UMD News Releases

UMD has announced the retirement of nine faculty members for the 2007-2008 academic year.

Richard Seybolt, Professor of Spanish
Richard Seybolt joined the UMD Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures in 1974. Over his 34-year career Seybolt, a Professor of Spanish, specialized in Spanish Literature, both from the Medieval and Golden Age, and the 19th and 20th Centuries. Professor Seybolt has published numerous articles and has presented at various national and international conferences. Most recently he made a presentation at the Cincinnati Conference of Romance Languages and Literatures on "The Poetic Word of Luis Cernuda."

J. Clark Laundergan, Professor of Sociology-Anthropology
J. Clark Laundergan came to UMD in the 1970s, and served as UMD Sociology-Anthropology Department head both in the 1970s and in the 1980s. More recently he directed the UMD Center for Addiction Studies. Professor Laundergan's two areas of research were Addictions and the Sociology of Community. He has provided undergraduate students with experience in conducting regional research and preparing research reports. Professor Laundergan's research on addictions has included chemical dependency treatment outcome studies done with the Hazelden Foundation, and compulsive gambling prevalence research conducted for the Minnesota Department of Human Services. His most recent research focused on trends in college student drinking patterns among the three colleges in Duluth. Professor Laundergan is one of the founding members of the Sociologists of Minnesota and a recipient of its Distinguished Service award in 1987.

William Fleischman, Professor of Sociology-Anthopology
William Fleischman began his career at UMD in 1970, teaching theory, methods and statistics. A Professor of Sociology, Fleischman developed the UMD Internship Program for Sociology and Criminology Majors, and served as the Internship Coordinator for over 20 years. In this capacity, he built bridges between UMD and several agencies and organizations within the state and the broader Midwest region. Professor Fleischman provided valuable assistance to students and colleagues with research design and program evaluation projects. He also served as a volunteer mediator in the Duluth area and with the State of Minnesota. He worked with social services agencies at the national level, researching the ways for improving the delivery of social services. His latest research emphasized the use and management of natural resources.

Thomas Bacig, Professor of Cultural Studies
Thomas Bacig began his career at UMD in the English Department and later served in the Department of Sociology-Anthropology. Professor Bacig's areas of teaching included English Education, Composition, American Studies, Humanities/Classics, Interdisciplinary Studies and Cultural Studies. He served as Director of Composition, head of the Department of Interdisciplinary Programs, Chief Negotiator and Contract Administrator for the University Education Association (UEA), and director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Major. Professor Bacig is a member of the University of Minnesota and UMD Academy of Distinguished Teachers, and a past recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Horace T. Morse-University of Minnesota Alumni Association Awards for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education and the Jean G. Blehart Distinguished Teaching Award.

Stephen Adams, Professor of English
Stephen Adams came to UMD in 1986. Over his 21-years in the UMD Department of English, Professor Adams taught courses in American literature and American studies. His talents as a teacher have been formally recognized with numerous honors, including the prestigious Horace T. Morse-University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education (in 2000), CLA Research Award (in 2002), Student Association Outstanding Faculty Award in (1996-1997), CLA Teaching Award (in 1995), and Access Center Outstanding Faculty Award (in 1994). He has published two books, "Revising Mythologies: the Composition of Thoreau's Major Works" and "The Best and Worst Country in the World: Perspectives on the Early Virginia Landscape," as well as several articles on Thoreau, Whitman and Margaret Fuller, and the craft of teaching.

Raymond Raab, Professor Of Economics
Raymond Raab joined the UMD Department of Economics in 1970. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 1976 and to Full Professor in 1985. Professor Raab's teaching areas include Microeconomics, Statistics, Government Policy Relating to Business, and Industrial Organization. During his career at UMD, Professor Raab has been a prolific researcher, focusing on issues of efficiency and the application of Data Envelopment Analysis in public and private applications. His recent work has appeared in several publications including "The Journal of Regional Science", "The Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy", "Socio-Economic Planning Science", and "The Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science". Professor Raab received his Ph.D. in Economics from Colorado State University in 1971.

John Voss, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
John Voss began his career at UMD in 1971. After several years with the Departments of Industrial Education and Industrial Technology Studies, Professor Voss joined the Department of Industrial Engineering in 1990. During the past 37 years, Professor Voss has taught courses on various topics, including Manufacturing Technology, Manufacturing Engineering, Human Factors, Design and Machining. Since joining (what is now) the UMD Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIE), Professor Voss has been instrumental in delivering a hands-on curriculum to the engineering graduates for almost 20 years. In addition to his teaching duties, he has served as the assistant department head for many years, acted as coordinator for accreditation efforts, and conducted many process improvement projects for companies in the Duluth area.

M. Reza-ul "Raj" Karim, Professor of Biology
M. Reza-ul "Raj" Karim came to UMD in 1989. He began as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Administration and Research, and began teaching in the Department of Biology in 1993. Professor Karim developed and taught courses on numerous topics including General Microbiology, Virology, Immunology, Food Preservation, and Sanitation and Handling. A mentor and advisor, Professor Karim sponsored hundreds of Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) students in their research projects, and he took them annually to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) to make presentations on their work. He has also worked with Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Scholars Program, and has served as the advisor of the Pre-veterinary Medicine Club. Professor Karim is a recipient of the John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising (1999). He has been honored by the Pakistan Society for Microbiology with Life Time Achievement Award (2002), and with Ahmad Iqbal Bukhari Award for Professional Excellence (2002).

Donald Collins, Assistant Professor of Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Donald Collins joined the UMD Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1991. Professor Collins has been a coordinator of the coaching minor program, and has taught courses related to facility management and the organizational health, physical education and recreation. He has taught and supervised students in the physical education, exercise science and coaching programs. Professor Collins came to UMD from the University of Minnesota Waseca, where he served as head of the physical education department, director of intercollegiate athletics and head football coach.