For the past seven years, I have had the pleasure of being associated with the Council of Alumni and Friends of the

School of Family and Consumer Resources. My introduction to this active Council was as a representative from Kappa Omicron Nu requesting support for a mentoring experience. Upon graduation the next year, I was invited to become a regular member and since then I have gone on to hold several executive positions on the Council. More than once, I have asked myself why I continue giving my time to this Council? It’s not that I don’t have enough to do being a wife, grandmother, church worker and a full time professional. So why add one more thing to the schedule? These three examples illustrate my reasons for choosing to be involved.

Number one is the dedicated alumni who have chosen to give their time and energy to keeping this council active; it has been recognized as the most active alumni group on the University of Arizona campus. The Alumni members continue to have as their priority the recognition of faculty and students for their academic successes. This is done in a variety of ways: nominations for Council and University awards, supporting educational events and offering scholarship monies, to name just a few. These exceptional people are serious about their commitment and continue to search for new ideas and ways to promote and support the University of Arizona and the College of Family and Consumer Resources’ mission.

Number two is the opportunity for personal contact with students and faculty. Through my association with the Council, my list of community resources has increased tremendously. For the past two years, in partnership with the Institute for Children, Youth and Families, my place of employment has had the opportunity to have two upper division student interns. Through this mutually beneficial internship, these students have provided a very important link to current issues and recent research that ordinarily would not be accessible to our agency. They have offered valuable information from their unique perspective as both students and researchers. In addition, I have witnessed the faculty’s availability and genuine concern for students. This is demonstrated by how faculty carry the classroom into the community and how they tailor instructional situations to meet student needs.

Number three is the good feeling I have for accepting the responsibility of giving back to the University from which I graduated. I’ve given this a lot of thought lately and came to the conclusion that this comes from the values I learned from my parents. They were challenged by far more than most just to live each day. As polio survivors, my dad, a paraplegic at forty and me, afflicted at age seven, our family life was one challenge after another. My parents worked six days a week ten hours a day just like everyone else. But that did not mean that they did not give generously both with time and money to our community and to our schools. Education was always a priority and our family supported it in every way. Giving to others was a given in our family.

So when I hear people say they don’t have time or money, I wonder, what are they thinking? What would it have been like if those who came before me had said that? No one really has enough time or money. We all get over extended, over worked and over committed. But if we don’t step up to the challenge and accept the responsibility, then, shame on us. I do know that when I get to the point that I can’t any longer, I will be able to say I did. Please consider doing whatever you can to advance education by becoming more involved with the University of Arizona. Call me, we can talk! (520) 825-1999.

President, FCR Council

Polly Elson

Improving Dairy Bull Selection:
Genetic Markers Reduce Guesswork
By: Susan McGinley, Education Comm. COA, and Lorraine Kingdon

UA Equine Center: From Yearling Project to Race Winner

Agriculture Sweeps UA Awards

The V Bar V Ranch is one of the nine Agricultural Centers that the College of Agriculture operates. The COA acquired this ranch in January 1995 and has been actively operating and improving it since then. The V Bar V runs in both Coconino and Yavapai counties, and transects the Mogollon Rim. The ranch encompasses over 77,000 acres. The grazing allotment runs about 30 miles east from Camp Verde and varies between four and five miles in width. The ranch consists of private land and leased land from the U.S. Forest Service. The ranch runs more than 550 cattle, with about 1/3 Hereford, 1/3 composite breed, and 1/3 an inherited mix. The V Bar V works with the UA feedlot and the Meat Lab in Tucson.

The V Bar V, feedlot, and meat lab are all doing extensive research from conception to beef. The ultimate goal is to help Arizona ranchers profit as well as produce a product that the customer wants to eat. They are actively trying to find the “perfect” cow for Arizona, by looking at the genetic relationship with meat quality and reproduction. Other research that is being conducted is shelf life, fat deposit in animals, and improving reproduction. University students are employed year round at the feedlot and the meats lab and two interns work at the V Bar V ranch. These students care for the animals, help with research, and assist with the meat process.

The animals are bred and born on the V Bar V ranch. After the calves are weaned they are taken to the feedlot which is closer to the UA campus. The cattle are kept in the feedlot until they have 4/10 fat on their back. When the cattle have the appropriate amount of fat, they are then processed at the UA meat lab or sold. Once in the meat lab, the beef is aged for a minimum of 14 days. They have a guaranteed sheer force (or tenderness) of under 6 pounds. The meat is aged to produce an extremely tender product. After the aging process, the meat is tracked once it is put into stores or restaurants. This process is called consumer acceptance. The first consumer acceptance run was with Bashas. They are in the process of arranging consumer acceptance runs with several other local stores and restaurants. They are able to trace the meat to a specific animal to see what consumers like.

Agriculture is more than plows and sows.
We hear that all of the time, but people outside of agricultural fields, hardly believe that. The COA is working hard to actively reach out and help the community through their various research projects, experiments, and programs. The following examples show that agriculture has a huge impact on everyone.

