PSU Magazine Fall 1988

New deans for Arts and Social Work Portland State University is celebrating the appointment of two new academic deans, Wilma Sheridan, as Dean of Fine and Performing Arts, and James H. Ward , Dean of the Graduate School of Social Work. Sheridan had been Acting Dean at PSU for two years and Ward comes to Portland from his positions as Dean and Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Alabama. Both appointments were effective Aug. I. Ward earned his bachelor's degree at North Carolina A & T University, a Master of Social Work degree at Univer– sity of Maryland, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from The Ohio State University. Recognized for his contributions to the social work profession in both Alabama and Ohio, Ward has served on many na– tional social work related boards and councils. His professional and research interests include social services to families , children and youth, mental health , and in program and staff development. Ward said he is enthusiastic about the research capabilities of Portland State's Graduate School of Social Work , citing its national– ly known Regional Research Institute for Human Services. Ward also cited the re– cent state approval of the Ph .D. program and the quality of PSU's faculty as reasons for coming to Portland. Wilma Sheridan was appointed Acting Dean of the School of Fine and Perform– ing Arts in September 1986. She has been on the Portland State faculty since 1959 and served as Chair of the Department of Music from 1981-86. She earned her bachelor's degree from Willamette University, a Master of Music Education from Lewis & Clark, and her Ph.D. from University of Oregon. She has published a number of articles in the area of music education , music therapy and music education for handi- I CAMPUS NOTES I James H. Ward Wilma Sheridan capped chi ldren. She is a three-time reci– pient of the MuPhi Epsilon National Award for Community Service in Music Therapy. The School of Fine and Performing Arts includes departments of Art , Dance, Music and Theater Arts. Following her appointment as Dean , Sheridan said, "There is a great deal of potential in the School of Fine and Performing Arts. We have many talented students and faculty and I'm looking forward to working with them to advance our school and its pro– grams." Panel to review president Five former presidents of the Oregon State Board of Higher Education are assisting Chancellor W. T. Lemman in reviewing the performance of PSU Presi– dent Natale Sicuro. Reviews of presidents of the state's four- year colleges and universities customarily occur three years following initial employment, then every three years thereafter, according to the chancellor's office. " This review is being initiated a year earlier than is customary because of questions that some have raised about Dr. Sicuro's performance,'' wrote Chancellor Lemman in a July statement. "The Board, Dr. Sicuro and I agree that it is important to review these questions." The committee has solicited written and oral comments from PSU faculty, staff and the Portland community. It will be using, but not be limited to, evaluation criteria set by the Board . This includes academic and administrative leadership and management, and internal and exter– nal relationships. Lemman has asked that the review be completed by Oct. 31 so he can make a recommendation to the Board by its Nov. 18 meeting, but he said he hopes the report will be completed in time for a recommendation during the board 's Oct. 21 meeting. The review committee, which began its evaluation in August, includes Alvin R. Batiste of Portland, a chemical engineer and president and general manager of Waste Systems Ltd. in Portland ; Edward C. Harms Jr. of Springfield, a lawyer and former Springfield city attorney; Robert C. Ingalls of Corvallis, retired publisher of the Corvallis Gazette-Times ; Louis B. Perry of Portland, retired president and member of the board of Standard Insurance Co. in Portland and a former president of Whitman College in Washington state; and James C. Petersen of La Grande, a retired hospital administrator and former La Grande mayor and city council member. Anderson to head PSU Foundation Lee Koehn ('73) , Foundation Board President, has announced that Professor Emeritus of Education E . Dean Anderson has accepted appointment as Executive Director of the Foundation . Anderson , who served more than 20 years in faculty and administrative posts at PSU, including four months as Acting President in 1974, has taken the Foundation position on a volunteer basis. Anderson was Assistant to the President at PSU from 1960 to 1971 , and Vice President for University Relations from 1971 until his retirement in 1978. During his tenure at Portland State, Anderson participated in the initial organization of the University Foundation . PSU 21