11
Fond Farewells:
Faculty Retirements
The following Siena Heights faculty
members took advantage of a one-timeonly early retirement package offered by
the University this spring: Spencer
Bennett, professor of history and
religious studies, a faculty member since
1976; Gail Johnson, assistant professor
of mathematics, teaching at Siena since
1987; Charles Milliken, associate
professor of management,
Chuck and Bonnie 80 Milliken
whose 21-year teaching career at Siena
Heights began in 1977; Audrey Parker,
associate professor of humanities, who
joined the faculty in 1976; and Robert
Xeras, associate professor of
mathematics and computer science, a
member of the faculty since 1980.
Fond Farewells II:
Faculty Resignations
The following faculty resigned from
their teaching positions at Siena Heights
at the end of the 1997-98 academic year:
David Hermon, assistant professor of
counselor education since 1995, who
accepted a position at Marshall
University in West Virginia; Rebecca
Miller, assistant professor of chemistry
at Siena since 1996; Dominic Scibilia,
associate professor of religious studies
at Siena Heights since 1992; and Tom
Venner, professor of art and chair of the
performing and visual arts division, a
member of the faculty for almost 20
years, who will return to his alma mater,
Eastern Michigan University, this fall as
head of the art department.
Faculty Research Brings Resources,
Equipment, Opportunity to Siena Labs
T
he U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a two-year, $50,000
competitive research grant to Dr. Jun Tsuji, assistant professor of
biology, for a research project directed at improving disease resistance
in plants. As part of the grant, Siena Heights was able to purchase a high
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) machine, which will aid Siena
students and faculty in future laboratory work.
In the research project, titled Evaluating Indole-3-acetonitrile as a
Phytoalexin of Arabidopsis thaliana, Tsuji
is studying what makes plants more
resistant to bacterial, fungal and other
types of pathogens. He is trying to
determine if and how antimicrobial
compounds called phytoalexins contribute
to a successful defense against disease by
using the plant arabidopsis thalina, which
is a model organism of the plant world
much like the fruit fly is of the insect
world.
If we can find out what makes plants
resistant to disease, then we can improve
them in the future, said Tsuji. Farmers
could save money on chemicals and it
would be better for the environment.
The HPLC machine aids in the
research work by separating and purifying elements of compounds. Theres
no way we could analyze the compounds without the HPLC, said Tsuji.
Tsuji has taught at Siena Heights since 1994. A native of Portage, he
received his doctorate in genetics from Michigan State University where he
focused on plant pathology.
Fond Farewells III:
Staff Departures
Alumni and students returning to campus
this fall will miss several long-time
members of the staff and administration.
Robert Parker, registrar at Siena
Heights for 24 years, from 1974 to
1998, has elected a much-deserved
retirement. Bob and his wife, Audrey,
(see Fond Farewells I), look forward to
lots of relaxation. Mary Jane Dopp, of
the advancement staff, formerly of the
registrars office, left Siena for a
computing position at Eastern Michigan
University. Mary Ann Hawley,
administrative assistant to the academic
dean since 1981, also waved goodb 唁Ѽ)ѡ