on the UN, providing a fifth of its [overall] budget.”

In conclusion, Baker acknowledged the challenges facing international negotiations even as he reaffirmed the value of the UN to American citizens.

“I would suggest it’s a good investment for us.”

Appreciation for a life well-lived rather than rage over the senseless act that cut it short prevails in the hearts of Jacksonville University employees and students as they reflect on the recent death of Dale Regan, head of school at the Episcopal School of Jacksonville.

“Dale Regan was the most dedicated woman to ESJ that I have ever had the pleasure to know and love,” said sophomore Kacee Gouin, who attended Episcopal throughout her middle and high school years. Her brother is currently a junior at the Episcopal.

“Going forward, I pray that the school keeps on with the legacy that Dale has started, making ripple effects in the community around them as she did all the days of her life,” said Gouin.

Regan, 63, was shot in her office on March 6. The assailant, 28-year-old Shane Schumerth, was a Spanish teacher whose employment had been terminated by the school earlier that day. Recently-released 911 dispatches indicate that Schumerth entered Regan’s office carrying a guitar case with an AK-47 gun concealed inside. He fired at Regan as many as 10 times and then killed himself.

JU Dean of Students Bryan Coker, Ph.D., called the murder-suicide a “horrific tragedy” in a general email sent the following Thursday. On March 9, before the Episcopal School hosted an open memorial for Regan, JU students and faculty gathered outside of Nellie’s in order to observe a brief moment of reflection.

“Our hearts just go out to Episcopal,” Coker said. “We [at JU] definitely have a lot of Episcopal connections.”

Camilya Clark, a junior, said that while she didn’t personally know anyone from the Episcopal community, she wanted to attend the moment of reflection in order to show her support. The tragedy had quickly become a topic for discussion in her elementary education classes.

“We talked about the teacher’s role in emergencies in the classroom and making sure that we remain under control so that the students will remain calm,” said Clark. “That is a lot for anyone to do and I know that the teachers really had to go through a lot to control their emotions through the situation. I also felt sympathy for the students, administrators, family of the principal and others involved.”

Katie Counihan, an office associate in the Student Solutions Center, said that she has noticed an outpouring of concern from JU students, including those who otherwise have no ties to Episcopal.

“There’s a sense of sensitivity and compassion, even if they’re not affected personally,” Counihan said.

Coker, who spoke at the moment of reflection on Friday, described the shock that has been reverberating throughout the entire Jacksonville community.

“You don’t expect that where you go to learn is going to be a place of violence,” he said. “You don’t expect something like this to happen in an educational institution, a place of hopes and dreams.”

Also speaking at the moment of reflection was Kristin Alberts, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and the director of JU’s counseling center. Alberts briefly visited the Episcopal School on the day of the shooting, returning throughout the week in order to provide support.

“We have offered for this week for any faculty or staff member who would like to, to come to the JU counseling center and seek additional support,” she said.

At JU, Episcopal faculty members and students on spring break could find a welcoming space to talk about their grief, Alberts said.

“It can be hard to talk to others who are going through the same difficult time,” she said. “It’s good to have a neutral place to come.”

Coker also recognized that in times of crisis “it helps to have people from the outside in to look at everything.”

“We have spoken to some of the Board of Trustees members to let them know we’re here to help them move forward,” he said.

To that end, counselors from JU said that they planned to be at the Episcopal School upon its reopening on March 26, although they were not sure what their exact role would be.

Plans were also made to present the school with another sign of the university’s ongoing concern — a large, yellow banner cluttered with colorful signatures and the words, “Keeping you in our thoughts and prayers. Much love, JU.”

“I cannot wait until the students at Episcopal come back from spring break seeing a banner from JU,” said Gouin. “[I’m] hoping that it makes the transition back to school after this tragedy at least a little more bearable.”

As he signed the banner, campus minister Sean Froehling said that “two big things” occurred to him when he first heard about the incident.

“One is just the great reminder of how dark the human soul can be, how desperate,” he said, “and at the same time, the hope that I know in God.”

Froehling signed the banner, “Praying that God gives you comfort as you grieve. Sean F.”

Steven Montesinos, counselor and outreach coordinator, has been to Episcopal several times in order to help people at the school cope with their grief. He wants JU students to know that the counseling center, located on the side of the Sam R. Marks chapel, is also open to them during this difficult time.