Reclaiming Wastewater
Lack of water is an increasing problem in the U.S. and around the world, thus many areas have turned to reclaiming wastewater as a way to increase water supplies. Charles Gerba, a UA environmental microbiologist, tested a natural method of purifying water, that is currently used in Tucson AZ, and found that it produced a low cost, high quality nonpotable water without additives. The soil aquifer treatment that Gerba tested used a 37 meter layer of soil as a filter. Wastewater was purified as it passed through, and was then collected in underground storage tanks. This system is a natural system that will not wear out. It takes the place of building a conventional treatment plant. The soil aquifer treatment also reduced enteroviruses as they passed through the soil. The project worked so well that it has now been expanded to include the cities of Phoenix, Arizona and Los Angeles, California.

Postponing Sexual Involvement
Teen pregnancy rates in Arizona are among the highest in the nation and are increasing rapidly. Because of this increase the UA Cooperative Extension has designed a program called Postponing Sexual Involvement (PSI). More than 3,000 students in rural areas in Arizona are taking part in this program. It’s designed to assist pre-teen and young teens in recognizing existing pressures to engage in premature sexual behaviors, to increase awareness of the benefits of postponing sexual behavior and to encourage them to examine their personal values about sex and to recognize the risks of becoming involved in sexual activities. The program is implemented by older teens in the community who have been trained to teach younger children and answer difficult questions.

UA Collaboration with NAU, AWC, CAC
Arizona’s three public universities are located in Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff. The distance between these locations leaves many parts of rural Arizona without nearby access to the university system. Now, distance education has been developed through the UA College of Agriculture. Distance education allows students to complete a Bachelor’s degree without leaving their home. Interactive television courses are being offered in Yuma, Coolidge, and on the UA campus using a satellite television technology provided by NAU. The television program enables students to interact with the teacher who teaches in specially equipped classrooms.

Soyeon Shim was named director of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences (SFCS, formerly Family and Consumer Resources) in April after serving as interim director beginning July 1, 1999.

SFCS is one of the largest units in the College of Agriculture, with a current enrollment of 700 undergraduate students and 50 graduate students. The school provides instructional, research, and extension programs within two divisions: Family Studies and Human Development (FSHD) and Retailing and Consumer Studies (RCS).

“Soyeon Shim has already demonstrated her leadership and management skills as interim director,” says Gene Sander, vice provost and dean of the College of Agriculture. “We are fortunate to retain her permanently as director.”

Shim began at the UA in 1990 as an associate professor in the Retailing and Consumer Studies (RCS) Division, and served as division chair from 1992 until 1999. She became full professor in 1995. Working in conjunction with the RCS faculty, Shim founded the Southwest Retail Center for Education and Research in 1993, which is devoted to combining the resources and expertise of the corporate retail industry and the University of Arizona. She received the University of Arizona Teaching Award in 1996.

“My vision is to make the SFCS a compelling place where students can learn, faculty and staff can work and grow, and where our shareholders can engage in partnerships,” Shim says. Many of the school’s most successful programs are based on partnerships, including the recently established Institute for Family, Youth and Children, which collaborates with state and community organizations, and the Southwest Retail Center, which operates through a collaboration with many commercial retailers. Shim would like to expand those partnerships to include even more collaborations within departments, across the College of Agriculture and the UA, and with state, national and international institutions and organizations. Although the SFCS has traditionally focused more on society-based issues, she sees a niche the unit could fill that would unite it more closely with agricultural issues.

“As the trend continues toward consumer-driven, value-added production in commercial agriculture, our retailing program has the opportunity to establish itself as a leading unit for consumer studies, market trade, food retailing and agricultural business,” Shim says. “At the same time, as the College of Agriculture seeks to address a wider range of family needs in both urban and rural areas, our extension/outreach programs throughout Arizona will continue to focus on strengthening families, promoting adolescent health and youth development, consumer education, and retail business development.” For more information on the School of Family and Consumer Sciences, visit the web page at http://ag.arizona.edu/fcr/.

The Project for Homemakers in Arizona Seeking Employment (PHASE) introduced a new Basic Computer Class to assist PHASE single parent and displaced homemakers with skills needed to gain employment. PHASE held 2 pilot computer classes in 1999. In August the class was held on the UA campus. The class was replicated and in October the Basic Computer Class was presented in Marana to 13 women from the Marana Community Correctional Treatment Facility (MCCTF) in Pima County as part of a grant from the Arizona Department of Education. The pilot class on the UA campus was made possible by community organizations that donated the use of their facilities. The UA School of Family & Consumer Resources, College of Agriculture donated the use of 25 computers in their computer lab to be used 8 hours per week. The Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce shared the use of their conference room for PHASE’s Basic Computer Class orientation session, and for a follow-up Job Skills class to continue assisting participants with employment needs. Overall, these pilot classes were able to assist participants by providing them with previously non-existent skills, giving them the opportunity to learn how to use a computer and the knowledge that the skills learned in class are transferable to an employment setting. The success of the pilot class on the UA campus brought requests for more training. Community agencies throughout Tucson are referring their program participants to PHASE’s Basic Computer Classes. The Basic Computer Class covers topics related to the personal computer used within the Windows environment. The curriculum is targeted toward assisting individuals with little or no previous computer skills. PHASE research has shown that employers are willing to provide on-the-job training to an individual who has basic computer skills. By practicing and using the skills gained in this class, program participants can increase their employability skills. Participants are shown ways they can learn additional computer skills on their own by using the resources available in the computer lab. Through these self-paced processes participants can build on their current skills and learn new skills to assist with their computer needs.

