University of Nebraska Kearney

Status of General Studies Renewal: Program Proposal to Faculty Senate

Participants of Phase II of the General Studies Roundtable have completed a proposed General Studies program and forwarded it to the Faculty Senate for review. The proposed new program is described as a “liberal studies” program, “in that it is gathered around the concept of a ‘curriculum for educated citizenship in a free, equitable, and just society’” (from the preamble of the Roundtable Proposal available on the General Studies website). The proposed program categories are Fundamentals (12 hours), Historical Sources (3 hours), Portal course (3 hours), Modes of Inquiry (12 hours), Disciplinary Focus (13 hours), and Capstone course (2 hours).

The proposed courses are described in detail in the Roundtable Proposal. The Faculty Senate will now review and discuss the proposal, make changes, and eventually vote on whether to endorse it. If it is endorsed, the proposal will go to the General Studies Council for review, modification, and development. The General Studies Council will also send the proposal to the college educational policy committees for their input. Ultimately, the General Studies Council would submit a completed full proposal to the general faculty for a ratifying vote. The complete renewal process is outlined on the General Studies website.

Project Underway to Implement New Student Information System

The University of Nebraska and Nebraska State College campuses are in the process of selecting new student information systems to replace the systems implemented in the early 1990s. The current vendor has decided to stop supporting the existing software at the end of 2011. Because implementation is a multi-year project, immediate action is necessary in order to have new systems in place by that time.

Collegiate Project Services is a consulting firm that has been hired to help guide the University and the State Colleges through four steps in the planning process: identifying the essential features in the new student system; preparing to issue an RFP (Request for Proposal); reviewing the responses to the RFP and choosing a vendor; and preparing to implement the new SIS system.

In 2007, both the University of Nebraska and the Nebraska State Colleges began independent efforts to replace the administrative systems for their respective institutions. At the request of the governor, and for purposes of reaching efficiency and cost savings goals for the state, the two campus systems began discussions in December of 2007 to collaborate on software acquisition efforts. The outcome of those discussions led to a combined procurement effort which has been labeled the NeSIS project, and the project organization consists of all University of Nebraska and Nebraska State College stakeholders, Functional and Technical Decision Teams, a Core Team, and a Steering Committee.

The first phase of the project, which will last six or seven months, will be to select the SIS solution that best fits the varied needs of our stakeholders. Some of you participated recently in an online survey, the results of which will be used to help define requirements for the new system. The RFP for the project is scheduled for release to vendors on February 4. Watch for periodic updates on the progress of this project.

New Athletic Training Comprehensive Bachelor of Science Approved

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents and Nebraska’s Coordinating Commission of Postsecondary Education (CCPE) recently approved a new major for UNK – the Athletic Training Comprehensive Bachelor of Science. The department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Leisure Studies (HPERLS) previously offered an Athletic Training Education Program as an option of the Exercise Science Comprehensive Bachelor of Science. In November of 2006, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training (CAATE) conducted a review of the HPERLS Department and made a recommendation to the department to convert the Athletic Training Education Program to a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training. The department initiated the process in January of 2007, altering the Exercise Science Comprehensive and requesting the creation of the Athletic Training Comprehensive Bachelor of Science. The requests were approved by Academic Affairs and the Faculty Senate at the end of the spring semester and then forwarded to the Board of Regents and the CCPE. The major will be effective with the Fall 2008 catalog.

Delegation from Shandong University to Visit UNK

Five staff members from Shandong University at Weihai in China will visit UNK from February 14-19. While here, these individuals will shadow UNK staff members who have responsibilities similar to theirs and compare the organization of our activities and offices to theirs. During their visit they will talk with UNK personnel and visit Kearney and the surrounding area.

The participants in the program are: Sun Wuan, Director of Sociology Teaching Department; Zhou Huiru, Director of Human Resources Department; Zhu Guihua, Director of Laboratory and Facility Office; Huang Jianjun, Vice Dean of Marine School; and Yin Chuanbo, Officer of International Office.

Results of CAAP Tests Forthcoming

In the fall, General Studies and Assessment personnel administered the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) Critical Thinking and Writing tests in several classes on campus. Instructors from all four colleges agreed to give up a class period to allow the testing of freshmen and seniors: 198 freshmen and 169 seniors took the CAAP Critical Thinking test, and 196 freshmen and 191 seniors took the CAAP Writing test. The testing company returned the results to UNK at the beginning of the spring semester. The institutional reports are posted on the assessment website, and further analysis will be available in the Volume 4, Issue 2 version of the Office of Assessment newsletter.

Commencement Speech Posted Online

Mahabir Pun - UNK alumnus and 2007 recipient of the Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership - delivered the commencement address at the 2007 winter ceremony. If you were unable to attend the ceremony and missed his speech, a transcript is posted on the Academic Affairs and Student Life website.

Recognition

Calendar of Events within the Academic Affairs and Student Life Division

A Publication of the
Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Student Life
University of Nebraska at Kearney
905 West 25th Street
Kearney, NE 68849
Phone: (308)865-8209