Rockford, Ill., — Assistant Professor of Philosophy Shawn Klein, Ph.D., has been asked to participate in a number of media appearances focusing on the nation’s latest sports obsession with under-inflated footballs. Dr. Klein teaches courses in sports ethics and philosophy at Rockford University. He also regularly posts about relevant sports topics for his blog, Sports Ethicist.com and has weighed in on several high-profile sports stories that raise questions about ethics in sports.

‌The recent controversy surrounding deflated footballs and allegations of cheating by the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots has captured the attention of media outlets and their audiences across the country. “Deflate-Gate, an unlikely controversy, has stirred national awareness about not just football PSI, but also the importance of rules and fairness in sport. The Patriots may ultimately be exonerated for any wrong doing, but this controversy has started wider discussions about the role of rules and how far is too far in striving for victory,” says Dr. Klein.Dr. Klein’s unique expertise in the area of sports ethics has led to several requests for comment regarding this most recent debate. Following is a list of recent engagements:

ESPN The Classroom, Marist College Center for Sports Communication. 1220 ESPN. January 24, 2015. Web (podcast)

Huffpost Live “The Latest on Deflate Gate” January 23, 2015. Web:

CNN Newsroom with Carol Costello. January 23, 2015. Transcript.

Maese, Rick. “Patriots, Bill Belichick walk, sometimes cross, line between competitiveness and cheating” Washington Post, January 22, 2015. Web:

Spewak, Danny. “Science Claims Deflategate Was No Accident!” WGRZ, Buffalo, NY. January 22, 2015.

Alesia, Mark. “Sports ethics experts analyze Belichick, ‘DeflateGate’” Indianapolis Star, January 22, 2105. Print A1; A6. Web:

“Sports Ethicist Sees Honest Lesson in Deflategate” A Discussion between Dan Lothian of Heart Beings and Shawn Klein of The Sports Ethicist.

Image by David Menard

Rockford, Ill. – The Rockford University biennial art auction, Heart Art, will be held Friday, February 20 from 6-9 p.m. in the Rockford University Art Gallery located in the Clark Arts Center on the Rockford University campus, 5050 East State Street, Rockford. 

Heart Art will feature original works of art by more than 30 artists, including Rockford University Art Department professors David Menard, Philip Soosloff, Chris Sisson and previous gallery exhibitors Stephen Warde Anderson, Jesus Correa, and Michael Ferris, Jr. Proceeds of the auction will benefit the Rockford University Art Gallery exhibitions and events. A variety of art in all media will be available for bid. Attendees will be able to view and bid on unique works of art while enjoying the company of many artists and art appreciators. Tickets are $15 for the public, $5 for students, and can be purchased through the Rockford University Box Office by calling 815.226.4100, emailing boxoffice@rockford.edu or in person Monday-Friday, 1-5 p.m.

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday 3-6 p.m. and Friday 12-3p.m. The gallery is closed Monday. Private showings are also available by appointment. Clark Arts Center is accessible. For a full listing of participating artists and more information about the gallery visit https://www.rockford.edu/artslectures/artgallery.

Rockford University joins just 361 other colleges and universities from across the nation, and one of only 11 in Illinois, to receive the 2015 Community Engagement Classification from The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Rockford University retains its classification from the original 2006 review process.

The Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement is an elective classification, meaning that it is based on voluntary participation by institutions. The elective classification involves data collection and documentation of important aspects of institutional mission, identity and commitments, and requires substantial effort invested by participating institutions. The classification is not an award. It is an evidence-based documentation of institutional practice to be used in a process of self-assessment and quality improvement. The documentation is reviewed to determine whether the institution qualifies for

recognition as a community engaged institution.

“The importance of this elective classification is borne out by the response of so many campuses that have demonstrated their deep engagement with local, regional, national, and global communities,” said John Saltmarsh, Director of the New England Resource Center for Higher Education. “These are campuses that‌ are improving teaching and learning, producing research that makes a difference in communities, and revitalizing their civic and academic missions.”

Rockford University Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Steven Siconolfi, Ph.D., adds, “An institution that earns this recognition must do more than have a center for community engagement. They, like us, have integrated community engagement into teaching, scholarship and service. This reflects our ability to challenge and support learners with a rich academic opportunities, practical experiences and global perspectives that helps build a student’s knowledge, values and skills.”

The Foundation, through the work of the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, developed the first typology of American colleges and universities in 1970 as a research tool to describe and represent the diversity of U.S. higher education. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (now housed at Indiana University Bloomington’s Center for Postsecondary Research) continues to be used for a wide range of purposes by academic researchers, institutional personnel, policymakers and others.

A listing of the institutions that hold the Community Engagement Classification can be found on NERCHE’s website.

The Community Engagement Classification takes place on a five-year cycle. The next opportunity for institutions to apply for classification will be during the 2020 cycle (which will open in 2018).

Rockford, Ill. — The Rockford University Spring 2015 Forum Series will begin Friday, January 23. There will be nine events at the University this spring that span a wide variety of topics and interests. All events are open to the public and with the exception of theatre events, are offered at no charge. All lectures and performances will take place on the Rockford University campus, 5050 East State Street, Rockford. Tickets are required for all events and can be obtained by contacting the Rockford University Box Office at 815-226-4100 or boxoffice@rockford.edu.

Students interested in attending, or who would like to learn more about Rockford University, are invited to attend a Visit Day on Saturday, February 7, beginning with check-in at 8:45 a.m. Rockford University’s campus is located at 5050 East State Street, Rockford.

Visit Days provide prospective students and their families an in-depth look at Rockford University including visits with admission representatives, financial aid staff, faculty and current students. Visit Day also includes a tour of the campus, located in the heart of Rockford on 150 wooded acres, and an academic fair where visitors can talk one-on-one with college faculty from various departments to learn more about academic programs. A complimentary lunch will also be served in the college’s cafeteria from its on-campus dining service.