Call Julie Myal Castro (class of ’82, Family & Consumer Resources) 621-3902 call for more information.

In The News

Todd Pletcher (‘89) set a record being the first rookie trainer with four 3-year old starters in the Kentucky Derby. It was the first Derby for the 32 year old UA graduate. He earned his degree in animal science in 1989. While attending UA Todd worked with D. Wayne Lukas. The four horses trained by Todd are Impeachment, More than Ready, Graeme Hall, and Trippi. Todd is ranked number 9 trainer in the world.

Miles Hensley Oldfather, 72, of Benson, Arizona, passed away on November 25, 1999. He was born in Pima, Arizona on February 9, 1927. He was a graduate of the University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and a lifelong member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII as a medic. He worked at Apache Powder Company from 1951 to 1989. He went on to serve on the AEPCO and SSVEC Boards, and as a magistrate pro tem for the City of Benson.

Margie McCaughey, 78, of Tucson, Az, died December 4, 1999. Born May 26, 1921 in Logansport, Indiana, she was a resident of Tucson since 1947. She earned a B.S. in Chemistry and a M.S. in Biochemistry from Purdue University. While working at the University of Arizona as a research chemist, she earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Nutrition in 1957 from the UA. Donations may be made to the University of Arizona, W.F. & Margie McCaughey Student Endowment, 111 N. Cherry Avenue, Central Gift Office, Tucson, AZ 85721-0109.

Elizabeth “Betty” Graves Ronstandt, 91, died December 2, 1999. She was the wife of Carlos Ronstadt and lived at the Santa Margarita Ranch. She later lived in Tucson, participating in many Civic and Community activities. She was a member of the Junior League, Pi Beta Phi Sorority, Arizona Cattle Growers Association, and the AZ CowBelles.

Boyd McClean Wilson, prominent rancher, native Arizonian, and friend to many, passed away February 27, 2000 at the age of 84. Mr. Wilson was born in Oracle, AZ on November 16, 1915. He attended the University of Arizona where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. He built the original Oracle Inn in 1935. He was one of the founders of the Mountain Oyster Club and served as its president for 16 years. During his many years as a rancher, he was actively involved in the Arizona Cattle Growers Association.

Naomi Reich, 74, died on February 13, 2000. Dr. Naomi Reich was born in Greytown, Republic of South Africa. She received her B.S. at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She was an extension officer for the Department of Agriculture in South Africa. Dr. Reich’s major field of interest was in development implementation, and testing of innovative instructional systems for varied audiences. Dr. Reich retired as Professor and Associate Director of the School of Family & Consumer Resources after 20 years of service at the UA. Dr. Reich’s legacy will live on through the lives of students she taught, colleagues and friends, and all of the people whose lives she touched. A memorial has been established for Dr. Reich at the University of Arizona, School of Family and Consumer Resources.

Frank Clifford “Toby” Armer, 64, died on December 28, 1999. Frank Armer was born in Phoenix Arizona. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Veterinary Science in 1956. As a veterinarian he was involved with the Arizona National Livestock Show, Rotary Club International, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the Companion Animal Association of Arizona.

Carl Clinton Cameron, 82, passed away on March 10, 2000. Carl graduated from the University in 1940 with his BSA in Botany. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 34 years. Retiring as a Colonel, Carl volunteered for 12 years in the College of Agriculture Development and Alumni Office. He was also active in the Masonic Lodge of Bisbee, Scottish Rite of Tucson, York Rite. He was also a past president of HI-12 #439 and the Sunshine Kiwanis.

Holly Ruth Keppel, 47, died December 18, 1999. Holly graduated in 1976 with a degree in Animal Health Science. Holly was a praticing veterinarian for 20 years. She opened her own animal shelter within her last year. She was a swimmer, cyclist, and runner and competed in many triathlons as well as other events. She will be missed by her clients, athletic competitors, friends, and family.

O. Eugene Maughan, Professor, 57, died April 12, 2000, in Tucson. After receiving his Ph.D. from Washington State University he worked in Washington, Virginia and Oklahoma. He had been on the faculty of the School of Renewable Natural Resources, with a special interest in wildlife and fisheries, since 1987. He took a keen interest in mentoring students from groups under represented in the natural resource professions. A fund for students has been established in his name. Donations may be sent to: Eugene Maughan Memorial Fund, %Development & Alumni Office, College of Agriculture, University of Arizona, PO Box 210026, Tucson, AZ 85721-0036

James L. Savage, 73, died May 8, 2000, in Phoenix AZ. Following military service, he attended the University of Arizona majoring in agricultural economics. While at the UA, he was a member of football, bixing and roping teams. He was a former president of the Central Arizona Irrigation District, a director of the Central Arizona Project, the Arizona Cotton Growers Association and a vice president of the Farm Bureau. He spent the majority of his business career managing various farms and ranches.