World Affairs Conference September 25-26, 2012

Immigration and the Globalization of Labor is the theme for the James E. Smith Midwest Conference on World Affairs, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, September 25-26, 2012.  This is a new time of the year for the conference, which had been held in early March for many years.  The Executive Planning Committee along with the Deans and SVCASA made the decision to move the conference to the Fall semester, so as to avoid March snow storms and the busyness of that time of the academic year.

The entire conference, including the keynote address, will take place in the Nebraskan Student Union Ponderosa Rooms, with sessions beginning and ending during scheduled class times each day.

This year’s World Affairs Conference investigates the multiple issues associated with immigration and the globalization of labor.  It is indeed a wide ranging theme which spans the spectrum from U.S. Immigration Law, technology and outsourcing, wages and working conditions at home and abroad, to crime, human trafficking, child labor and slavery.  Our speakers this year include experts on labor laws, citizenship and visa requirements, education, economics, travel regulations, health care and criminal law and come to us from Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Mexico, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States.  The keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Carola Suárez-Orozco, Professor of Psychological Studies in Education at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. She publishes widely in the areas of immigrant families and youth, educational achievement among immigrant origin youth, immigrant family separations, the role of the "social mirror" in identity formation, the role of mentors in facilitating youth development, and gendered experiences of immigrant youth.

More information, including the complete conference agenda and speaker biography information is available on the World Affairs Conference website at www.unk.edu/worldaffairs. Questions? Contact Bonnie Payne, International Outreach Coordinator at payneb@unk.edu or 308-865-8939.  

- Bonnie Payne, International Outreach Coordinator

Date Announced for 2013 NCA Accreditation Visit

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA) will be visiting UNK for a reaccreditation visit on November 4-6, 2013. During the coming academic year, staff in the division of Academic and Student Affairs will be gathering information and preparing documents for the review team. Dr. Kenya Taylor, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, is in charge of preparations. A website is in process. Watch for more information.

- written in collaboration with Kenya Taylor, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs

General Studies Capstones Needed (with Deadlines) 

This year’s juniors began the “new” GS program two years ago and will soon need to take a required capstone course. UNK will need to offer a sufficient number of these for our students.

For comparison: UNK typically offers about 30 freshman portal sections in fall and 20 in spring, for a total of 50. With each portal having around 20-23 students, that number of sections is adequate for an incoming freshman class and transfer students. Most portal sections fill or nearly fill to capacity.

Currently, there are 14 sections of capstone being offered, and about half of those are full. There remain 40 seats open in capstones, but next semester’s capstone enrollments are anticipated to be tighter, and there will be an ongoing need for capstones to offer to juniors and seniors.

Departments that currently have a capstone course(s), are encouraged to consider offering sections in the spring and beyond. Departments that do not currently have a capstone and want to create one, please see below.

TO CREATE A CAPSTONE OR A NEW CAPSTONE TOPIC 

Departments with an existing 388 capstone course can propose additional capstone topics by submitting a proposal to the GSC by Monday 9/24/12. This deadline will allow the department to begin offering the new capstone topic in Spring 2013. 

Departments that do not currently have a 388 capstone course can propose one by submitting the course proposal on the online CAP system and to the GSC by Monday 9/24/12. This deadline will allow the department to offer the new capstone beginning in Fall 2013. (This is also the deadline if a department wishes to propose a course for another GS category, such as Democracy.)

- Daren Snider, Director of General Studies  

MyBLUE Updates: Important Information for Faculty Advising

1. You can now search for classes based on the designation of WI, CD or WI/CD.  Use the Additional Search Criteria under the Search for Classes page. Then use the drop down menu under Designation to choose the appropriate one for your search.
    
2. All academic programs have been updated for fall 2012 in Degree Audit.  Be SURE YOU USE THE DEGREE AUDIT whenever you are advising a student as that is the only way to know which requirements apply to that particular student.  Due to the new 120 credit hour mandate, many programs were altered significantly effective this fall.  Policy changes, such as the elimination of double endorsements also went into effect with the new fall 2012 catalog.  It is critical that you use the audit in advising so the correct information is provided to students.

- Kim Schipporeit, Registrar 

Library Updates

North American Wild Flowers by Mary Walcott donated to Library 

Written by Susan Mueller, Coordinator of Collection Services
muellersm@unk.edu  

The Calvin T. Ryan Library received a beautiful donation this summer. It is a complete set of North American Wild Flowers written and illustrated by Mary Vaux Walcott.  Published in 1925 by the Smithsonian Institution, it is a limited edition consisting of 5 portfolios, each containing a set of 80 plates.  Each plate depicts an individual wild flower shown life-size. They were drawn while on site near Glacier National Park with her husband, Dr. Walcott, as well as those near her home in Washington, D.C.  Also included in each portfolio are the descriptions she wrote for each plate.

The rare portfolios are often referred to as the equivalent to John James Audubon’s Birds of America. The illustrations are very fine. This set was purchased by Ray Wycoff, a physician from Lexington, Nebraska. It has been maintained in excellent condition. His family graciously donated it to the library this summer.

It has been added to the library’s Rare Book Collection within the library’s Archives and Special Collections.

Anyone wishing to view the set should contact Greg Anderson (andersong@unk.edu) to make an appointment.

For more information about Mary Walcott, see the "Mary Morris Vaux Walcott" article in the Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

UNK Receives Grants from Foundation through Campaign For Nebraska

UNK Education Abroad Program Wins $134,000 Grant  

A UNK program to ignite students’ interest in education abroad has received a $134,000 grant from the University of Nebraska Foundation.

