UNK Business Programs Earn a Five Year Extension of AACSB International Accreditation

The UNK Business Programs were initially accredited by AACSB International in 2006.  This prestigious accreditation, earned by fewer than 5% of business programs worldwide, must be maintained every five years.  On February 19-21 the College of Business and Technology hosted a peer review team, including Deans from Eastern Washington University, the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, and Washburn University.  Following a thorough examination of a self-study report and two days of on campus interviews, the team recommended a five year extension of UNK’s accreditation – the best possible outcome.  This recommendation was subsequently approved by the AACSB International Maintenance of Accreditation Committee and Ratified by the Board of Directors.  This achievement will be recognized at the Annual AACSB Meeting on April 28, 2011.   

In 1916, AACSB International was established as a membership organization for business schools—a place where business schools could network and discuss issues that effected the business education industry and their institutions. In 1919, the first AACSB Accreditation Standards were adopted with the primary objective of improving collegiate business education. Throughout the years, the AACSB Business Accreditation Standards have been continually revised to reflect the ever-changing needs of business and its students.  

Today, the AACSB Accreditation Standards are used as the basis to evaluate a business school’s mission, operations, faculty qualifications and contributions, programs, and other critical areas. AACSB accreditation ensures students and parents that the business school is providing a top-quality education. It also ensures employers that AACSB-accredited business school graduates are ready to perform on day one. Additionally, AACSB accreditation provides many benefits to the faculty and staff at its accredited schools by attracting higher quality students, providing greater research opportunities, and allowing for global recognition.  

The UNK Peer Review Team noted the following commendations in their final report: 

• Significant increases in the quantity of peer reviewed journal articles and other intellectual contributions over the past five years. 
• The new strategic planning process, started in 2009, involves all faculty and staff in the process of developing and executing department-level objectives to support College goals. Regular communication insures accountability.  
• The College has a responsive system of faculty governance as evinced by significant changes to the promotion and tenure guidelines since April 2010.  
• The College encourages all faculty advisors to engage in developmental advising with advisees. The team saw evidence that the students have a high degree of satisfaction with the advising services provided by the College.  
• The College has partnered with Career Services to open a “center” in the College’s main building. This satellite office has increased access for business majors and the staff report increases in the utilization of their services.  
• The faculty and administration are engaging in a college-wide discussion of how to more deeply integrate experiential learning activities into the College curriculum. These experiential learning practices support the core teaching functions of the College and its commitment to promoting the social and economic development of the region.  
• The team saw strong evidence of mission driven service to the region through the activities of the Nebraska Business Development Center, the Center for Rural Research and Development, faculty-led consulting, the Center for Economic Education, and other associated activities of the faculty and students of the College.

- Tim Burkink, Dean of the College of Business and Technology

KSO Hosts First Annual Young Artist Competition

The Kearney Symphony Orchestra has a long tradition of community outreach and involvement. This spring it will extend that tradition by hosting a Young Artist Competition on campus on April 30. Participants ages 13 to 18 will gather from Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, and South Dakota to perform on violin, viola, cello, or bass, and the top performers will receive prizes that include a $300 third prize, $500 second prize, $800 first prize, and grand prize of a performance with the Kearney Symphony Orchestra.

The competition will be judged by Ron Crocker, Conductor of KSO & Professor of Music; Ting-Lan Chen, Concertmaster of KSO & Associate Professor of Violin/Viola, and Noah Rogoff, Principal Cellist of KSO & Assistant Professor of Cello/Bass.

- written in collaboration with Ting-Lan Chen, Associate Professor of Music and Performing Arts 

Library - In Brief Online  

Summer 2011 library hours 

Written by Dee Goedert, Head of Access Services
goedertd@unk.edu 

Beginning May 9, 2011, the library will change to summer hours as follows:

Regular Summer Hours 

We look forward to seeing you at the library this summer!  Please remember that many library resources and services, such as the Ask Us 24-7 chat service for research assistance, are available online from anywhere in the world.

