PI ALPHA XI Lotus Leaflet February 2013
Letter from Our President Page 2 Horticulture: The Art and Science of Growing Plants Spring semester is underway on our campuses. Soon chapters will be holding initiation ceremonies for new members, and perhaps, conducting other special programs. If you do, please share the good work of your chapters with everyone through a story in the Lotus Leaflet or send along to me to distribute to the chapters. PAX can only be as strong as you make it. Fox News recently ran a story about a former anti-gmo activist, with the emphasis on former. I m not taking a stand or endorsing that PAX take a position. I m just sharing the idea that PAX members are in a very good position to promote the understanding of the science behind GMOs. This is the same message he was conveying; the need to understand the science before making a conclusion. He realized, after years of opposing GMOs, that he didn t really have a grasp on the fundamental science underlying the principles of GMO crops. Check out the story An environmentalist s confession - I was wrong about genetically modified crops (http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/01/0 7/environmentalist-confession-was-wrongabout-genetically-modifiedcrops/?intcmp=HPBucket). Why do I bring this up? Part of PAX s mission is to facilitate the exchange of ideas among members. As members of the horticulture profession, we need to be part of the conversation. Understand the science and help with the conversation. Well, the discussion of GMOs is the science of growing plants. Our annual photography contest relates to the art of growing plants. We use photography to illustrate what we do in the landscape and in our research programs, or to communicate in our extension programs. Bob Lyons and the Photography Contest Committee are busy reviewing contest rules and selecting the challenge category. Encourage faculty and students to review their photo collections and select their best for the contest. You don t have to be a member of PAX to submit an entry. Look for an announcement for the challenge category sometime within the next month or so. Remember, proceeds from the contest support our matching scholarship program. And just a reminder, if you have any questions about PAX feel free to contact myself, Karen Panter (Vice President) or Stephanie Burnett (National Secretary-Treasurer). Cindy Slone (cslone@ashs.org) at ASHS headquarters (1018 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314) is our new contact. Send chapter dues and initiation fees to her with the list of new members. I know she has received these from many already and has been busy sending out certificates and pins. Yours in horticulture, Mary Lewnes Albrecht, PhD, Zeta 166 Office of the Provost and Department of Plant Sciences Professor of Public Horticulture Associate Provost University of Tennessee Board of Directors August 2012 August 2014 President: Mary Lewnes Albrecht, Ph.D. Office of the Provost and Department of Plant Sciences University of Tennessee 527 Andy Holt Tower Knoxville, TN 37996-0152 Phone: 865-974-3635 Email: mlalbrecht@utk.edu Vice President Karen Panter, Ph.D. Department of Plant Sciences University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307-766-5117 Fax: 307-766-5549 Email: kpanter@uwyo.edu Secretary-Treasurer Stephanie Burnett, Ph.D. University of Maine 5722 Deering Hall Orono, ME 04469 Phone: 207-581-2937 Fax: 207-581-2999 Email: sburnett@maine.edu
Introducing Cindy Slone Committees Page 3 Α Cindy Slone was recently appointed as the Executive Secretary for Pi Alpha Xi by ASHS. Cindy will handle all day to day activities including maintaining a membership list of initiates and chapters, all financial activities, sending out flower judging manuals, and sending out shingles and pins. She works in the ASHS headquarters in Alexandria Virginia. Please contact Cindy at cslone@ashs.org. THE PURPOSE OF PI ALPHA XI, THE HONOR SOCIETY FOR FLORICULTURE, LANDSCAPE HORTICULTURE, AND ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE, IS TO RECOGNIZE HIGH SCHOLARSHIP, TO FOSTER GOOD RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ITS MEMBERS, TO PROMOTE OR TO FACILITATAE THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AMONG MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSIONS, AND TO ESTABLISH CORDIAL RELATIONS AMONG STUDENTS, EDUATORS AND INDUSTRY MEMBERS. Remember! Chapter dues of $20 are payable in January each year. Payments should be made out to the order of and sent to: PAX-ASHS Executive Secretary American Society for Horticultural Science 1018 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Standing Committees 2012-2014 Fellows Selection Committee solicits nominations for Fellows of the Society and is responsible for assembling support documentation for selection. Pi Alpha Xi Immediate Past President John Peterson (chair), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, drjohncp@calpoly.edu Pi Alpha Xi Past President Daniel Warnock, Monsanto, daniel.f.warnock@monsanto.com Doug Needham, Longwood Gardens, dneedham@longwoodgardens.org Ellen Paparozzi, University of Nebraska, etp1@unl.edu Pi Alpha Xi President Mary Lewnes Albrecht, University of Tennessee, mlalbrecht@utk.edu Membership Services Committee coordinates the publication of the Recruitment Brochure, Flower Judging Manual, and other services and materials of the Honor Society. Terry Ferriss (chair), University of Wisconsin- River Falls, terry.l.ferriss@uwrf.edu Janet Cole, Oklahoma State University, janet.cole@okstate.edu Holly Scoggins, Virginia Tech University, perennials@vt.edu Pi Alpha Xi National Secretary-Treasurer, Stephanie Burnett, University of Maine, sburnett@maine.edu, ex officio Nominations Committee develops a slate of candidates for the National Offices and presents the slate at the National Meeting in 2014. Paul Thomas (chair), University of Georgia, pathoms@uga.edu Tina Marie Cade, Texas State University, tc10@txstate.edu Pi Alpha Xi President, Mary Lewnes Albrecht, University of Tennessee, mlalbrecht@utk.edu
Committees Page 4 Photography Contest Committee oversees the rules, fees, and prizes associated with the photography contest at the annual ASHS conference and PAX annual business meeting. Bob Lyons (chair), University of Delaware, rlyons@udel.edu Gary Bachman, Mississippi State University, gbachman@ext.msstate.edu Richard Criley, University of Hawaii, criley@hawaii.edu Tim Rhodus, Ohio State University, rhodus.1@osu.edu Pi Alpha Xi, President, Mary Lewnes Albrecht, University of Tennessee, ex officio, mlalbrecht@utk.edu Rules Committee reviews the Constitution and By-Laws of the Honor Society and the Operations Manual. Revisions to the Constitution and By- Laws are presented to the membership for consideration. Richard Harkess (chair), Mississippi State University, rharkess@pss.msstate.edu Jim Klett, Colorado State University, jim.klett@colostate.edu Alice LeDuc, Texas State University, aleduc@duke.edu Paul Thomas, University of Georgia, pathomas@uga.edu Pi Alpha Xi Vice President, Karen Panter, University of Wyoming, ex officio, kpanter@uwyo.edu Student Activities Committee proposes, develops, and oversees activities of the Honor Society intended to engage undergraduate and graduate students at national events. David Graper (chair), South Dakota State University, David.Graper@sdstate.edu Peg McMahon, Ohio State University, mcmahon.43@osu.edu Dianne Noland, University of Illinois, dnoland@illinois.edu Brian Trader, Longwood Gardens, btrader@longwoodgardens.org Pi Alpha Xi Immediate Past President, John Peterson, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, ex officio, drjohncp@calpoly.edu Ad Hoc Committee 2012-2014 Website Committee - oversees development and maintenance of the society s website. Tim Rhodus (chair), Ohio State University, rhodus.1@osu.edu Pi Alpha Xi Vice President, Karen Panter, University of Wyoming, ex officio, kpanter@uwyo.edu Executive Secretary, Dawn Mancini, ex officio, dmancini@ashs.org or Mike Neff, ex officio, mwneff@ashs.org The Greek Alphabet Α alpha Β beta Γ gamma Δ delta Ε epsilon Ζ zeta Η eta Θ theta Ι iota Κ kappa Λ lambda Μ mu Ν nu Ξ xi Ο omicron Π pi Ρ rho Σ sigma Τ tau Υ upsilon Φ phi Χ chi Ψ psi Ω omega