Prospective students are invited to stay overnight in a residence hall or at one of the area’s hotels.  The university’s application fee will be waived if students fill out their application form during Visit Day. Reservations are requested. Email or call the Office of Admission at admissions@rockford.edu  or 815.226.4050 or 800.892.2984.

Be sure to check out the most recent issue of Catalyst – news from Rockford University and beyond.

Rockford, Ill., — Classes for the spring 2015 semester begin on Tuesday, January 20 at Rockford University and there is still time to enroll. Rockford University serves students in all levels of education including undergraduate (bachelor degree), graduate (master level), adult accelerated degree completion, transfer students, international students and veterans (Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program).

The next cohort start date for the adult accelerated degree completion program to earn a Bachelor of Science in Management Studies (BSMS)

degree begins February 12, 2015. The BSMS program is designed to provide a quality educational experience for adult learners in an accelerated format. The program also provides a tuition-covered option for qualified adults who have been out of work for at least 18 months and will cover any remaining tuition after all eligible state and federal student aid is applied. Qualified applicants must be Illinois residents 25 years of age and older who have been unemployed for at least 18 months, have some transferable college credit, but have not already earned a bachelor’s degree.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs allow students to take up to four courses before formally enrolling in the program and offer flexible options for working adults. The MAT program offers several certifications and endorsements in areas like special education, reading specialist, instructional strategies and bilingual education. There is also a variety of options available to degreed professionals who may wish to enter the teaching profession. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program covers a variety of functional areas including as accounting, economics, finance, management and marketing. Students can choose a concentration in disciplines such as MBA/CPA, public and not-for-profit management, entrepreneurship or management.

Contact the Rockford University Office of Admission at 8152264050 or 800-892-2984, or email to Admissions@rockford.edu for more information about applying for undergraduate classes. You may also apply online at www.rockford.edu/admission/apply.

Contact the Rockford University Graduate Office at 815-226-4040 today if interested in MBA or MAT courses.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has recognized Rockford University as a leader among institutions of higher education for its support of volunteering, service learning, and civic engagement. 2014 marks the seventh consecutive year that Rockford University has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Launched in 2006, the Honor Roll annually highlights the role colleges and universities play in solving community problems and placing more students on a lifelong path of civic engagement by recognizing institutions that achieve meaningful, measureable outcomes in the communities they serve.

CNCS, the federal agency for volunteering and service administers the award in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the American Council on Education, Campus Compact, and the Interfaith Youth Core.

College students make a significant contribution to their communities through volunteering and service, according to the most recent Volunteering and Civic Life in America report. In 2012, 3.1 million college students dedicated more than 118 million hours of service across the country — a contribution valued at $2.5 billion. Led by the Jane Addams Center for Civic Engagement, Rockford University students accounted for more than 10,000 volunteer hours in 2014 which is estimated to equal to $221,500 for local non-profits.

For a full listing of recipients, visit the 2014 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

‌Rockford University senior Allison Jackson of Roscoe, Ill., has been selected as Rockford University’s Lincoln Academy Student Laureate for 2014, a state wide honor that recognizes an outstanding college senior from each of the four-year degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois who demonstrate excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities.

At a ceremony held on November 1, 2014 in Springfield, Ill., Ms. Jackson was awarded the Lincoln Laureate Academy Student Laureate Medallion at the Student Laureate Convocation at the Old State Capitol, along with a monetary grant in the amount of $1,000 and certificate of achievement. The event marked the 40th year that students have been honored by the academy.

Ms. Jackson, a graduate of Harlem High School and is completing her final semester at Rockford University, majoring in Nursing and minoring in Human Development. As a Trustee Scholarship recipient, Allison has been recognized as both a Dean’s and Distinguished Scholar. Outside the classroom, Allison is involved in the RU Nursing Student Organization, the Student Nurses Association of Illinois, the National Student Nurses Association, tutors students in microeconomics and is a note-taker for students with disabilities. She is an honorary member of Psi Chi, International Honor Society in Psychology, and a member of the Academy of Neonatal Nursing. Allison is employed at Rockford Memorial Hospital as a Certified Nursing Assistant and aspires to work as a Neonatal Intensive Care nurse while completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Neonatology.

Photo: Allison Jackson with Rockford University President Robert L. Head, Ph.D.

Rockford, Ill., –  Senior Development Officer John McNamara was honored by the Winnebago and Boone Counties Continuum of Care (task force on homelessness) with the inaugural Hero of Homeless Award on November 19, 2014. The award was given to Mr. McNamara in recognition of his initiation in 1987 of the Mayors’ Task Force on Homelessness and the subsequent coordinated care to this population. He served as Mayor of Rockford from 1981 – 1989. Others receiving this recognition were Dick Kunnert,who chaired the task force for 18 ye‌ars and A posthumous award to Frank Ware, director of the Janet Wattles mental health clinic from 1989 to his death in 2011.‌

Since 2004, McNamara has worked in various roles at Rockford University including Special Assistant to the President, Senior Fellow in the Jane Addams Center for Civic Engagement, Vice President of College Development and is currently the Senior Development Officer. He served in the U.S. Army with a tour in Vietnam, as an assistant public defender for the County of Winnebago, as a city council member prior to serving as Rockford’s mayor.

In his current role John has been instrumental in re-establishing efforts to identify and assist those individuals who have named or are considering Rockford University in their estate plans. He continues to be a tireless advocate for the city and its citizens and remains active with his church, St. Peter Cathedral, and multiple boards and committees. He received a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame in 1961, and a law degree from The University of Michigan in 1964.