Celebrating Excellence Luncheon Honors 2011 Retirees

The following individuals were recognized at the April 19 Celebrating Excellence luncheon. Congratulations and thank you for your years of service and many contributions to students' educational experiences at UNK.

- written in collaboration with Cheryl Bressington, Director of Human Resources  

13th Annual Student Research Day Recognizes Excellence in Student and Faculty Research

UNK's 13th Annual Student Research Day took place Thursday, April 7. The event is sponsored by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, the Research Services Council, the Undergraduate Research Council, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity, and it is designed to provide students - both undergraduates and graduates, from any discipline - with the opportunity to present the results of their research projects. Faculty mentors are also recognized for their contributions to guiding students through the research process.

Congratulations to the following award winners! 

 - written in collaboration with the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity and the Office of Graduate Studies and Research 

29 UNK Students Attended 2011 NCUR at Ithaca College

On March 31-April 2, 29 of UNK’s undergraduate researchers attended the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. The students participated in oral and poster presentation sessions, joining with nearly 2,900 undergraduate students from other institutions. The number of student attendees at this year's NCUR was nearly double last year's attendance!

UNK students submitted 28 abstracts to this year’s conference. 25 of the abstracts were accepted, and 29 students attended the conference (attendees are indicated in bold below).  

- written in collaboration with Susan Campbell, Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity  

Recognition   

2010-2011 Department Chairs

- Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs

Items to Note for Faculty and Faculty Committees

• **NOTE FOR FALL 2011 ADVISING **
  Portal (188GS) and Capstone (388GS) course descriptions have been prepared for use in advising students for Fall 2011 registration. The descriptions are posted on the General Studies website at http://www.unk.edu/academicaffairs/generalstudies.aspx?id=53803. 
   
• Academic Affairs Committee 
  The link to the CAP ("Course Approval Process") information is located on the Academic Affairs Committee page. CAP is the electronic approval system that allows department chairs to initiate course proposals (create, alter, inactivate, or discontinue). Worksheets for both the creation of new courses and the alteration of existing courses are available on the CAP web site for faculty members to use as they gather the information department chairs will need to submit requests. Department chairs initiate program proposals (create, alter, or discontinue) using a paper form, which is available on the Academic Affairs Committee page, along with instructions.
  
  The schedule of Academic Affairs deadlines for the 2010-2011 academic year is available on the Academic Affairs Committee page. The page also contains a committee roster and a link to the approved Academic Affairs minutes. Department or program chairs needing to make curricular changes should be aware of these deadlines and instructions.
   
• Faculty Handbook 
  The online Faculty Handbook contains the most current policy information. The purpose of the handbook is to gather the documents and policies that inform and guide critical decisions, including the Collective Bargaining Agreement (2009-2011) and the Guidelines for Evaluation, Promotion, and Tenure. 
   
• Faculty Senate
  To keep faculty informed and in the spirit of shared governance, the 2010-2011 Faculty Senate Roster is posted on the Faculty Senate home page. The page also contains links to meeting agendas and packets, meeting minutes of both the Faculty Senate and the Faculty Senate committees, and the Faculty Senate Constitution and Bylaws.
   
• General Studies 
  The General Studies web site contains a description of the new General Studies Program effective for students entering UNK in the Fall of 2010, as well as a list of the courses effective for the 2010-2011 academic year. 
   
• Graduate Council 
  The Graduate Council webpage contains information regarding changes to graduate courses or programs, as well as a list of the 2010 Graduate Program Committees.  
   
• WI/CD Committee 
  The WI/CD Committee has posted a schedule of deadlines for the spring semester on the WI/CD Committee page. The page also contains instructions for applying for WI or CD designation, as well as a committee roster, agendas, and minutes. These resources are provided for those wishing to offer courses as WI or CD. 

Deadlines Approach for Various Opportunities 

 Calendar of Events within the Academic and Student Affairs Division

Edited by Kim Elliott, Coordinator of Academic Publications 

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

For questions or submissions,
contact the Coordinator of Academic Publications at 8935 or academicpublications@unk.edu.