August 17, 2009

Inside this Issue

From the Chancellor
Featured Events & Activities
Accolades

From the Chancellor

Welcome to the beginning of the 2009-10 academic year.  Welcome to faculty and staff who have been away for all or part of the summer.  It’s good to have you back.  Welcome also to all new faculty and staff who are just joining us.  We will do our best to provide the support you need to ensure success.

At the beginning of a new academic year it is important to remind ourselves of our strong commitment to students, the importance of recruitment and retention, the extent to which the quality of our programs depends on our faculty, the critical ways that staff contribute to our success, and the many reasons we have to celebrate progress, including new people hired over the past year.

Here’s the most important thing about now and the future:  we have opportunities ahead, even knowing the state of Minnesota’s financial situation.  With that in mind, I’d like to start a dialogue that will continue all year.  At our administrative retreat in June, we reviewed our strategic positioning report, updated our budget, and developed strategies to move us forward, specifically related to recruitment and retention. We also discussed our campus culture and criteria for making academic program decisions. 

For the next few years we will be impacted by the State’s financial situation.  Recruitment and retention will, in turn, impact our financial situation because we are increasingly dependent on tuition and fee revenues.  And, to ensure recruitment and retention we must have strong, viable, and visible academic programs.  It’s what attracts talent – talented students, faculty, and staff. 

We do need to find ways to increase revenue, and as I see it, the best way is to recruit and retain more students.  Despite the population decline in the region, our recruitment efforts are encouraging.  It’s noteworthy that we have been successful recruiting from the Twin Cities metro area and beyond Minnesota’s borders – across the country and around the world.  Online students have had significant impact on our enrollment as well. 

Recruitment is one thing, retention is another.  Improving graduation rates not only has merit as a principle, but also as a financial benefit to the campus bottom line.  I offer a quick reminder of our goal to graduate 40% in four years, 50% in five years, and 55% in six years. 

Recruitment and retention are everyone’s responsibility, and everyone needs to find the role they do best.  Cooperation across the campus is essential, and it’s evident to me that there is a direct connection between effort and results.  It shows when an academic program has an aspirational goal and commitment to recruit and retain students.  Often it’s as simple as a phone call to a prospective student.  I often ask students or their parents what made them choose the U of M, Crookston.  It’s so interesting when the answer is a story about a visit here or a phone call from someone on campus simply encouraging them to come here.  These little things can mean a great deal.

At our administrative retreat, we made a commitment to begin a process of engagement.  I ask and expect all of you to participate.  We need your ideas, your insights, and above all your commitment to make this campus the best it can be.  Every single one of us is responsible for making this campus a better place—a better place for students to learn, a better place for all of us to work, and a better place to serve as inspiration for the region.  Let’s all commit to a goal of improving the campus and its culture as a major accomplishment to achieve for the year ahead and an accomplishment to celebrate this time next year.  We can do it.  It’s within us. 

Thank you for supporting me as your Chancellor, and for believing in yourselves.

– Chuck

Charles H. Casey, Chancellor
University of Minnesota, Crookston

Featured Events & Activities

Opening Week Activities for Faculty and Staff, Monday, August 17 through Monday, August 24 – the full schedule of events for the week is available online.

New Faculty and Staff Orientation & Campus Tour, Tuesday, August 18 – 9 a.m. to noon, starting in Kiehle 116

Faculty Assembly Meeting, Tuesday, August 18 – 3 p.m., Dowell 207

Faculty/Advisor Workshop: Best Practices in Advising, Wednesday, August 19 – 1 to 3 p.m., Evergreen Hall Classroom

Faculty Workshop: Creating an Active Learning Environment, Thursday, August 20 – 9 to 11 a.m., Evergreen Hall Classroom

Faculty & Staff Golf Scramble and Social, Thursday, August 20 – golf: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., social: 5:30 to 7 p.m., Minakwa Golf Course, Crookston, cost for golfing is $16, all faculty and staff are welcome, non-golfers are encouraged to attend the social at 5:30 p.m.