Purchase Judging Manual Online New Initiates Page 5 The Pi Alpha Xi Flower Judging Manual is now located on the ASHS online shopping cart. Go to http://shop.ashs.org/home.php and look under the Books classification. The cost is $12 plus $3 shipping, total $15 per copy. Find our new Operations Manual on our web site! Our new revised National Constitution is also on our web site! Also look for our revised Initiation Ceremonies! Γ Gamma Chapter The Pennsylvania State University June 2012 David J. Leinbach Suzanne M. Slack Brianna Meyers Sheri Taylor Jon Gumble ΑΜ Alpha Mu Chapter Temple University December 6, 2012 Renee C. Benson Holly Bonacum Theresa Cinque Karen M. Flick S.J. Hussey Mary M. Mantey Lauren N. Sadler Denise R. Snook ΑΔ Alpha Delta Chapter Oklahoma State University September 24, 2012 Elizabeth McMahon Kristen Willis Chrissie Segars ΑΖ Alpha Zeta Chapter University of Wisconsin River Falls October 25, 2012 Scott G. Dzimian Katherine Smaglik Maurisha Meyer Χ Chi Chapter Colorado State University October 2, 2012 Kyndra Fletcher Josh BorgmannFin Eric Sabin Zack Wiese Tom Zimmerman Catherine Johnson Maxwell Cranford Kevin Hobson
Pi Alpha Xi Financial Report Page 6 Unaudited Statement of Financial Position As of December 31, 2012 ASSETS Current Assets Checking/Savings Suntrust $32,950.61 Total Checking/ Savings $32,950.61 Total Current Assets $32,950.61 TOTAL ASSETS $32,950.61 LIABILITIES & EQUITY Equity Temp. Restricted Net Assets $2,000.00 Unrestricted Net Assets $29,468.68 Net Income $1,481.93 Total Equity $32,950.61 TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY $32,950.61 Unaudited Statement of Activities July through December 2012 INCOME Dues $240.00 Initiate Dues $675.00 Manual Sales $204.00 Manual Shipping $ 31.44 Miscellaneous Income $ 25.00 Photo Entry Fees $610.00 TOTAL INCOME $1,785.44 EXPENSES Bank & Credit Card Fees $ 31.86 Office Supplies $ 22.80 Photo Contest Awards $130.00 Postage & Shipping $ 18.85 Scholarship $100.00 TOTAL EXPENSES $303.51 NET INCOME $1,481.93
Alpha Chapter Revitalized! The first chapter of Pi Alpha Xi was the Alpha Chapter formed in 1923 at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. The vision for PAX was developed by a group of academics from several different universities who were attending the International Flower Show in New York City. After dinner one night, a discussion began among these professors about ways to recognize the academic achievements of floriculture students in the United States. Their vision evolved and eventually their concept became reality by deciding to create an honor society called Pi Alpha Xi. A group of individuals from Cornell University, led by Arno Nehrling, established the society. They wrote the first constitution and ritual and designed the insignia, also known as the key. Eventually, the first installation of the Alpha Chapter was held on June 1, 1923. This organization of students from floriculture and ornamental horticulture was very active at Cornell University for many years and peaked in the 1970 s. Pi Alpha Xi organized many activities at Cornell during its active years. One event that is vividly remembered is the big dance that they would organize each fall at Willard Straight Hall. The students would get dressed up for this event and danced to a live band. Back in those days, football mums corsages were given to all the young ladies at these events. As student enrollment in floriculture and ornamental horticulture declined and faculty retired over the years, the Alpha Chapter became less active and eventually became totally inactive sometime in the 1990 s. Page 7 This year, Dr. Mark Bridgen, Professor of Horticulture at Cornell University, was named the new advisor to the Alpha Chapter and has reactivated its membership with National PAX. Dr. Bridgen originally became a member of the Gamma Chapter at the Pennsylvania State University back in 1976, and later continued his activity as a graduate student at the Epsilon Chapter at Ohio State University and with the Kappa Chapter at Virginia Polytechnic & State University, where he obtained his PhD. Dr. Bridgen s wife, Margot, was also a member of PAX at Penn State and joined the fraternity with her then-boyfriend, Mark. Dr. Bridgen and the floriculture team at Cornell University are anxious to invigorate the Alpha Chapter at their university. The first new member initiation in many years will be held this spring semester in Ithaca. Liberty Alstroemeria patented by Dr. Mark Bridgen, October 17, 1995; U.S. Plant Patent 9,337. Lotus Leaflet edited by Karen Panter, Ph.D. Pi Alpha Xi Vice President 2012-2014 Inducted 1978, Chi 66