PharmD Information for Faculty
On Friday, September 13, Dr. Russell Melchert, Dean of the UMKC School of Pharmacy and Associate Dean, Dr. Linda Garavalia will be presenting an open forum for those faculty interested in the working details of the collaborative MSU/UMKC PharmD program that will be beginning with the Fall 2014 semester. The Open Forum will be held in PSU 314 from 10:30–11:30 a.m. and cover:
- Description of the program
- Timeline of the program rollout
- Discuss ways that MSU courses could contribute to the UMKC program through elective offerings including the elective approval process, and
- Q & A session
Following the morning open forum, there will be an afternoon session from Noon until 2:00pm for faculty to discuss:
- Specific ideas for MSU courses that might be used as electives for the PharmD program
- How to adapt course syllabi to meet program requirements (faculty are asked to bring specific examples of syllabi to look at)
- Possibilities for video-conferencing electives for all 3 PharmD sites
Interested faculty should contact their Department Head and Dean for further information. Lunch will be provided for those staying for the afternoon session.
Blackboard Feature Spotlight: The New Calendar
You will not want to overlook the new calendar in Blackboard Learn! The calendar has been completely rebuilt, giving you a much more modern tool—both in terms of look and functionality. This new version allows personalization and customization. You can select views (month, week, day) and color-code the events to differentiate between courses and personal items.
Items with due dates automatically appear on the new Blackboard Learn calendar. And if an instructor changes a due date, the calendar gets updated as well. On the flip side, moving a calendar item (by clicking on the item or drag and drop) simultaneously changes a due date for an instructor.
Calendar events may be viewed at once or filtered to show only the desired mix of class and personal events. Users can select which calendars to view, ranging from personal to institution to individual course listings.
And…wait for it….these calendar items can also be exported via an iCal feed to Outlook, Google, or other third party calendars!
Check out this video from Blackboard about the powerful new Calendar!
[youTubeVideo url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTdGOMAZhQY” width=”220″ height=”140″]
See the Blackboard Blog to learn more about other great improvements to Blackboard, and check out all the opportunities for Blackboard training and learn how you can become a Blackboard Black Belt on the MSU Blackboard website.
50th Anniversary of the March on Washington and the “I Have A Dream” Speech Commemorated with Bells
The March on Washington, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28, 1963, was a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. Wednesday, August 28, 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the march, as well as Dr. King’s famous, “I Have A Dream” speech. A variety of activities and celebrations are planned locally, throughout the state, and across the nation. To commemorate this historic event, Missouri State University is proud to participate in the national “Let Freedom Ring” celebration with a symbolic ringing of bells at 2 p.m., followed by an arrangement of the civil rights anthem, “We Shall Overcome,” played on the carillon by Dr. Jeremy Chesman of the Missouri State Music department.
The King Center is urging communities around the world and Gov. Jay Nixon is encouraging communities across Missouri to participate in the bell-ringing ceremony on August 28. Rev. Bernice King, Dr. King’s daughter and CEO of the King Center said, “My father concluded his great speech with a call to ‘let freedom ring’, and that is a challenge we will meet with a magnificent display of brotherhood and sisterhood in symbolic bell-ringing at places of worship, schools, universities, and other venues where bells are available from coast to coast and from continent to continent.”
If anyone has questions or needs additional information, please contact Dr. Jeremy Chesman at Jeremychesman@missouristate.edu or 417-836-3028 or Dr. Chris Craig, Associate Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs at Chriscraig@missouristate.edu or 417-836-4589.
Curriculum Innovation Funds Available
The Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning provides up to $5,000 to support the development and research of innovative curricular practices. Projects should be transformational in nature and also have potential for the teaching and learning practices explored during the project to be examined by and applied to other disciplines.
Proposals should be submitted to the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning no later than Thursday,
October 31, 2013.
For more information please visit the Curriculum Innovation Research Projects webpage.
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The iPad Learning Initiative is Back!
Faculty can apply for and receive an Apple iPad to examine how iPads can be effectively used for student engagement and enhancing their learning experience in the classroom. Several faculty who participated in this last year presented at this year’s Showcase on Teaching and Learning. Faculty agree they will share the results from their year-long study with other faculty through activities hosted by the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning and also during next year’s Showcase.
Awards will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis through Friday, November 1, 2013. To apply, please visit the iPad Learning Initiative webpage.
