January 26, 2010

Inside this Issue

From the Chancellor
Featured Events & Activities

From the Chancellor

It’s good to have students back on campus after the holiday and semester break.  They bring energy and enthusiasm to all of us.  All faculty and staff strive to provide a rich and comprehensive student experience.  Academic programs provide a sound education in the student’s major of choice.  At the same time, students have the opportunity to be a part of many activities on campus that will prepare them to contribute to a community where they will live and work.

The campus is pleased to move forward with searches for five tenure-track positions.  They include agronomy, ecology/environmental science, management, marketing, and sport and recreation management.  These positions will fill positions vacated by retired faculty and will provide leadership for these important program areas.

Recently I attended the NCAA Convention in Atlanta.  It was strange to experience temperatures not much above those in Minnesota, but was nice to escape the snow of our area.  A group of us from the U of M, Crookston attended a variety of workshops and meetings on topics related to student-athlete success, new media, diversity, and financial management of athletics.  A number of changes were approved that will reduce a small number of games for some student athletes and provide a one week break from any practice or games during the winter holiday period.  This was done to continue to support the Division II emphasis on a balance between academics and athletics.

The campus continues to be impacted by the state budget situation as plans are put in place for the 2010-2011 budget.  We are helped by increased enrollment, but with reductions in state dollars and some increases in operating costs we will have challenges in funding all the needed investments.  Despite these challenge, it is good to know we have an active and caring campus community that can pull together.  We will continue to keep the campus community informed as news emerges.

– Chuck

Charles H. Casey, Chancellor
University of Minnesota, Crookston

Featured Events & Activities

“Flip It Off:  Save Your Energy for Later,” Kickoff Event for the Otter Tail Power Company Energy Challenge, Tuesday, January 26 – 7 p.m., Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center

U of M 2010 Legislative Briefing Live Videocast from McNamara Alumni Center, Wednesday, January 27 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Kiehle 116

Mixed Blood Theatre Performs “Dr. King’s Dream,” Wednesday, January 27 – 7 p.m., Kiehle Auditorium

UMC Hosts High School Knowledge Bowl, Thursday, January 28 – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., various locations across campus

35th Annual Ag-Arama, Saturday, January 30 – 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., University Teaching and Outreach Center (UTOC); Alumni Social from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Irishman’s Shanty; Ag-Arama Dance 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Crookston Armory

Eighth Annual Winter Job and Internship Fair, Wednesday, February 3 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center

Water Resources Listening Session, Wednesday, February 3 – 12:30 to 6 p.m., Youngquist Auditorium

Thursday Commons: Campus Master Plan Overview, Thursday, February 4 - 12:15 to 1:45 p.m., Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center

Passport Drive, Thursday, February 4 – 3 to 7 p.m., Northern Lights Lounge, Sargeant Student Center

Support the U Day at the Minnesota State Capitol, Tuesday, February 9 – St. Paul

For details on these and a comprehensive listing of other events or to discover what’s happening this week, visit UMC Today at www.umcrookston.edu/today or review our news page at blog.lib.umn.edu/umcweb/news.

Around Campus

Administrative Affairs –

Students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend an overview of the campus facilities master plan during the Thursday Commons session Thursday, Feb. 4, from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m. in Bede Ballroom.  A committee is working to update the existing campus master plan and refine it for the next decade.  Everyone is encouraged to learn more and provide feedback as planning continues to evolve.  Orlyn Miller and Monique MacKenzie from the U of M’s Capital Planning and Project Management Office are scheduled to be a part of the session, as is Joe Favour of Oslund and Associates, the firm that will complete the master plan document.

Academic Affairs –

The Department of Math, Science, and Technology on the Crookston campus will partner with the Institute for Health Informatics (IHI), the School of Nursing, the School of Public Health, and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering—all on the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota—to collectively represent the U of M in the formation of a new consortium between the University and the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.  The new consortium will be called the University Partnership for Health Informatics (UP-HI).  The efforts to establish UP-HI, led by the IHI, aim to build on the existing strengths in health information technology (HIT) training in the IHI as well the other partnering schools and departments.  The intent of the consortium is to rapidly infuse highly trained HIT professionals into the nation's workforce.  These professionals will lead and support clinical and public health deployment and the use of HIT, health information management exchange, health information privacy and security, research and development, and software engineering for advanced HIT solutions.

The U of M, Crookston has been confirmed as a partner in the expansion of the U of M College of Veterinary Medicine’s VetFAST (Veterinary Food Animal Scholars Track) program beginning fall 2010.  Through this program, freshman students enrolled full-time (15 credits) in the pre-veterinary emphasis of UMC’s animal science degree program who met the program’s rigorous screening criteria would be selected for the VetFAST program.  These students would gain provisional admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine contingent upon the successful completion of their prerequisite coursework with a GPA of 3.4 or higher.  Students must also remain active in animal related experiences, including a summer veterinary related internship.  For more information, contact Ron Del Vecchio, Ph.D., professor and department head, Agriculture and Natural Resources Department.

The Center for Adult Learning reports another semester of phenomenal growth in enrollment for the U of M, Crookston’s online degree programs.  Sixty-five new online-only degree-seeking students have enrolled for spring semester 2010.   Online credit hours delivered for spring semester 2010 total 3,766.5 overall, representing an increase of 28% compared to 2,945 credit hours delivered spring semester 2009.  Of the 3,766.5 total 2,919 are online-only credit hours involving 331 online-only degree-seekers (195 of which are full-time equivalent).

