BOV returns to Air University Published April 17, 2009 By Carl Bergquist Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The Air University Board of Visitors is meeting for the first time this year at Maxwell, and there are some new faces among the group. The board meets several times each year at Maxwell, the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and other locations as needed and also travels each summer to Washington, D.C., to personally brief the Secretary of the Air Force. The purpose of the SECAF meeting is to offer their advice and recommendations on educational, doctrinal and research policies and activities of Air University. Diana Bunch, chief of the Air University Advisory Board, said there are five new members on the board who come from diverse backgrounds and have exceptional qualifications, and that brings the board total to 32 members. Each board member is appointed for one year and must go through the Secretary of Defense reappointment process each year. " BOV members are appointed by the SECDEF and are appointed as special government employees," she said. "The BOV committee members are governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 and Department of Defense Instruction 5105.04. Ms. Bunch said Air University maintains a governing board for two reasons. The first reason concerns Air University wanting to be the best university it can be. "The recommendations and consultations provided by the board cannot be obtained elsewhere in the Air Force or Department of Defense," she said. "It is outside the normal DoD chain of command and can therefore bring objectivity to all areas of review. It is the external, unbiased nature of the board that makes it a valuable tool." The second reason involves a mandate by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Principles of Accreditation that Air University have a board with broad and significant influence upon the university's programs and operations. New board members are: Retired Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Ronald Sega A 1974 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Dr. Sega received his master's degree and doctorate in 1975 and 1982, respectively, and entered the Air Force Reserve with the 901st Tactical Air Group at Peterson AFB, Colo., in 1982. He was selected as an astronaut in 1990, and made his first shuttle flight in 1994 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. From 1994 to 1995, Dr. Sega served as the National Aeronautic and Space Administration's director of Operation Russia and was responsible for managing NASA activities supporting astronaut and cosmonaut training for flight on the Russian Mir space station. Dr. Sega made his second shuttle flight in 1996 aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis and served as the payload commander for the third shuttle and Mir docking mission. Today, Dr. Sega serves as the Woodward Professor of Systems and Engineering and as the vice president for Energy, Environment and Applied Research at the Colorado State University Research Foundation. He also serves as the Reserve assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Dr. Eugene H. Spafford Dr. Spafford is currently a professor of computer sciences and executive director of the Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security for Purdue University. He is also on the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, is a National Security Agency advisor and panel member and is a member of the FBI regional Cybercrime Forensic Laboratory advisory board and the DoD Network Security Working Group. Additionally, Dr. Spafford serves on Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing Academic Advisory Board, and the Intel Corporation Security and Privacy advisory board. In 2009, he received the Computing Research Association Distinguished Service Award, and in 2003 he was named to Purdue University's Book of Great Teachers and was awarded the U.S. Air Force medal for Meritorious Civilian Service. Dr. Spafford also was named a fellow of Purdue University's Teaching Academy in 2001. Dr. Mildred Garcia Dr. Garcia is currently the president of California State University at Dominguez Hills, Calif. She came to the university from her job as president of Berkley College in New York and New Jersey. She serves on the Board of Association of American Colleges and Universities and is on the board of trustees of the Caucus Educational Corporation. Dr. Garcia is a founding board member of the 100 Hispanic Women, the Westchester Chapter, and serves the governor of New Jersey as the chair of the Education Mandate Review Study Commission. The National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education selected Dr. Garcia as an honoree for the Professional Achievement Award in 2008, and she was selected by Hispanic business as one of the "100 Most Influential Hispanics" in 2007. Dr. Garcia was also appointed to the New York/Long Island Chapter of the Office of Women in Higher Education, Women's State Network Office of the American Council on Education in 2007. Henry Fong Mr. Fong has been chairman of FastFunds Financial Corporation since June 2004 and has more than 40 years of business experience. He has also served as president, chief executive officer or director of numerous publicly-held companies that are listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, American Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange. He has served as the president and director of Equitex 2000 since its inception in 2001. During the period of 1959 to 1982, Mr. Fong served in various accounting, finance and budget positions with the Department of the Air force, and in 1972 was assigned to senior supervisory positions at the Department of the Air Force Headquarters at the Pentagon. In 1978, he was selected to participate in the Federal Executive Development Program and in 1981, Mr. Fong was appointed to the Senior Executive Service. He is active in community affairs and has served on the advisory committees of Children's Health and Harvard University and was chairman of the board of trustees for Benjamin School in Florida. Dr. David G. Carter Since 2006, Dr. Carter has been chancellor of the Connecticut State University System. He came to that job from the presidency of Eastern Connecticut State University and also worked at the University of Connecticut and Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Carter has published numerous chapters in books and articles in publications such as the Journal of Education and Urban Society, Urban Education, Emerging Leadership and the Journal of Law and Education. He has also received the NAACP Roy Wilkins Civil Right Award and the Outstanding Service and Leadership in Enhancing International Education Award. In 2000, Dr. Carter was named "Man of the Year" by the African American Affairs Commission and received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Briarwood College. He also serves on the Governor's Steering Committee on the task force of the Connecticut Center for Science and Exploration, and is the chair and a member of the Marine Corps University Board of Visitors. The Air University Board of Visitors arrive at Maxwell Saturday and will depart the following Wednesday. "I remain impressed and honored that our board members volunteer so much of their personal time to help Air University," Ms. Bunch said. "It's a commitment you don't see too often."