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Reflections on Brown
In the May 17, 2004, issue of The Seattle Times, President
Lee Pelton wrote an op-ed piece reflecting on the 50-year anniversary
of the 1953 Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education.
In the article, Pelton wove together civil rights history with his
own personal experiences to create an illuminating review of the
landmark desegregation case and its sweeping effect on race and
education. To read the full article, visit www.willamette.edu/news.
Prepare to be Aspired
This August, Willamette University School of Education will launch
M.A.T. Aspire, a two-year program that offers evening and weekend
classes for people who seek a master’s degree in early childhood,
elemen-tary, middle level or high school education.
“M.A.T. Aspire combines a flexible course structure with
innovative classes that integrate technology with teacher development,”
said Karen Hamlin ’75, director of the School of Education.
The program will enable candidates to receive credit toward their
degree for past work and volunteer experiences in schools. “I
think these aspects of M.A.T. Aspire will be particularly appealing
for instructional assistants or parent volunteers who have prior
school experience,” said Hamlin.
M.A.T. Aspire will carry the same course work and practicum requirements
found in the School of Education’s full-time program. Applications
to the program are being accepted through the summer. Classes will
officially begin in September. For more infor-mation about M.A.T.
Aspire, contact Charlie Bowles at 503-375-5453 or visit the School
of Education’s website at www.willamette.edu/mat.
Commons Cause
 Progress
continues to be made on the implementation of Willamette’s
residential commons system. After reassessing the resi-dential needs,
the University will focus on two strategic areas: creating attractive
on-campus housing for upper class students and renovat-ing and upgrading
existing housing.
Kaneko Hall, which was to be the sight of the first-year commons,
will now be expanded to add new upper class housing units. The first-year
commons program is still being discussed and developed.
President Lee Pelton has established a resi-dential commons planning
committee, which has been meeting throughout the summer to develop
the next steps of the commons plan. Composed of faculty, students,
administrators and a planning architect, the committee’s work
will pave the way for construction to begin at Kaneko within the
next year. The committee will also answer important questions about
where future commons will be located, the order and timeframe in
which they will be established, who will live in them and how the
proj-ect will be funded.
Remarkable Track Record
 Willamette’s
track and field team received several outstand-ing honors at a May
banquet held in Decatur, Ill., for the NCAA Division III Championships.
Head Coach Matt McGuirk was not only named the West Region Men’s
and Women’s Coach of the Year, he was also honored as the
2004 NCAA Men’s National Track and Field Coach of the Year.
Nationally ranked steeplechaser Jake Stout ’04 received
the West Region Male Athlete of the Year award and then was named
the 2004 NCAA Track and Field Male Athlete of the Year. For more
on the story, visit www.willamette.edu/athletics.
Changing of the Board
Willamette’s board of trustees underwent a changing of the
guard as four members retired this spring while three new board
members were added. Leading the dis-tinguished retirees was Oregon
Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace P. Carson JD’62, who,
in addition to his remark-able career in public service, served
as a Willamette trustee for 34 years.
Following him were Dr. Dale C. Harris ’55, Claris Poppert
’57 and Nick Allis ’70. Harris, a retired minister for
The United Methodist Church and a board member for 24 years, is
currently the executive director of the Northwest House of Theological
Studies. A trustee for 12 years, Poppert continues to serve the
University in numerous capacities and he received an Alumni Citation
for his endur-ing commitment to Willamette. Carson, Harris and Poppert
have been named life trustees. Known for his philanthropic efforts
both to Willamette and the community, Allis undertook a variety
of important roles during his six years as a trustee.
Stepping in to their place are alumni The Very Reverend Donald
G. Brown ’68, Lila Jean Schmidt ’66 and Heather K. Dempsey
’97. Brown, currently dean of Trinity Cathedral Church in
Sacramento, Calif., sits on the Advisory Council to the Anglican
Observer at the United Nations and is a senior fellow of the American
Leadership Forum. Schmidt, formerly of Professional Insurance Services,
is a longtime WU supporter who recently established a scholarship
in her parents’ name. Dempsey recently finished her master’s
degree in forestry from Yale University. She also serves as an officer
of The Dempsey Foundation, a family charitable organization that
funds the Dempsey Environmental Science Lecture Series at Willamette.
Emeritus Four
 This
May, Willamette said goodbye to four beloved faculty members. In
the College of Liberal Arts. Politics Professor Suresht R. Bald
retired after more than 20 years of dis-tinguished service. In a
fitting capstone to her career, Bald was named Oregon’s 2003
Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement
of Teaching. History Professor Robert H. Lucas retired after 31
years at Willamette. A Fulbright recipient known for his dry wit
and signature turtle-necks, Lucas epitomized the best qualities
of liberal arts teaching.
In the Atkinson Graduate School of Management, Accounting and
Information Sciences Professor Earl K. Littrell retired after 28
years. One of the School’s first professors, Littrell was
active both academically and professionally, serving as chairman
of the board for MaPS Credit Union and as two-term national director
of the institute of management accountants. Professor J. Frederick
Truitt, the Helen Simpson Jackson Professor of International Management,
retired after 13 years with Atkinson. Truitt has been a visiting
professor and lecturer, and has written widely on inter-national
business, international strategy and foreign market entry, and teaching/learning
in international business.
Grant adds 200k to Technology Endowment
Willamette’s students and faculty proved the decisive factor
in the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations’ decision to give the
University a $200,000 grant to promote technology innovation. After
a tour of campus and visits with students, faculty and administrators,
William C. Keator, a program officer for the Davis Foundations,
declared Willamette a liberal arts school that is “doing it
right.”
The Davis Foundations is a national philanthropic organization
that provides financial assistance to educational, cultural, scientific
and reli-gious institutions. As a result of Keator’s visit,
the Davis Foundations approved the grant, which will significantly
add to Willamette’s technology endowment fund. Thanks to the
gift, Willamette has now raised $2.2 million or 36 percent of its
technology innovation endowment goal.
While an extensive written application was necessary for the University
to secure the award, it is clear that Willamette’s students,
faculty and administrators played a key role in the final outcome.
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