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News Briefs

Union trustees OK academic reorganization creating two new schools

Trustees at their April 21 meeting approved an academic reorganization for the university that will create the School of Social Work and the School of Adult and Professional Studies, in addition to changing the names of three other schools.

The McAfee School of Business Administration will become the McAfee School of Business, the School of Pharmacy will become the College of Pharmacy and the College of Education and Human Studies will become the College of Education.

The School of Social Work at Union has been a non-degree-granting school under the umbrella of the College of Education and Human Studies. This reorganization makes the School of Social Work its own degree-granting school.

Likewise, the continuing studies department has been a part of the College of Education and Human Studies, but the reorganization separates it from that college.

Mary Anne Poe

Beverly Absher

As part of the creation of the two new schools, trustees approved the appointment of Mary Anne Poe as the founding dean of the School of Social Work and Beverly Absher as the founding dean of the School of Adult and Professional Studies.

“It’s encouraging to us to see the growth of these two programs in recent years,” said Lisa Rogers, chairman of Union’s Board of Trustees. “With the leadership these two deans will provide, we’re confident that these two new schools will continue to develop and flourish in the days ahead.”

Poe currently serves as associate dean for social work, professor of social work and as director of Union’s Center for Just and Caring Communities. Absher is chair of the department of continuing studies, professor of educational leadership and associate vice president for auxiliary operations.

Union President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver said he was pleased to have these two leaders on the Union campus join the Academic Deans’ Council, as they bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and wisdom concerning their respective schools.

“Mary Anne Poe has helped social work thrive at Union through her commitment to ensuring the programs provide excellent academic training with Christ-centered compassion,” Oliver said. “Our social work graduates are strong and effective practitioners who are the hands and feet of Christ to many who are hurting and need help.”

Oliver said Absher seems to succeed at everything she attempts through a combination of professional excellence and personal will.

“Her assistance as we developed our current strategic plan is but one example of her institutional leadership,” Oliver said. “The School of Adult and Professional Studies is an important part of our mission. There are numerous adults who have some college credits but lack a degree. Beverly has developed an outstanding academic program that integrates faith throughout the curriculum and helps people achieve their higher education goals.”

New biology master’s degree to begin in fall 2017

Union University’s biology department will begin offering a one-year Master of Science in Biology degree in the fall of 2017, transitioning from the current graduate certificate in preprofessional biology.

Marc Lockett and student “We have a number of applicants already, and we’re hopeful it continues to grow,” said Marc Lockett, associate professor of biology and director of graduate programs in biology. “When we initially began, our thought was that our undergrads here on campus would be the majority, and we certainly still welcome them to apply. The reality, though, has been folks off campus showing interest in the program.”

The degree requires 30 credit hours, 13 in the fall and spring and four in January. Students will attend lectures and labs with undergraduate students and also take on additional work and projects, including separate exams. Master’s students will also work with a faculty mentor to complete a year-long non-thesis project.

The master’s program will be limited to eight graduate students.

The program will offer two tracks: preprofessional and general biology. The preprofessional track is designed for students seeking to be better prepared for their particular health-related professional program. The general biology track is a broader, more customized program for students seeking to further their education or career opportunities through advanced training in biology.

For more information, visit uu.edu/msbio.

Scripture reading marathon draws 500 volunteers

student reading scripture Despite bouts of drenching rain and forceful winds, the Scripture reading marathon at Union University went on as scheduled.

About 500 volunteers from Union and the broader Jackson and West Tennessee communities participated in a five-day public reading of the Bible from start to finish. The event was designed as a kickoff and wrap-up of sorts for REF500, a celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, from March 9-11 on the Union campus.

Each of the volunteers read for 10 minutes in a tent set up under Miller Tower. Ray Van Neste, director of the Ryan Center for Biblical Studies, said the marathon was an appropriate way to bookend the Reformation celebration, since the Scriptures played such a crucial role in that revival.

“I’m telling people, ‘There may not be anybody there when you get there. You just read,’” Van Neste said. “Scripture itself has its own power.”

Van Neste said while a large portion of the volunteers were Union faculty, staff and students, many people from the community volunteered, from children to retirees and every age in between, from a variety of denominations.

Debate team wins season, championship tournament titles

The Union University Debate Team won the International Public Debate Association Season- Long Championship for the fourth consecutive year. The team also won the IPDA Championship Tournament at the end of the season.

Jacob Collins took the individual championship in the novice category at the IPDA Championships Tournament, while Jacob Mathis, Clark Hubbard and Ryan Sinni were the top speakers in their divisions. For the season, Hubbard won the junior varsity individual sweepstakes.

Web Drake, associate professor of communication arts, is the debate team coach.

Learn More About the Team

BSOL class helps Boys and Girls Club

working at the Boys & Girls Club Twelve members of Union University’s Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership cohort class met at the Boys and Girls Club of Jackson March 11 to repaint the walls of the Learning Center.

As a part of the class, the students were told that they needed to do a service project. After discussing a few ideas, they decided to ask the Boys and Girls Club what projects needed to be done.

The project particularly struck home for Elijah Shelton, who started in the BSOL program in 2015 in addition to working as resource director for the organization.

The Boys and Girls Club provides after-school care, activities and tutoring for students from kindergarten to high school. Shelton hopes that changing the walls of the Learning Center, which is where most of the tutoring and mentoring takes place, from blue to yellow and orange will help stimulate the students’ minds.

“[The professors] said, ‘You guys are going to grow together. And by the time this is done, you are going to be like family.’ And I can truly say that they are like my brothers and sisters,” he said. “It does my heart good to see that we are all working together.”

Recent publications

Several Union University professors have written books in recent months in a variety of disciplines.

Jason Crawford, assistant professor of English, is the author of Allegory and Enchantment: An Early Modern Poetics, published by Oxford University Press.

Nathan Finn, dean of the School of Theology and Missions, co-edited Spirituality for the Sent: Casting a New Vision for the Missional Church, published by IVP Academic.

Ray Van Neste, professor of biblical studies and director of the Ryan Center for Biblical Studies, and Mike Garrett, assistant director and librarian for the Ryan Center, co-edited Reformation 500: How the Greatest Revival Since Pentecost Continues to Shape the World Today, published by B&H Academic.

Ted Kluck, assistant professor of communication arts, wrote Upside Down Football: An Inside Look at Long Snapping in the NFL, published by Rowman and Littlefield, while

Richard Addo, professor of pharmaceutical sciences, edited Ocular Drug Delivery: Advances, Challenges and Applications, published by Springer.

Union Provost C. Ben Mitchell, who also serves as the Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy, contributed to Dictionary of Christianity and Science: The Definitive Reference for the Intersection of Christian Faith and Contemporary Science, published by Zondervan. Mitchell wrote the entries in the dictionary for “genetic enhancement,” “life,” “morality,” “person,” “sentience” and “technology.”

All books written by Union personnel are listed at uu.edu/books.

The Union University Magazine
Spring 2017