Student Affairs –

In an effort to raise awareness and educate the campus community on how to increase energy savings, the U of M, Crookston and Otter Tail Power Company will kick-off the Campus Energy Challenge on Tuesday, January 26, at 7 p.m. in Bede Ballroom.  Student Programming and Activities for Campus Entertainment (SPACE) will join Crookston Students for Sustainable Development (CSSD) to host "Flip It Off: Save your energy for later" featuring competitions geared to educate students about the Campus Energy Challenge and energy use in general.  Students will contend for cash and door prizes provided by Otter Tail Power Company.

In acclaimed celebration of the life and career of Martin Luther King, Jr., Mixed Blood Theatre will perform “Dr. King’s Dream” on Wednesday, January 27, at 7 p.m. in Kiehle Auditorium. The event is free, and the public is welcome.  The performance is sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Services and is offered in honor of the civil rights leader’s birthday, which is officially recognized as a national holiday on January 18, 2010.  Learn more.

Hosted by the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, Ag Arama weekend, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, January 29-30, includes fun for the entire family.  Most of the activities take place on Saturday, Jan. 30, in the University Teaching and Outreach Center (UTOC) located on the north edge of the campus.  This is the thirty-fifth year of the event.  Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the general public are all welcome.  A schedule of events is available online.

The Eighth Annual Winter Job and Internship Fair will be held on Wednesday, February 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center.  Everyone is invited to attend to meet and greet with representatives from over twenty companies, including Frito-Lay, Titan Machinery, the United States Department of Agriculture, and Madden's on Gull Lake, among others.  The event is hosted by UMC Career and Counseling Services and Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE).  

The 4th Annual University of Minnesota Quality Fair will be held Thursday, February 4, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the TCF Bank Stadium on the Twin Cities Campus.   Throughout the day speakers will talk about collaboration across units and approaches to improvements and streamlining of work.  Thirty-four projects from across the U of M system will be on display, including two from the Crookston campus:  “Caring for the At-Risk Student” by Rand Rasmussen and “Managing Work Study Funds Effectively Across Campus” by Emily Knutson and Melissa Dingmann.  If you have interest in attending, please contact Bill Peterson for more information.

Development & Alumni Relations –

Last Tuesday, February 19 the Office of Development & Alumni Relations kicked off the 2010 Challenge Faculty-Staff Fund Drive.  All contributions are tax deductable and will be matched dollar-for-dollar.  Faculty and staff are asked to consider making a gift in support of student scholarships and to encourage their campus community peers.  Last year approximately 30% of UMC employees participated in the fund drive and raised more than $14,000 for scholarships.  Special thanks go to Alysa Tulibaski, Phil Baird, Amber Evans-Dailey, and Kenneth Johnson for their efforts in helping to plan this campaign.

All alumni, friends, faculty, and staff are invited to attend the Ag-Arama Alumni Social on Saturday, January 30, at the Irishman’s Shanty in Crookston.

University Relations –

President Bruininks will preview the U of M's 2010 legislative request and talk about the challenges faced by higher education in these trying economic times at the U of M 2010 Legislative Briefing on Wednesday, January 27.  The event will be videocast live from McNamara Alumni Center in the Twin Cities to all campuses of the University.  On the Crookston campus the event will be viewable in Kiehle 116.  Light hors d'ouvres and refreshments will be served on site starting at 5:30 p.m.  President Bruininks will speak at 6 p.m.  Guest speaker Mary Lahammer will share her insights as a U alumna and political journalist.  Please contact Andrew Svec, 218-281-8438, if you plan to attend.

Athletics –

The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has named Jamie Zelinsky, a junior from Brooklyn Park, Minn., the NSIC Women's Basketball Player of the Week.  Zelinsky earned the recognition for her conference play in two outstanding victories for the Golden Eagles this past weekend.  UMC defeated Upper Iowa 70-69 on Friday, January 22, and Winona State 89-83 in overtime on Saturday, January 23.  The Golden Eagles Women’s Basketball Team is now 8-9 overall and 6-5 in the Northern Sun.

Campus & Community –

Local citizens will have the chance to voice their opinions on how the state should invest resources to protect clean water at a Water Resources Listening Session on Wednesday, February 3, from 12:30 to 6 p.m. in Youngquist Auditorium, Ag Research Center.  This meeting is one of a series scheduled across the state and will be facilitated by staff from the Water Resources Center and the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources.  It offers a chance for people to voice opinions on a range of water-related issues from boating and water recreation to priorities for cleaning up polluted lakes and streams.  From 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. the meeting will focus on concerns of professionals associated with local government units, soil and water conservation districts, and watershed districts.  Citizens, community leaders, and elected and appointed officials will have a chance to share their concerns from 4 to 6 p.m.  Learn more.

The EDA Center at the U of M, Crookston has selected four new technical assistance projects for 2010. These projects will engage students, faculty, and staff and will involve the communities of Appleton, Crookston and Grand Marais, Minn.  The EDA Center has also launched its new Student Internship Program for the Summer of 2010.  All municipal, county, regional and tribal economic development organizations throughout rural Minnesota are invited to post an internship opportunity online now.  Faculty and staff are asked to help identify and encourage current UMC students to get involved with the program.  Learn more at www.edacenter.org.

Publication notes:  The E-Update is published twice each month August through April and once each month May through July.
Issues are posted online.

If you have any questions regarding the information in this news update, please send them to urumc@umn.edu.

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