UNK Featured in First Nebraska Campus Compact Newsletter

UNK has joined with 12 other Nebraska institutions of higher education to form the “Nebraska Campus Compact.” The group is “committed to providing meaningful experience for students to become active, engaged leaders in their communities, furthering the civic and public purposed of higher education and strengthening communities” (from the Nebraska Campus Compact website).

The first issue of the Nebraska Campus Compact newsletter has been released, and UNK’s Service-Learning program (directed by Dr. Geraldine Stirtz) is featured on page 3, in addition to an update on UNK’s AmeriCorps Service Scholar, Dan Dotson, on page 4.

The other Nebraska institutions include the College of Saint Mary, Doane College, Hastings College, Nebraska Methodist College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Peru State College, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Wayne State College, Western Nebraska Community College. 

- written in collaboration with Geraldine Stirtz, Director of the Office for Service-Learning

Assessment Office Update: NSSE Final Response Rate and WEAVEonline Data Input

NSSE: UNK's final response rate for the NSSE is 33.1%, which is more than 8% above the national average for schools in our size range (5000-9999 students).  In total, 961 students participated in the survey, including 484 first year students and 477 seniors.  Thanks to all who encouraged students in one way or another to participate.  The survey is officially open until June 1, 2013 but neither the university nor NSSE will be sending out additional reminders to students.

WEAVEonline: The 2012-13 academic year is available in WEAVEonline for data input.  Over spring break, Dr. Hinga will be rolling WEAVEonline forward so the “current year” truly is the current academic year.  She will continue to work with departments and programs to clean up entries from 2011-2012 through the end of this semester.  If Beth hasn’t yet met with your program, you can schedule an appointment with her via email at hingabd@unk.edu.

- Beth Hinga, Director of Assessment

UNK to Host 2013 Center for Great Plains Studies Symposium April 5-6

On Friday and Saturday, April 5-6, for the first time, UNK will host the Annual Symposium (the 39th) of NU's Center for Great Plains Studies. Scholars and professionals will gather to discuss rural education with a focus on this year’s topic: “Gains and Losses from School Consolidation in the Great Plains.”

Friday’s keynote address, “Rural Schools and Communities at the Intersection of Assumptions and Evidence,” will be delivered by Paul Theobald, Dean of the School of Education at Buena Vista University in Iowa. Theobald’s considerable scholarly work has centered on the history of rural education in the U.S. He has written about the importance of community in a student’s education. This event will be followed by the Chancellor's Reception at MONA and a concert of The Hutchins Consort at the UNK Recital Hall at 8:00 p.m.

In addition, Governor Dave Heineman will speak at the luncheon on Saturday.

Session topics covered in the two days include:  

• “Schooling in the One-Room Schoolhouse”
• “Gains and Losses from School Consolidation”
• “The Importance of Being Emily: Lessons from Legislative Battles over School Consolidation”
• “Superintendents’ Perspectives on Consolidation”
• “The Economics of School Consolidation”
• “Ensuring Mathematics Learning in Rural Schools Through Investments in Teacher Knowledge”
• “Assuring Effective Rural Education Delivery”
• “The Role of the University in Sustaining Rural Schools”
• “Student Reflections on Consolidated and Unconsolidated Schools”
• “School District Demographics and Dynamics”
• “Challenges and Opportunities of Diversity”
• “The Politics of School Consolidation”
• “Challenges and Opportunities for Rural School Administrators”
• “Coaching as a Form of Professional Development to Support Rural Teachers”
• “Economic and Political Dimensions of Consolidation”
• “Rural Schools and Rural Values”

Speakers and panelists include faculty and administrators from the four University of Nebraska campuses, faculty from other institutions, UNK students, Nebraska public school administrators, and professionals from relevant fields.

- written in collaboration with Peter Longo, Professor of Political Science and Chair of 2013 Symposium Planning Committee  

Library Updates

Library Hours During Spring Break 

Written by Michael Sutherland, Web Services Librarian
sutherlandmj@unk.edu  

The Calvin T. Ryan Library’s hours during March 16-24, 2013, which includes UNK’s Spring Break, are as follows:   

Research assistance is always available through the Library’s Ask Us chat service online.  For more information on library hours please visit our hours page. 

Recognition

2012-2013 Academic Department Chairs, Program Directors, and Deans

2012-2013 Additional Directors within Academic Affairs

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

Items to Note for Faculty and Faculty Committees

• **NOTE FOR SUMMER 2013 AND FALL 2013 ADVISING **
  Portal (188GS) and Capstone (388GS) course descriptions have been prepared for use in advising students for Summer 2013 and Fall 2013 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.
  
  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.
  
  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.

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.