Faculty News
On April 4, Kim Hedlin, sophomore Augustana student, gave a paper at the regional American Academy of Religion conference (Chicago) entitled, "Faith in Uncertainty: Living a Deconstructionist's Faith." Hedlin wrote an earlier version of the paper for an LC course (Fall, 2008) taught by Mike Augspurger (English) and Jason Mahn (Religion). In it, she applies the deconstructive theology of Lois Mackey to interpret Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. She extensively revised the paper and submitted a proposal for the conference with Mahn's encouragement. At the conference, Kim won best paper among eight undergraduate presenters, bringing home a cash prize.
Dr. John Delaney (Accounting Department) and Mr. Jeffrey Coussens (Theatre Department) are co-authors (with Martin Coe of Western Illinois University) of a fraud case accepted for publication in the May/June edition of Fraud Magazine. The title of the case is "Something's Fishy at Jones Company - from Investigation to Confession." Dr. Delaney and Mr. Coussens will be presenting the case at the 3rd Annual Fraud and Forensic Accounting Education Conference May 28-30 in Atlanta, Georgia. The case leads the student through a fraud investigation, including guidance on how to conduct an interview and an interrogation. The case materials include a professionally-produced video directed by Mr. Coussens and starring local stage performers. The actors include Dr. Melissa McBain (Education Department) portraying the role of the lead investigator on the case.
Designed for the classroom or a seminar, an intrepid seasoned internal audit manager and an inexperienced but willing staff auditor investigate suspicious financial activity at Jones Company. Their discoveries reveal their hunch was right, and they are able to stop the fraud. This case can be used in a classroom or simar setting to:
- Discuss the Fraud Triangle and the importance of symptoms
- Discuss accounting symptoms of fraud
- Perform financial statement analyses to determine if fraud is suspected
- Identify and test a fraud hypothesis
- Analyze an interrogation
- Draw conclusions and prepare fraud reports
Margaret Farrar's article "Home/Sick: Memory, Place, and Loss" has been accepted for publication in the journal Theory & Event in a political theory symposium titled "Theory in the City."
Dora Malech's poem "Let the Record Show" is featured this month in New Yorker magazine:
http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2009/04/27/090427po_poem_malech
Lisa Seidlitz received a grant from the Goethe Institut for a summer course for German teachers. Her week-long course on the film in Berlin deals with the history of the film industry in Berlin and includes discussion of teaching film in language classes. The grant covers instructional costs and housing and includes travel and food allowances. The Goethe Institut promotes the learning and teaching of German language and culture worldwide. Lisa's husband Nick also received a grant for a course in Cologne, so the entire family, including baby Olivia, will spend about a month in Germany this summer.
Rebecca Wee's poem "Prayer" is featured this month in Narrative Magazine:
http://narrativemagazine.com/issues/poems-week-2008-2009/prayer