“The counseling center is here to help if they have any concerns or any personal issues they feel are getting in the way of being a student,” Montesinos said.

Alberts also acknowledged that news of the Episcopal tragedy is likely to have far-reaching effects.

“Events like this, even if we weren’t personally affected, can trigger our own past experiences, whether that be trauma or loss,” she said. “We’re certainly available to help faculty and staff at JU.”

Amidst the confusion of shock and grief, there is a need for encouragement and understanding on all sides.

“Anytime anyone grieves, they just need to be honest,” said Froehling. “Both give and receive support, and there’s healing.”

Odds are you have probably heard the one about the clueless female politician and the attractive albeit air-headed bombshell.

Disgusted by the demeaning portrayals of women that saturate modern media, Jennifer Siebel Newsom wrote, directed, and produced the documentary “Miss Representation,” a critical look at how the entertainment and news industries perpetuate undignified stereotypes. The film’s tagline, “You can’t be what you can’t see,” underscores its claim that the paucity of positive role models for girls contributes to such dire issues as poor self-image, academic apathy and disordered eating behaviors.

“Miss Representation” generated a campaign and a dialogue that will soon come to Jacksonville University. On Thursday, March 8, starting at 7 p.m., Terry Concert Hall will host a special screening of the multiple award-winning documentary, which premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. After the screening, audience members will be invited to share their opinions in a discussion moderated by Lois Becker, senior vice president of academic affairs.

Heather Downs Ph.D., associate professor of sociology, said that she first became aware of the film when junior Angelica Novo brought the trailer to the attention of the Sociology Club.

“It’s a really exciting trailer,” Downs said. “It’s an excellent analysis of media culture and its attitudes toward women, and the potentially negative impact on women and men.”

Agreeing that the film’s topic is relevant to both sexes, Novo expressed a desire to see a varied crowd on Thursday.

“Other students should definitely come see the film,” said Novo. “I think that it will be a really great opportunity for students to become more informed about how the media is affecting them and also how they are affecting the media.”

According to Downs, representatives of some of the club’s sponsors, including the Community Foundation, the Junior League of Jacksonville and the Residence Hall Association, will be present at the screening.

“We will have somewhere in the neighborhood of ten nonprofit groups with tables and information available, so if you want to volunteer or learn more about the organization, you can,” Downs said.

More information about the film, including a trailer and a digital pledge, can be found at MissRepresentation.org.

Cera Lopez, senior and president of the Sociology Club, is looking forward to seeing how JU students respond to the social issues raised in “Miss Representation.”

“I believe others should come to the screening because the film shares an important message,” Lopez said. “It speaks not only of how women are seen, but the inequalities of everyone. If we truly are a free society, why is half of the population constantly being judged not only by the media, but in the workplace and by politics? If we are to grow as a nation and a society, then we need to start seeing that each and every person is equal and deserves to be treated as such.”

Six Jacksonville University professors analyzed past and present trends within their varying disciplines as they considered the theme, “Our Future Has a History” on Thursday, Feb. 23. The second annual panel discussion left the audience of students, alumni and faculty laughing, wincing and above all, thinking.

Douglas Hazzard, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, served as moderator of the discussion which ranged from the baby boomers’ fiscal legacy to outrageous comedians to Jacksonville’s urban planning identity crisis.

“This may seem odd, but we don’t always try to be thematically coherent,” Hazzard said. “We try to have breadth rather than depth.”

Each of the six presentations served as the inspiration for an interpretive photo display. During a reception preceding the program, visitors admired the work of JU photography students.

The presentations, each ten to 15 minutes in length, were followed by brief question and answer sessions with the audience. As Hazzard made clear in his opening remarks, the aim of the discussion was to generate questions and ideas without necessarily offering resolutions.

The first speaker of the evening, economics professor John Buck, Ph.D., posed the question, “Are Modern Economic Policies Congruent with Reality?” Since the baby boomers began to serve as leaders, Buck said, the United States’ national debt has increased by $14 trillion.

“For those born after 1964, I have two words for you,” said Buck. “You’re welcome.”

Buck’s words, while eliciting laughter from the audience, embodied a tension between humor and uncomfortable honesty that resurfaced throughout the night.

