This Week @ AU

Members of the Board of Trustees and the president and chief executive officer of EBSCO Industries Inc., Dixon Brooke, will hold the dedication of the new Learning Commons in Auburn University's Ralph Brown Draughon Library at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5. Funding through a gift by EBSCO helped create this space that was designed to respond to the needs of today's students. Throughout the past three years, The Libraries has worked closely with Auburn's students to gather input in order to have a space designed by the students and for the students. The Learning Commons features 300 additional power outlets, 10 group study rooms and almost 500 new seats. The Libraries partnered with the Miller Writing Center, the Office of Information Technology and Study Partners to provide academic and technologic assistance in one convenient space with library reference services for users.

Students at Auburn University will soon have the opportunity to earn credit for a master's degree while still working toward their undergraduate diploma.

Trustees at Auburn approved an accelerated dual degree program that is expected to appeal to top students who wish to work in fields where advanced qualifications are needed.

Students must meet minimum grade point and credit hour standards to become eligible.

The program is expected to save participating students both time and money. It will also benefit students who are preparing for careers in which workers are in short supply.

For more information, or to read the full story, click on this link.

John C.H. “Jack” Miller Jr., an Auburn University trustee since 2000, passed away Saturday at his home in Mobile. He had suffered from cancer since 2004. Miller was the founder and chairman of the Mobile-based law firm Miller, Hamilton, Snider and Odom, which merged with Jones Walker in 2008. “Jack brought energy, innovation and an insightful focus to academic quality and scholarship," said Auburn President Jay Gogue.
Miller was a champion for many Auburn academic programs and spearheaded efforts to improve students’ writing and reasoning skills. The Auburn Board of Trustees in June named the university’s newly established writing center in his honor. Miller is survived by his wife of 38 years, Susan Ross Miller; his mother, Emily Townsend Miller of Mobile; his children, Emily Miller Washburn and husband, James; John Cleveland Hays Miller III and wife, Julia; and Edward Aubert Roberts Miller and wife, Meredith; and two grandsons, Jackson Roberts Washburn and Jesse Townsend Washburn. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. tomorrow, July 14, at Government St. Presbyterian Church in Mobile. The Rev. Al Reese, the Rev. Steve Raby and Wade F. Perry will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Auburn University in care of the John C.H. Miller Jr. Writing Center or the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico.

The Alabama Senate Confirmations Committee will meet Tuesday, March 24, to consider the nomination of Raymond J. Harbert of Birmingham for an at-large position on the Auburn University Board of Trustees. The meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. in room 727 of the Alabama State House. Harbert was selected Feb. 13 by the Auburn Trustee Selection Committee to fill the seat previously held by Earlon McWhorter of Anniston. The office of Gov. Bob Riley, who is president of the Auburn Board, sent the Harbert selection to the Alabama Senate. Nominations to the Auburn Board require Senate confirmation. Harbert is chairman and chief executive officer of Harbert Management Corp. He graduated from Auburn in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in industrial management.