RESOLUTIONS
TEXAS SECTION, MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
APRIL 5, 2008
Whereas the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America has attained the venerable age of eighty-eight years (which is the smallest number of years expressible as two cubed times eleven), and has been joyfully hosted with both dignity and graciousness by the revered institution of Tarleton State University, which did bring honor and renown to itself by expending labors, long and hard, to provide the 325 attendees with wonderful ambiance of surroundings, delightful meals and snacks, and opportunities for conversations between friends, old and new;
And whereas the agent of this extensive benevolence and boundless attention to detail, our Arrangements Chair Javier Garza, was assisted and supported by the Tarleton University faculty, staff, and students, and through their combined efforts have efficiently and expeditiously scheduled paper presentations, assigned meeting rooms, assisted invited guest, and by the liberal application of commendable diligence, never failed to notice and see to the little things which increased the comfort and enjoyment of all;
And whereas the officers of the Section in the persons of Chair Neal Brand, Chair-Elect James Epperson, Secretary/Treasurer, Jamie Hebert, Governor Stuart Anderson (who is not only governor, but also has been designated “protector of mathematicians from deans,”) Arrangements Chair-Elect David Hendricks, Immediate Past Chair Randal Hoppens, and Directors Alla Kelman, Jeffrey Hood, and Minerva Cordero, have delighted us all by the sparkle of their intellects, the pleasures of their company, the comfort of being guided by their judgment and insight;
And whereas Professor Linda Allan, of Texas Tech University, did provided a workshop known as “Integrating Biological Applications in the Mathematics Curriculum” which again demonstrated the wide applicability of mathematics and the mathematician’s willingness to assist all lesser disciplines;
And whereas all present were enlightened and entertained with ideas mathematical and whimsical by invited speakers: John Neuberger who gave us a view of differential equations beyond variables separable, Sarah Greenwald who finally gave The Simpsons the recognition that it so richly deserves, Marilyn Carlson who reminded us that student success in calculus isn’t automatic, and Nancy Hagelgans who drew our attention to robot arms and carpenter rules;
And whereas our Texas Treasure of Teaching Talent, the perfect plan for professors in perpetuity, The Texas NExT fellows, were ably hosted and guided by Jacqueline Jensen who did repeatedly caucus with, discourse with, dine with and enthuse our Texas NExT Fellows;
Whereas these same fellows were addressed by Nancy Hagelgans during a session in which she suggested to our Fellows that undergraduates can be coerced into both work and cooperation in their mathematics classes, this address being followed by Sarah Greenwald who shared with the NExT Fellows some considerations on Connecting Students to Mathematicians, said considerations not including super glue;
And whereas the great and sovereign state of Texas and The Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America does, this day, proclaim and acknowledge that not all “fellows” are of the male gender;
And whereas Kimberly Childs, Pam Littleton, and John Polking, three of our peers, did provided a partnership proposing panel;
And whereas Robert Vallin, Associate Director for Student Programs at the MAA, did present a Student Forum on the timely topic of Voting Theory;
And whereas Hristo Kohouharov did both differentially and integrally guide students in the fun and frolic of the Calculus Bowl and Ron Barnes did provided puzzles, prizes, and food (disguised as pizza), for the student attendees of this conclave;
And whereas Carl Seaquist did most ably ply the book sellers trade for the benefit of the MAA and all in attendance and Susan Gordon did superbly deal with vendors, solving problems of logistics and geography;
And whereas the 2007 Distinguished University Teacher, Minerva Cordero, did share with us a view of the beauty of mathematics, said topic being selected only after deep and profound reflection, and did develop this topic to the delight of each and every attendee,- no B.S.;
And whereas the section recognized the outstanding teaching of Dawn Slavens by naming her the Distinguished University Teacher, 2008; and did present Special Recognition to the last man standing, our colleague John Lamb Jr., for his forty years of devotion to the section.
And whereas the section did further recognize both Cynthia Naples, St. Edward’s University and Jennifer McLoud Mann, U.T. Tyler as recipients of the Outstanding Service To Students Award.
And whereas this meeting’s events, morning and evening, inside and out, serious and frivolous, have once again been photographically recorded for posterity by John Lamb, Jr.,
And whereas the membership, student and faculty, did present one hundred and fifteen interesting and learned papers which represents a 49% increase in presented papers;
And whereas that count of papers can be reduced to 63 student papers and 52 faculty papers, the faculty, obliquely noting that the students have once again outperformed them, do point out to the students that the faculty number of papers, 52, can easily be divided by 4;
And whereas the passing of two of our respected and long time colleagues, Jasper Adams and Ali Amir-Moez, was sadly noted;
So be it resolved and recorded for history that this section acknowledges the efforts and successes of these and others who have most diligently labored to bring forth these notable proceedings, and that these many mathematicians have honorably and profitably invested their time this fifth day of April, 2008.
Resolutions Committee
John T. Sieben, Chairman