Monday Missive
March 24, 2008

Conference season is officially upon us!  This week many of us are away for AERA and then next week we have the Conference on Human Development. Please be sure you have filled out your travel authorization forms before you go and safe travels.

Kudos
Winnie Mucherah and her colleague Jackie Nagila had their paper "Ethnic minority students' perceptions of their campus environment and its impact on their academic performance" accepted for presentation at the Southern Interdisciplinary Roundtable on African Studies.  Well done!

Kristen Williams, Educational Psychology Graduate Student, has received the Association for Institutional Research Dissertation Fellowship.  In addition to receiving the fellowship, her dissertation proposal was also selected for the Charles I. Brown award designated for best dissertation proposal of the year. Congratulations!

Roundtable Council for the Associate Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School
Dean Weaver has selected Jerrell Cassady to serve on the Roundtable Council for the Associate Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School.  
 
Upcoming Faculty Meeting – April 23
Please mark your calendars for the upcoming faculty meeting on April 23 from 1:00-2:30pm.  I am creating the agenda now and know we have several issues to discuss including graduate program policies, online courses and teaching, and graduate/teaching assistantship policy.  If you have anything you would like to add to the agenda pleas let me know.

May Commencement
I am serving as our departmental representative to the college commencement committee while Barbara Rothlisberg is on special leave. One of the things I am being asked to indicate which faculty will be attending the commencement on Saturday, May 3.  If you think you will be attending please let me know.

RapidWeaver Workshop
There will be a RapidWeaver workshop on Tuesday, March 25th at 6:00pm in TC 406.  This is one of the new software packages that is designed just for Macs. It is a really easy and great way to create high quality web pages.  
 
Summer Assessment Project Grants
The Office of Academic Assessment and Institutional Research will once again have funding available for summer assessment projects that support the Goals and Objectives found in the University Strategic Plan, 2007-2012.  For our graduate programs this can be an excellent opportunity to look at the data we have been collection on student performance and provides an opportunity to prepare upcoming accreditation reports and/or to provide an opportunity to justify programmatic changes. Completed proposals are due by Monday, April 7, 2008.   I have application materials if you are interested.
 
Nominations for the Bernadette Perham Scholarship
It is time to nominate one our outstanding graduate students.  Remember last year our own Molly Jameson, Educational Psychology graduate student, was a winner of this prestigious scholarship.  Any senior or graduate student in Fall 2008 who demonstrates academic excellence and leadership is eligible for the Bernadette Perham Scholarship.  Nominations letters describing the student's major accomplishments and a current resume is all that is needed.  Applications are due by May 16 to Dr. Fred Myer, Department of Political Science.  Information regarding this application is in your mailbox.  
 
I hope I have not forgotten anything, but if I have please let me know.
 
Here is to a great week!
 
Lisa