“I could compare our situation to someone who jumps off a very tall building and halfway down says, ‘See? Nothing bad has happened yet,’” said Buck, who advocated higher taxes and reduced government spending. “We don’t know when the splat comes.”

Nancy Howard, academic advisor, said that she found Buck’s presentation to be interesting and informative.

“I liked Dr. Buck a lot,” Howard said. “I think he made it easy to understand.”

Nisse Goldberg, assistant professor of biology and marine science, expressed optimism even as she acknowledged the limitations of technological advancement in her discourse, “Science — A Ticket to Utopia?”

“I don’t believe in [having] no hope,” she said. “There are cities that perhaps we can reinvent.”

Briefly describing the “green” efforts of Detroit and Dubai, Goldberg concluded that Thomas More’s vision of Utopia is far from a forgotten dream.

“We have not achieved it, but we are still seeking it,” said Goldberg.

Patrick McLeod, professor of English, was likewise interested in people’s changing perceptions of the potential of science. He briefly explained the alternating pessimism and optimism about the future — and the present — expressed in works of literature and film across the ages.

“The genre of literature and film that we call science fiction,” he said, “is as much concerned with the here and now as it is about the future.”

Alluding to over a dozen novels and films, McLeod pointed out how inspiration from the past and present shaped depictions of the future.

“The message of serious science fiction seems to be, ‘You better choose wisely,’” said McLeod.

The disturbing choices some people have made formed the basis of Keith Saliba’s presentation. Saliba, assistant professor of communications, demonstrated how modern media content exemplifies DeFleur’s theory of the creeping cycle of desensitization.

“The more the public craves salacious content,” Saliba said, “the more the media provides it, leading to higher levels of vulgarity.”

Saliba used footage from “Tosh.0,” the Dutch film “The Human Centipede,” and QueenOfTheHood.com in order to show how comedy, horror and reality programs have tried to meet demands for increasingly edgy content. Many in the audience cringed and looked away.

Shelley Grant, coordinator of criminal justice studies at JU, connected with the theme of increasingly graphic media content.

“You can see it with criminal justice,” she said. “That’s what people want to see. That’s what they think is out there in the world.”

“It’s disgusting. It really is,” said alumnus Frank Mantey during the corresponding question and answer session. “Does the Internet become a digital Colosseum? Are we smart enough to look back there and see what happened and what brought us out of there?”

Heather Downs, assistant professor of sociology, also examined the “new social norm” of acceptable behavior, specifically in the realm of social networking websites. Downs likened the internet to a panopticon, a circular building with a central watchtower disguised so as to prevent people in the peripheral cells from knowing whether or not they are being watched.

“The illusion of being watched causes people to alter their behavior,” Downs said. “The Internet — especially social media sites — creates an environment where you feel you’re constantly being watched. The concept of privacy is a thing of the past.”

The final presentation of the night, delivered by assistant professor of history Jesse Hingson, reminded the audience that views of the past change with hindsight and visions of the future are unreliable. Hingson described changes to Jacksonville’s urban plans over the decades, concluding with a look ahead that once again melded the humorous and the uncomfortable.

“It seems urban planners always wanted Jacksonville to be some other city,” he said, noting that Jacksonville has been variously likened to a southern Chicago, Coney Island or Baltimore.

“The latest model is Indianapolis,” said Hingson, referring to current discussions among some civic leaders. Garnering laughs from the audience, Hingson said, “Not only is the future unpredictable, it seems the future is coming from somewhere else.”

“As a historian, I really loved that [presentation], and I’m aware of the conversations going on now,” said Lois Becker, senior vice president of academic affairs.

Many in attendance noted that although the individual panelists did not coordinate their presentations, the overall discussion was cohesive.

“It’s interesting how they can go off in their own directions and it’s still unified,” said Krista Ouellette.

Joana Owens, assistant professor of humanities, called the event “fabulous.”

“Because I’m an interdisciplinarian, of course it appeals to me,” Owens said. “I like to see the same theme through many different lenses.”

Mantey, who graduated from JU in 1988, said, “I actually came here because I’m in a bit of a rut. I thought, I need to go back to my alma mater and stimulate my thinking, and this is a great place to do that.”

“These are the kind of things a university should be doing,” said Hazzard, who expressed a wish to expose both students and the community as a whole to interesting ideas.

“I basically hope,” he said, “to turn people on intellectually.”