Jorge Atiles (Associate Professor, Housing and Consumer Economics and FACS Extension) has been appointed to the Housing Task Force of Gov. Sonny Perdue’s Latino Commission for a New Georgia. The group will advise the commission on policy issues and strategies for improving housing for the state’s Latino residents.

Katrina Bowers (Director of Development) is the only UGA employee selected for the 2004 Leadership Georgia.

Nancy Canolty (Associate Professor, Foods and Nutrition) has retired effective May 30 after 24 years on the faculty.

Renee Dotson (County Extension Coordinator, Gilmer, Pickens and Cherokee counties), Gail Hanula (Public Service Assistant, FACS Extension) and Lupita Stephens (County Extension Program Assistant, Gilmer County) were recognized at the FACS Honors Day Luncheon for their contributions to the College’s outreach efforts. Dotson received the Outreach County Agent Award; Hanula received the Outreach Faculty Award; and Stephens received the Outreach Paraprofessional Award.

Betty Etters (Instructor, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors) and Nolan Etters (Professor, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors) have retired from their respective positions. They joined the faculty in 1987. Dr. Etters will continue conducting research on a part-time basis.

Joan Fischer (Professor, Foods and Nutrition) has been named the Outstanding Dietetics Educator for Area III of the American Dietetic Association for undergraduate programs in dietetics and the Outstanding Educator by the Georgia Dietetic Association.

Charles Halverson (Professor, Human Development and Family Science) has retired after 27 years on the faculty.

Ian Hardin (Department Head, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors) has received an Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at Auburn University.

Ruth Harris (Associate Professor, Foods and Nutrition) has received a five-year grant of $1.3 million from the national Institutes of Health for her grant: “Chronic Effects of Acute Stress on Rats;” and a four-year grant of $1.03 million from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for her grant: “Leptin and Peripheral Glucose Metabolism.”

Judy Harrison (Associate Professor, Foods and Nutrition and FACS Extension) was named a Hill Award winner at the annual Public Service and Outreach meeting in January.

Hui-Chin Hsu (Assistant Professor, Human Development and Family Science) Michael Rupured (Financial Management Specialist, Housing and Consumer Economics and FACS Extension), and Charles Yang (Professor, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors) received three of the five faculty awards at the annual Gamma Sigma Delta Awards Banquet. Hsu received the Junior Faculty Award for her research; Rupured received the Distinguished Extension Award; and Yang received the Senior Faculty Award based on his research accomplishments. David Wright (Department Head, Human Development and Family Science) is the incoming president of Gamma Sigma Delta.

Julia Marlowe (Associate Professor, Housing and Consumer Economics) has received support from UGA President Michael Adams’ Venture Fund for a study of pre-paid phone cards used for calling Spanish-speaking countries to determine if false advertising is involved in the promotion of these cards.

Joan Koonce Moss (Associate Professor, Housing and Consumer Economics) has been named this year’s FACS Teacher of the Year. Karen Leonas (Professor, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors) has been named the FACS Advisor of the Year. Departmental Teachers of the Year are Naz Kaya (Assistant Professor, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors); Diane Hodson (Academic Professional, Human Development and Family Science); and Nancy Canolty (Associate Professor, Foods and Nutrition). Departmental Advisors of the Year are Diane Hodson (Academic Professional, Human Development and Family Science); and James Hargrove (Associate Professor, Foods and Nutrition).

Rebecca Mullis (Department Head, Foods and Nutrition) has been appointed as a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Committee to Assess Worksite Preventive Health Program Needs for NASA Employees. The committee will determine if there are chronic disease issues unique to the NASA work force and assess employee awareness concerning existing preventive health programs.

Nikki Williams (Administrative Secretary, Housing and Consumer Economics) has been awarded the 2004 Nettie Marie Nickols Outstanding Staff Performance Award.

In the nomination letter, Teresa Mauldin, HACE graduate coordinator, noted that Williams handles the many responsibilities she has as graduate coordinator assistant both in a timely manner and with great enthusiasm. “She goes beyond what is expected of her. Her willingness to learn and take on new challenges is refreshing,” Mauldin said.

Colleague Linda Toney described Williams as “an octopus. The reason being the way Nikki can multi-task. You would think she has eight arms, which are attached to eight very capable hands as she handles the varied needs of the faculty and graduate students.”

In addition to her job, Williams also serves the community in a variety of ways, including helping families with crisis recovery and providing tax preparation assistance to lower-income workers and students. She also has volunteered her time with the Mercy Clinic in Athens, which provides medical care to indigent patients. In addition, she is continuing her own education at UGA through taking classes