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Conference Travel Funds are now Available
Faculty can apply for travel funds to attend and or present at national conferences which support the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Awards are $500 per request and are provided to the faculty member’s department to be applied toward the cost of travel or fees. Individual faculty members will not be funded for more than one conference travel request per year.
Funds are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis through Sunday, December 1, 2013. To request travel funds, please visit the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning Conference Travel Request website.
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Digital Professor Academy Fall 2013 is Open for Enrollment
The Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning is accepting enrollment for the Digital Professor Academy. This program is designed to guide faculty through the course development process and share important insight into effective online teaching. Participants will learn and practice new strategies through a community of practice model.
To learn more about this program and online course development, please plan to attend one of the following DPA Orientation Meetings:
Monday, September 9th 2:00–3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 10th 9:30–10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, September 11th 9:30–10:30 a.m.; 3:00–4:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 12th 9:30–10:30 a.m.; 2:00–3:00 p.m.
Friday, September 13th 9:30–10:30 a.m.
Meetings will be held in the FCTL, Meyer Library, Room 204.
Please sign up for the DPA Orientation meeting of your choice through My Learning Connection. Click on Course Catalog and select Show All Classes; under Choose Category, highlight “Digital Professor Academy.” Select the meeting date and time you would like to attend by clicking on Add to Cart; then Check Out and Finalize.
If you have difficulty in registering or would like more information, please contact the FCTL at 836-3059.
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Educause Seeking Proposals for February 2014 Meeting
Proposals due by Friday, September 6
The Educause Learning Initiative is having their annual meeting on February 3–5, 2014. The theme of the conference is “Connected Learning: Opening Pathways, Enable Collaborations.” Educause is seeking proposals that address key issues and opportunities in connected learning and areas of interest among the teaching and learning community. Presenters have a choice of submitting proposals for face-to-face sessions, virtual sessions, or both. You do not need to travel to the face-to-face meeting to be a speaker for the virtual meeting.
Find more detailed information on the Educause website.
“A Clear Standard for Access to Instruction”
Date: Thursday, August 29
Time: 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Location: PSU 313
An audio conference presented by Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD)
On July 23, 2013, the Department of Justice announced a settlement agreement with Louisiana Tech University regarding inaccessible course materials. This is the latest interpretation of college campuses’ obligations under the ADA. As a result of this decision, the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) is offering an audio conference to review this decision and provide some ideas for best practice.
This audio conference will help us begin to evaluate the accessibility of our online and electronic instruction and services, and help us think about how we might resolve barriers. Please visit the AHEAD website for more information.
AHEAD has finalized the panelists for the program:
- Anne E. Langford, Attorney, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice
- Judith Risch, Attorney, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education
- Jo Anne Simon, Attorney, Adjunct Professor of Law, Fordham University & Private Practice Attorney
Facilitated by L. Scott Lissner, President of the AHEAD & ADA Coordinator, The Ohio State University
Co-Sponsors: Disability Resource Center & Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
Faculty, Staff and Administrator Volunteers Needed for Residence Hall House Calls Program
Date: Wednesday, August 28
Time: Check-in for volunteers is 5:15 p.m.
Location: Dinner and orientation will take place in the East section of the Blair-Shannon Dining Center
Residence Life, Housing and Dining Services is looking for volunteers to assist with the Residence Hall House Calls Program. This program is a great opportunity to connect with our students and add to their Missouri State experience. It is designed to reach out to residence hall students and give them an opportunity to interact with faculty, staff, and administrators on a more personal level. By visiting individual rooms in the residence halls, volunteers can welcome students, help determine if they need assistance, and answer questions they might have.
Below are the details for the evening:
5:15 p.m. Check-in for all volunteers
5:30 p.m. Dinner
6:00 p.m. Orientation
6:30 p.m. House Calls begin
8:00 p.m. Program concludes
Dinner and a Missouri State University polo shirt will be provided for volunteers. If you would like to participate, please send an email with you name, department, title, and shirt size to HouseCalls@MissouriState.edu or go to the House Calls sign up page.
Faculty and Staff Free Portrait Days
Dates: Monday and Tuesday, August 26–27
Time: 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (both days)
Location: PSU 312
Who: Faculty, Staff, Administrators
No appointment is necessary
Need your photo updated or a new one taken? Photographic Services will be taking portrait pictures of faculty, staff, and administrators free of charge! These photos are perfect for your department’s website and print projects. This is a great opportunity for new faculty and staff members to have their pictures taken. Professional or business casual attire is preferred. Please contact Chuck Busby, Office of the Provost, at 836-6495, if you have any questions.