Date: 2/4/00
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
James Hiduke, assistant professor, English Language and Literature, (319) 273-2819
James O'Connor, UNI Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
Note to editors/news directors: Human interest angle – steel mill to ivory tower story. A former gang member, Hiduke grew up during the 1950s and 60s in the steel mills of Gary, Ind. A self-described “mill-rat,” he labored in the mills all day and went to college at night. Hiduke spent his lunch hours in the mills teaching his coworkers the basics of reading and writing.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Commas got you down? Is it there, their or they're? Don't worry. The doctor is in – Dr. Grammar that is. Dr. Grammar is the University of Northern Iowa's new, free grammar advice service to UNI students, faculty, staff and the community.
Dr. Grammar is actually UNI English Professor James Hiduke. According to Hiduke, the Dr. Grammar service evolved from informal advice he's been providing for years.
“More and more students arrive at colleges and universities less-than-prepared for the amount and type of writing required, regardless of the courses they take,” says Hiduke. “This led to large volumes of questions about simple things like language and usage, and more complicated topics like proper attribution of sources from the World Wide Web.”
A veteran English professor who teaches primarily introductory English and writing courses, Hiduke is well known by students and faculty as a source of answers to tough questions – hence the nickname, “Dr. Grammar.”
“I've been fascinated by language and usage since I was in college,” said Hiduke. “I live for this stuff.”
According to Jeff Copeland, head of the UNI English Department, the university recognized that students need help and that it had someone ready to meet the challenge. What was formerly a nickname now has become an official moniker. Anyone with questions about grammar, usage, punctuation, spelling or general language concerns can contact Dr. Grammar via telephone or the Web.
The Dr. Grammar service officially kicked off this month with a publicity campaign including billboards and television public service announcements in eastern Iowa.
“We're also in the final stages of completing a Dr. Grammar Web site,” said Hiduke. “It will contain a section for users to write in questions, along with sections on frequently asked questions, links to other resources and a newsletter on grammar and usage.”
Dr. Grammar can be reached by telephone at (319) 273-2819 or by e-mail at .
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Robert Koob, UNI President, (319) 273-2566
Phil Patton, UNI Registrar (319) 273-2283
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Another enrollment record has been set this spring on the University of Northern Iowa campus, with 12,778 students registered for spring semester classes, according to UNI Registrar Phil Patton. The new record tops the previous one, set last spring, of 12,415.
The new record is an increase of 363 students, or 2.9 percent over the spring 1999 enrollment.
Past spring enrollments have included:
1990 11,153
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