Learning Commons Celebrates with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and National Day on Writing Event

Construction is complete in the Learning Commons on the 2nd floor of the Calvin T. Ryan Library – the location for UNK’s Peer Tutoring and Writing Center – and the space is now fully functional. The Academic Success Offices and Library, with the Division of Student Affairs, Division of Academic and Student Affairs, and University of Nebraska Foundation are sponsoring a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for this afternoon, with an open house from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Faculty and staff are invited to visit this beautiful space that serves to enhance students’ educational experience at UNK.

As they celebrate the completion of their space, the Learning Commons is also seeking to actively involve the campus in its work. On Wednesday, November 9, the UNK Writing Center of the Learning Commons will host a celebration of the National Day on Writing in the Ponderosa Room of the Nebraskan Student Union. This event is open to all students and faculty.

The celebration will feature keynote speaker, Dr. Don Welch, UNK Professor Emeritus. Students will be able to participate in workshops on creative writing, graphic novel writing, research-based writing, and application and resume writing. The day’s events will conclude at Tru Café for an Open Mic Night, which will provide students and members of the Kearney community the opportunity to showcase original writing pieces.

More information on the event can be found in the Learning Commons or on the Writing Center’s website at http://unk.edu/acad/writing_center.

- written in collaboration with Taffnee Faimon, Assistant Director of the Learning Commons and Writing Center

World Affairs Conference on Tuesday, November 8 Features Reza Aslan

The annual James E. Smith Conference on World Affairs will be held Tuesday, November 8, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. in the UNK Fine Arts Drake Theatre. Best-selling author, Mr. Reza Aslan, will speak about The Future of the New Middle East. For more information visit www.unk.edu/worldaffairs.

- Bonnie Payne, International Outreach Coordinator

Library - In Brief Online

Learning Commons Open House  

The University of Nebraska Kearney Division of Student Affairs’ Academic Success Offices and Calvin T. Ryan Library are hosting the Open House for the Learning Commons — Friday, November 4, 3:00-4:00 p.m.

The Learning Commons is a collaborative effort, bringing together services provided by Academic Success; including Academic Peer Tutoring and the Writing Center; and the Library, in the provision of seamless academic support for UNK students. 

Access thousands of streaming video titles via Films on Demand  

Written by Jon Ritterbush, Electronic Resources Librarian 
ritterbushjr@unk.edu 

New at the Calvin T. Ryan Library this fall semester: the Films on Demand streaming video service!    

This new service features over 8,000 documentary and educational videos from a wide variety of subject areas, all of which are available 24-7 to UNK students and staff members from on- or off-campus, without restrictions on simultaneous or classroom usage.  Many of these outstanding videos come from Films for the Humanities and Sciences, PBS, BBC, and the History Channel, just to name a few producers.

Search for videos by keywords in the main titles or segment titles, or browse a list of videos by subject using the menu bar at the top of every page.  Individual video titles and segments may be shared with hyperlinks in an email or a Blackboard course.  Users can also save “favorites” and create playlists for sharing with others by creating a free personal account within Films on Demand.   Here is a short playlist of videos on the subject of marketing by Apple, Inc. and how this brand has captured a consumer following that borders on religious: http://0-digital.films.com.rosi.unk.edu/play/RY5ZGL 

If you do happen to own an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch, you’ll be pleased to know that Films on Demand streams in H.264 format – in addition to Flash – so it’s compatible with iOS devices.

Films on Demand is listed under “Images, Audio and Video” and numerous other subject areas on the library’s “Articles & E-Resources” webpage.  Also look for individual video titles from Films on Demand to appear in library catalog results in the near future! 

Undergraduate Student Research Showcased at the 10th Annual Fall Symposium

UNK's Undergraduate Research program marked a milestone this year with the 10th Annual Fall Student Research Symposium held Sunday, October 23 at the Nebraskan Student Union.

Congratulations to the student researchers and their mentors for their outstanding work!

Presenters included students who did research as part of the Summer Student Research Program, Thompson Scholars, and Undergraduate Research Fellows, as well as students who worked directly with a faculty member on a research project.    

The Fall Student Research Symposium provides an opportunity for students to showcase research and creative work accomplished outside of the classroom. A survey of leading institutions in Nebraska and other states noted that UNK students report more involvement in out-of-class research than their peers in other institutions.  

210 UNK students have been in the undergraduate research program over the 10 years first known as Platte Studies Seminar, then Independent Research Seminar and finally the Summer Student Research Program. The Undergraduate Research Fellows Program, designed to create new opportunities for undergraduate research during the academic year, is supported by a student-approved fee. The Thompson Scholars Learning Community provides multidimensional living and learning opportunities that foster student engagement including working with a faculty mentor on an undergraduate project.

For more information on any of the UNK research programs, visit the Undergraduate Research Web site at http://www.unk.edu/ugr/.

 - written in collaboration with John Falconer, Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity,
Susan Campbell, Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity, and
Dianne Holcomb, Assistant Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs 

Recognition

2011-2012 Department Chairs

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

Items to Note for Faculty and Faculty Committees

• **NOTE FOR SPRING 2012 ADVISING **
  Portal (188GS) and Capstone (388GS) course descriptions have been prepared for use in advising students for Spring 2012 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 2011-2012 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 (2011-2013).
   
• Faculty Senate
  To keep faculty informed and in the spirit of shared governance, the Faculty Senate website contains links to the senate roster, 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. The site contains a list of the approved General Studies courses effective for the 2011-2012 academic year, a list of all of the approved Portal and Capstone topics, as well as lists of the Portals and Capstones offerings for the current semester.
   
• Graduate Council
  The Graduate Council webpage contains information regarding changes to graduate courses or programs, as well as a list of the 2011 Graduate Program Committees.
   
• WI/CD Committee
  The WI/CD Committee has posted a schedule of deadlines for the fall 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

CBT Featured Monthly on KGFW's "Talk of the Town"

Colleagues from the College of Business and Technology will be talking with Steve Altmaier on KGFW's "Talk of the Town" program throughout the coming academic year. Listen to the interviews at 9:30 a.m.:

- written in collaboration with Marsha Yeagley, Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Management Information Systems

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.