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Show THE CAMPUS Alger resigns as provost Comm department's Pearson will serve in interim capacity Titanic explorer Charles Pellegrino said yesterday that the Oscar-winning film is quite accurate. Convo offers view of Titanic By JANELLE REICHERT OF THE JOURNAL STAFF It was a timely Convocation yesterday with author, adventurer, and archeologist Charles Pellegrino and his multi-media presentation, "Titanic: An Archeological Odyssey." Pellegrino, a leading archeologist on the exploration of the Titanic's remains, served as an expert consultant for the film Titanic, which walked off with 11 Academy Awards, including best picture Monday night. Pellegrino's lecture included an in-depth look at the historical documentation of the sinking and preservation of the long living legacy. The presentation included actual film footage of the broken vessel surrounded by haunting. reminiscences £rom passengers and crew who went down with the ship. Pellegrino lectured his findings as well as the future exploration of the T itanic, and expressed the extreme affliction that he and his crew felt for the victims of the tragic disaster throughout exploration of the magnificent ship. Working with Titanic, said Pellegrino, is like working with ghosts. "It is a very haunting feeling that surrounds you," he said. "It's basically a four-hundred foot living organism. Some of the bacteria found is new to the scientific community, Titanic may end up saving more lives than it had taken." Pellegrino and his crew are working to preserve all artifacts found throughout the wreckage. The artifacts are carefully placed in salt water and gradually to fresh water to ensure their preservation. The articulate detail of the ship has been specifically documented, and was a main factor in the making of the fi lm Titanic. "The film is very accurate," said Pellegrino. "James Cameron has completely changed the way we will view Titanic forever." Ryan Ropers recovering from accident By VERONICA GARNER ASSOCJATE EDITOR Spring break turned out to be tragic instead of fun-filled for SUU senior Ryan Ropers. Ryan, son of social science professor Richard Ropers, was traveling on 1-1 5 on March 17, headed for the Salt Lake International Airport, 'when he and friend Robbie Potter were involved in a devastating car accident near Fillmore. T he vehicle that Ryan was driving, along with Pot ter, was totaled and Ropers sustained severe head trauma and a broken neck. Potter was not injured. The exact details concerning the nature of the car accident are still uoa vaila ble. According to Prof. Ropers, Ryan was life-flighted to LDS hospital · in Salt Lake City where he remained until Monday when be was transported to his mother's home in Denver. "Ryan was supposed to graduate in June," said Prof. Ropers. "He is well-known, as he works at the Student Fitness Center and with the Cedar City Youth Corrections. I have received so many calls from his friends concerning him, and w ould like everyone to know that he is stable, suffering no paralysis, and that his friends can reach him very easily." Friends can send letters or call Ryan at the following: Ryan Ropers c/o M oss 2452 South Ellis Street Lakewood, CO 80228 telephone: (303) 980-1063 "Ryan is recovering well, from what I understand," said his father. "He's a fighter, and is very lucky to be alive, and to have many friends who ca.re about him so much. " Terry D. Alger, who has served for 17 years as provost at SUU, has offered his resignation from that position effective April 1. The provost is the chief academic officer of the university. Alger will take a sabbatical leave and then return to SUU to teach chemistry. He has previously taught at the University of Utah, Utah State University, and SUU. Frain Pearson, a longtime professor of communication and currently chair of the SUU communication department, will serve as interlIO provost until a nationwide search for Alger1 s replacement is successfully completed. Pearson served last year as the interim dean of the College of Business, Technology, an d Communication. In a prepared statement, SUU President Steve Bennion stated: "'terry Alger has served SUU well for a remarkable period of time as provost. He has played a pivotal role in helping guide the institution in its maturing years as a fouryear college to its emergence as a university. The enrollment has more than tripled since Dr. Alger assumed his duties as chief academic officer in 1981. Many academic programs have been added to the university's offerings. "His splendid contributions span the service of three presidents-Orville Carnahan, Jerry Sherratt, Interim provost-to be Frain Pearson and myseli. We are grateful for th e substantial ground he has plowed and for his dedicated service for a period of nearly two decades. The relentless demands of providing leadership for the academic needs of a growing institution are formidable. Terry Alger has shouldered them well. 11 A native of Carbon County, Alger studied at t he United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., for two years. He earned a B.S. degree and Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Utah. After several years of teaching and research at Utah State University, Alger was appointed the Utah System of H igher Education's associate di.rector of academic affairs. In 1981 he was appointed to serve as the chief academic office r at then Southern Utah State College. Alger and his wile Kay reside in Cedar City. Bennion noted that "On behalf of the Boards of R egents, Trustees, the faculty, staff, administration, and students at SUU, I express our sincere appreciation to Dr. Terry Alger for his splendid service and devotion to SUU over itbe pas t 17 years as provost. His many contributions have been farreaching." Pearson holds a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University, a master's from the University of Utah and a Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. H aving begun teaching at SUU in 1965, he is among the longest tenured faculty members here. While Pearson is in the provost's seat, he'll be replaced as communication department chair by Suzanne Larson, who performed the same duties last year while Pearson directed the BTC College . |