Members of the campus community:
On Monday, February 8, Paul Wagner, deputy commissioner of the Missouri Department of Higher Education, will speak to the Missouri State campus community about the budget challenges facing the State of Missouri, and higher education in particular. Mr. Wagner will speak at 3 p.m. in the Plaster Student Union Theater. Higher Education Commissioner Robert Stein’s January 22 letter to Missouri college and university presidents addressed many of these issues and highlighted the severity of the problems we confront. We hope that this meeting will serve to inform and provide a basis for further discussion as we prepare annual budgets and undertake a new long-range planning process. I hope you can attend.
Belinda McCarthy
Provost
Missouri State Online and Instructional Technologies is moving to the Duane G. Meyer Library!
We are now able to provide you customized and individualized support at your door step.
The following staff members will now be in the Meyer Library, second floor:
Dr. Gary Rader, Director—room LIB 204C, ext. 67619
Ms. Teressa Arnette, Office Administrator—room LIB 204, ext. 63718
Dr. Nicholas Farha, Instructional Designer—room LIB 204E, ext. 66663
Ms. Nancy Gordon, Instructional Designer—room LIB 204A, ext 68396
Mr. Michael Fisher, Production Manager—room 202B, ext. 66138
Mr. Nasser Darabi, Coordinator, Online Test Proctoring Center—room 202B, ext. 66665
The following staff members are located in ALUM 400:
Darren Young and Mike McManus—Blackboard Support and Help Desk
Rich Schuldt and Dan Rowland—Digital Media Production Center
Missouri State Online and the ETC will collaborate closely with the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (FCTL) to provide a solid academic foundation for our online, blended and seated courses.
We are here for you!
New Faculty Handbook Web Site
According to Section 15.2.3.2 of the Faculty Handbook, the Faculty Handbook Revision Committee (FHRC) considers suggested revisions to the Handbook that are deemed substantive and pressing. A new Faculty Handbook web site—http://www.missouristate.edu/provost/facultyhandbook/ —has been established as a mechanism for the FHRC to solicit campus feedback on revisions currently under consideration.
The new web site has an important revision that will likely be of strong interest to many faculty and administrators. At the beginning of AY 2009–2010, the FHRC was asked to consider revising Chapter 13, which addresses the processes for grievances, sanctions, and appeals (grievances) related to tenure and promotion. The FHRC sought input regarding the present version and potential revisions from people who had been through the process as it is currently outlined in Chapter 13. We consulted with past and current members of the Academic Personnel Review Commission (APRC), faculty who had served on University Hearing Panels (UHPs), the Provost’s Office, and the University Counsel. The resulting revision consists of two new chapters (Chapter 13 Grievance; Chapter 14 Sanctions) and an addition to a third (Chapter 3, related to tenure/promotion).
When suggestions for modifying the Faculty Handbook are made, typically the current text is provided, along with the marked up revised text, and finally the “clean” revised text. Because the changes to the current Chapter 13 were so extensive, there is no original text with markups. Instead, the web site has a list of the major concerns with the current version and how each was addressed in the revision.
We hope that you will take advantage of this site and share your thoughts with the committee.
Julie Masterson,
Chair, FHRC
Free Portrait Days
Dates: February 16 and 17
Times: February 16, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; February 17, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Location: PSU 317AB
Who: Faculty, Staff, Administrators
Professional dress is requested! No appointment is necessary.
Photo Services will be taking portrait pictures of faculty, staff, and administrators in conjunction with a campus-wide web site project. If you have had your picture taken by the Photo Services department within the past year, we can use those pictures. Thank you for your participation! Please contact Chuck Busby, Office of the Provost, at 6-6495 if you have any questions.
From the Faculty Senate Chair
The next Faculty Senate meeting is scheduled for February 11 at 3:30 p.m. in PSU 313. The Senate will consider resolutions to oppose a revision of the Faculty Handbook to permit faculty to be reassigned without their consent, and to appoint an additional three faculty members to the presidential search committee from the pool of elected nominees. In addition, the Senate will discuss two proposed changes to the Bylaws: 1) deleting the out-of-date sections on the university and college awards committees, and 2) replacing all references to “lecturer” with “non-tenure-track instructor” and all references to “instructor” to “tenure-track instructor.” Two proposed changes to the Constitution of the Faculty will also be discussed: 1) updating the terminology in the Constitution regarding “instructor” (to make it parallel with the Bylaws, and 2) adding clarification that substantive amendments to the Constitution must be voted upon only by the entire Faculty (not the Senate) and replacing paper ballots with electronic voting. CGEIP and the Ad Hoc Committee on Online Issues will present reports at the February meeting, to be followed up with senate actions/resolutions at the March meeting. Curricular proposals under consideration include two new programs (a Minor in Recording Arts and an accelerated Master’s Degree Option in History), a program deletion (the Bachelor of Science Minor in Spanish Proficiency), and a new General Education Option (EDC 345: Introduction to Multicultural Education and Diversity).