The funding supports a multiple step program to motivate and prepare students for an education abroad experience. First, a World Leaders Camp introduces freshmen to the possibilities for meaningful education abroad. It then sponsors a writing competition to stimulate thought and discussion about cultural experiences, with the winners receiving a 10-day travel abroad stipend. Finally, it encourages students to follow through with planning education abroad involving research as part of their experience.

Student Kathy Venteicher of Pierce, Neb., said she’s thankful for UNK’s education aboard program and for the support she received to study four months in Peru. “I never would have imagined I would have grown that much as an individual as well as in my education,” said the senior who studies secondary education. “After having this experience, I am ready for anything.”

Kathy Venteicher of Pierce, Neb. (back row, third from the left) gets a picture with fellow Lopers while exploring Machu Picchu in Peru. Because of her four-month education abroad in Peru, she says she’s now “ready for anything.”

The University of Nebraska Foundation’s board of directors awarded six grants totaling more than $760,000 to the University of Nebraska, including the grant to UNK. Each year the chancellors submit proposals for the grants, which are made possible because of unrestricted donations made to the foundation. These unrestricted donations account for one percent of all gifts and are allocated to each campus through this annual grants program. 

University President James B. Milliken requested this year’s grant proposals relate to the priorities of the Campaign for Nebraska, a comprehensive fundraising initiative to raise funds for university priorities. Global engagement is a top priority of the campaign.

“While the vast majority of gifts to the university are designated for a specific use by donors, we are grateful for these unrestricted gifts that make our grant program available to the university,” said Barbara Weitz of Omaha, chair of the foundation’s grants committee. “It’s inspiring to know these grants will help connect many more students with the world around them.”

Ann Marie Park, coordinator of UNK’s Office of Study Abroad, said studying abroad is important because it signifies a student’s willingness to embrace change and shows prospective employers a graduate’s ability to thrive in new environments. 

“Almost everyone who studies abroad is thinking outside their own sphere of reality,” Park said. “Regardless of where students choose to study, their future will be enhanced. They will increase the offerings which they bring to the table when applying for a job or graduate school.”   

Buckle Excellence Scholarship announced for UNK students  

The company long known for helping young adults look their best is also helping them learn the best with a new scholarship and career development program created by The Buckle, Inc. (“Buckle”) at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

A permanent endowment in the name of Buckle has been established with a $150,000 gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation to provide annual scholarship awards for students interested in careers related to computer science or information technology. 

Each year, two $3,000 scholarships will be awarded to students in the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems who meet certain academic requirements. A scholarship will be awarded every year to an incoming freshman, and a second scholarship will be awarded during the student’s sophomore year based on academic achievement.

John La Duke, dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences, expressed appreciation to Buckle’s management and IT professionals for supporting students.

"Our Department of Computer Science and Information Systems faculty work very hard to not only train but also mentor students to be professionals,” La Duke said. “Buckle’s interest in helping our students excel is admirable, and we look forward to strengthening this interaction.”

La Duke also lauded the company for starting a student internship program and for hiring numerous computer science and information systems graduates over the years. Buckle also offers its employees for classroom presentations and gives students opportunities to visit the company’s headquarters and operations.

Dennis Nelson, president of Buckle, said, “Buckle recognizes the importance of establishing a strong technical workforce in Nebraska. By supporting the computer science program at UNK, Buckle hopes to encourage and support the growth of that workforce and the development of future IT professionals. Buckle’s IT teams provide innovative solutions that impact all functions of our business. So, naturally, we’re excited to support the growth and development of computer science students and strengthen our relationship with UNK going forward.”

The company is also involved with UNK’s Computer Science and Information Systems Advisory Council, which provides leadership and advice to the department related to programs and student needs.

The endowment created by the company supports the university’s current fundraising initiative, the Campaign for Nebraska: Unlimited Possibilities, and its goal to raise $50 million for UNK needs. Increasing available student scholarships is a top campaign priority for the university.

Offering a unique mix of high-quality, on-trend apparel, accessories, and footwear, Buckle caters to fashion-conscious men and women. Known as a denim destination, each store carries a wide selection of fits, styles, and finishes from leading denim brands, including the company’s exclusive brand, BKE. Headquartered in Kearney, Neb., Buckle currently operates 439 retail stores in 43 states.

- University of Nebraska Foundation

The University of Nebraska Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that has connected the dreams and passions of donors to the mission of the university for more than 75 years. In 2011, donors gave a record $172 million in gifts for scholarships, academic programs, medical research and other priorities at the university. The foundation’s fundraising initiative, the Campaign for Nebraska: Unlimited Possibilities, concludes in 2014. For more information, visit campaignfornebraska.org. 

Recognition

2012-2013 Department Chairs

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

Items to Note for Faculty and Faculty Committees

• 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.
  
  **NOTE REGARDING CHANGES TO COURSE DESCRIPTIONS**
  The form to alter a Catalog Course Description has been revised. Please note, in instances where a change in content is being requested through the CAP system, course description changes should be added to that request, and this form should not be completed.
  
  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 2012-2013 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 2012-2013 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 2012 Graduate Program Committees.
  
  **NOTE REGARDING CHANGES TO COURSE DESCRIPTIONS**
  The form to alter a Catalog Course Description has been revised. Please note, in instances where a change in content is being requested through the CAP system, course description changes should be added to that request, and this form should not be completed.
   
• 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

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.