Dr. Jerome Feldman, professor of art history in HPU’s College of Liberal Arts, is one of five distinguished scholars selected to speak at the Feb. 18 Ruth K. Franklin Symposium on the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas at Stanford University in California.

The event, called Crosscultural Perspectives on the Arts of Oceania is named after Ruth K. Franklin, a curator of the arts of Africa, Oceania, and the

Feldman has written four books on Pacific and Indonesian art and is the editor of Pacific Arts Journal. He joined HPU in 1992 and is a consultant to many museum special exhibitions.

Other speakers include Adrienne Kaeppler of the Smithsonian Institution, Anne D’Alleva of the University of Connecticut, Eric P. Kjellgren of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Dirk Smidt of the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, Germany.

Lianne Soga, Associate Director of Development in the Office of Institutional Advancement at HPU, was recently promoted to Director. Soga joined HPU in 1996 to support the University’s fund raising efforts. She manages the annual fund program and coordinates the submission of grant proposals for general University funding. Additionally, Soga serves as managing editor for Hawai‘i Pacific University Today, HPU’s magazine for alumni and friends.

In the community, Soga serves on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and on its Scholarship Committee.

The Office of Institutional Advancement promotes greater understanding of and support for the mission of Hawai‘i Pacific University. It concentrates on fostering long-term relationships with the University’s constituencies including: alumni, friends, parents, corporations, and foundations.

Carol Hutaff, director of student loans in the Office of Financial Aid was recently awarded the President’s Certificate of Appreciation for superlative service to the University in the area of student loans.

Through innovative management initiatives, Hutaff reduced HPU’s student loan default rate well below the standard set by the federal government for continuing institutional loan eligibility. The average student loan default rate at HPU is maintained at 5.5 percent, which is lower than both the U.S. and Hawai‘i average rates.

Hutaff joined HPU in 1988 as associate director of student loans and was promoted to director in 1999. A strong supporter of adult continuing education, Hutaff helped establish the University’s first scholarship fund designed exclusively for adult learners.

Faculty awarded $27,000 for scholarly endeavors

HPU recently awarded eight faculty course releases and more than $27,000 in grants for their scholarly research projects through the University’s Trustees’ Scholarly Endeavors Program.

Christopher Fung, Ph.D., assistant professor of anthropology, for the completion of two articles on the project entitled, “Household Archeology and the Tyranny of the Ethnographic Present.” The articles will re-examine the relationship between archaeological data and the reconstructions archaeologists make from data.

David Horgen, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, received funding for his project entitled, “Chemical and Biological Characterization of Four Novel Cyanobacterial Compounds.” His project involves the assessment of cancer chemoprevention activities and the anti-microbial potential of four compounds.

Laurie Leach, Ph.D., associate professor of English, received funding for a book-length biography, Langston Hughes: Poet of African-American Life. This biography is one in a series about significant cultural figures aimed at lower-division college students and college-bound high school students.

Gunter Meissner, Ph.D., associate professor of finance, for the completion of a book, Credit Derivatives–Application, Pricing and Risk-Management. The project will include computation of mathematical models.

Adele NeJame, assistant professor of English, for continued work on and completion of individual poems and prose pieces to be published individually first in journals, and then in a third collection entitled, Native Hybrids and Ghosts.

Louis Primavera, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, for the development and implementation of a nutrient film technique in hydroponics. This technique will be used to give hydroponics presentations to grade schools to enlighten the students on the importance of science and how hydroponics plant growth would meet world food shortage problems.

Mark Tjarks, instructor of English, for the publication and production of two plays--A Very Old Mango Man and Ventriloquist. Both plays address issues of social alienation and cultural diversity, but from unique perspectives.

Arthur Whatley, Ph.D., professor of management, to explore the use of critical theory to alter ethical behavior in large organizations. This research will review the interdisciplinary attempts to link critical theory with management and organizational theory practices.