As a reminder, the Faculty Senate will no longer be sending hard copies of the agenda and the corresponding attachments. As per Internal Senate Action 1-09/10, Senators will receive the agenda and corresponding attachments electronically. The agenda and all corresponding attachments will now also be available on the Senate website for all faculty. I’d encourage you to take a few moments to review the full text of the resolutions and the report from the Online Issues Committee mentioned above, and to contact your departmental representative with questions or concerns. (The full text will be available on the Senate website on Friday, February 5).
- Annual merit reports due to departmental personnel committees on February 12.
- Public Affairs Professorship applications due to the Provost on February 15.
- Town Hall Meeting, February 24 at 3:30 in the PSU Theater.
- Enrollment period for the Faculty Retirement Incentive Plan, January 14–March 1.
Please plan to attend the presentation/discussion on Monday, February 8 at 3 p.m. in the PSU theater with Paul Wagner, Deputy Commissioner of the Missouri Department of Higher Education.
Please let me know if I can be of assistance–
Margaret Weaver
Faculty Senate Chair, 2009–10
836-5360
Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning and Citizenship and Service-Learning present—
“Engaged Scholarship: Practical Suggestions for Presenting Your Work”
Luncheon and Panel
Date: February 17
Time: 10:30 a.m.–1:45 p.m.
Location: PSU 313
This workshop is designed as a resource for community-engaged scholars and University Promotion and Tenure and Personnel Committees. Scholars will find this workshop most helpful as they plan to prepare their dossier for review, promotion and tenure. Committees will receive a greater understanding of how the scholarly rigor and impact of community-engaged scholarship can be documented for review, promotion, and tenure.
Featured speakers are Sherril Gelmon and Susan Agre-Kippenhan as well as a panel of MSU scholars: Drs. Tim Knapp, Denise Cunningham and Chantal Levesque-Bristol.
RSVP to the CASL Office by February 10 at the link below, or call 836-5774.
RSVP to Engaged Scholarship Luncheon and Panel
Download the Flyer for Complete Agenda, Menu, and Biographical Sketches
Spring Study Away Fair
Date: February 24
Time: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Location: PSU East Ballroom
Over 100 Study Away options will be presented from Study Away vendors and faculty leading short-term programs. Students can plan their Study Away travel for one week up to one year. Faculty members are encouraged to attend to learn about the process and benefits of leading short-term programs. Student attendees are eligible to enter to win door prizes. The grand prize is a Nintendo Wii® system. This event is sponsored by Study Away Programs. For more information, please call Study Away Program Interim Director Elizabeth Strong at 836-6368.
Academic Advisement Center presents—
Presentations by Dr. Charlie Nutt
Date: March 16
Location: PSU 313
“Assessment of Academic Advising”
Time: 1:15–2:15 p.m.
“Connecting Advising to Student Success”
Time: 2:30–3:30 p.m.
Attendance at either or both sessions will count toward Master Advisor
Download the flyer for complete program information.
If you have questions about Dr. Nutt’s visit, you may contact Kathy Davis, Director of the Academic Advisement Center at 836-5258 or kathydavis@missouristate.edu.
“Social Business—Business to Make a Difference”
Presented by Professor Muhammad Yunus, Winner of 2006 Nobel Peace Prize
Founder and Managing Director of Grameen Bank, Bangladesh
Chairman, Yunus Centre
Date: March 2, 2010
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts
Free and Open to the Public—Tickets are Required
Book signing to follow
Download the event flyer for a complete program description and ticket information.
This event is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs.
Link to convocation home page: http://publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/42805.htm
Missouri State University Public Affairs
“Life in Your Shoes” Photo Contest/Exhibition
Given this year’s theme of the evolving economic realities, Missouri State University wants to know what life is like in your shoes. Students, faculty and staff are invited to photograph ways the economy has affected you and yours. For more information, contact Amy Hastings at amy12384@missouristate.edu.
Download “Life In Your Shoes” Photo Contest/Exhibition Guidelines
“Disability–The Social, Political, and Ethical Debate”
Program Sponsored by FCTL
Dates: Wednesdays–February 10 and 24, March 24, April 7 and 28
Brown Bag: 11:50 a.m.–12:40 p.m.
Location: Meyer Library Room 204
As our University moves toward a model of Inclusive Excellence we must embrace disability as a part of diversity and value it as an integral part of life. This book series will enlighten you on issues surrounding disability, how it is a valued part of diversity, and the importance of instilling the socio-political model of disability in our teaching and in our students.
Download flyer for program highlights
International Center Informative Session:
Faculty Advising International Students
Date: February 9
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: FCTL 204
Jody Pritt, Director of International Services, will be available at this session to address some frequently asked questions concerning international students.
Download the International Center Informative Session Flyer