New Student Orientation Begins, Residence Halls Open, Friday, August 21 – 8 a.m., check-in at Kiehle Auditorium

Faculty Workshop: Best Practices in Online Instruction, Friday, August 21 – 8:30 to 10 a.m., Evergreen Hall Classroom

Orientation Convocation, Friday, August 21 – 3:15 p.m. in Kiehle Auditorium, all students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend

Advisor and Department Meetings with New Students, Monday, August 24 – 9 to 10 a.m. in the following locations: Bede Ballroom A, B, and C - Business Department; Bede Ballroom D & E - Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department; Dowell Hall 207 - Math, Science and Technology Department; Kiehle Auditorium - Agriculture and Natural Resources Department

Athletic Practice Viewing Session, Monday, August 24 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Lysaker Gymnasium and the UMC practice fields, everyone is welcome

Fall Semester 2009 Classes Begin, Tuesday, August 25

Crookston Retail Merchants Association and Chamber of Commerce Picnic, Thursday, August 27 – 5 to 7 p.m., Brown Dining Room, all students, faculty, and staff are invited

Dedication of Jim LeClair Practice Field, Friday, August 28 – 12 noon, field just east of Evergreen Hall

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/umcnews or review our news page at blog.lib.umn.edu/umcweb/news.

Around Campus

Administrative Affairs –

The week prior to the beginning of classes, this year August 17-24, has come to be known as "Opening Week."  While a number of faculty and staff have worked throughout the summer, all faculty and staff officially return on Monday, August 17, to prepare for fall semester classes, which begin Tuesday, August 25. Opening week is typically filled with course preparation, various meetings, information sessions, and workshops.  A full schedule of events for the week is available online.

The schedule for Thursday Commons has been set for the 2009-2010 academic year by a group of faculty, staff, and students.  No classes are scheduled for the block of time from 12-2 p.m. each Thursday in order to provide an open time for the scheduling of a variety of campus meetings, events, or presentations that allows the involvement of the entire campus community without schedule conflicts.  The schedule can be viewed online at www.umcrookston.edu/thursdaycommons.

Academic Affairs –

A print edition of the new University of Minnesota, Crookston Catalog for the academic years 2009-2011 will be available for faculty advisors early this week.  It will be distributed through departmental offices.  When the decision was made to move the catalog entirely online, a number of faculty advisors requested a print version for reference.   Please note:  the information in this print version is current as of August 1, 2009.  The information is subject to change, and the online version, located at www.catalogs.umn.edu/umc, will contain the most current information about courses and requirements.

The University of Minnesota Board of Regents has approved the promotion of Rachel McCoppin, Ph.D. from assistant professor to associate professor with tenure.  Effective August 17, 2009, she is officially an associate professor of communication in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department.

Student Affairs –

Residence Halls open and New Student Orientation officially begins on Friday, August 21 at 8 a.m.  Sara Kaiser of the Student Experience Program is seeking faculty and staff volunteers to help students and their families with moving into the residence halls from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. that day. 

New Student Orientation Convocation will be held Friday, August 21, from 3:15-4:30 p.m. in Kiehle Auditorium.  All faculty, staff, and new students are encouraged to attend.  All faculty and staff should line up on the first floor of Kiehle Auditorium at 3 p.m. to prepare for the processional.

Because of changes in the processing of I-9’s, work study students are not eligible to work until all paperwork is completed and supervisors have received a confirmation e-mail from the Financial Aid Office.  Questions about work study should be directed to the Financial Aid Office.

Finance & University Services –

Parking passes are available for purchase at the Business Office, 121 Selvig Hall. The cost for an annual pass that works for all lots is $72.68, and employees may purchase a duplicate pass for a second vehicle for $5.34.  Employees may elect to have the cost of passes taken out of their paychecks bi-weekly and will need to complete a form at the Business Office.  Questions should be directed to Joan Reitmeier.

Development & Alumni Relations –

Dedication of the Jim LeClair Practice Field will take place at noon on Friday, August 28, just east of Evergreen Hall.  Everyone is welcome to this special event.  Jim LeClair, ex. ’70, enrolled at the U of M, Crookston in the fall of 1968 as a student-athlete and excelled in football.  In 1970 he transferred to the University of North Dakota, where he played two more season of collegiate football.  In 1972, LeClair was drafted by the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals where he played twelve seasons. He finished his fourteen-year career with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL.  Following his professional football career LeClair has been a successful coach, businessman, entrepreneur, civic leader, and a strong friend and supporter of the University of Minnesota, Crookston. 

University Relations –

University Relations has invited the local business community to take part in Maroon & Gold Fridays for the 2009-2010 academic year.  Participating businesses will receive discounts on maroon and gold clothing from the UMC Bookstore for a limited time.  Two Fridays each month Regal the Eagle will visit randomly selected businesses that choose to take part in the program.  The businesses whose employees are wearing maroon and gold when visited will win Golden Eagle Athletics game passes and will be entered into a drawing to win a grand prize of an office party pack from a local catering establishment and/or restaurant.

Staff members are working to move the U of M, Crookston Web site to a different server and a content management system over the next few weeks.  During this transition there is a possibility of temporary disruption of certain pages and/or links within pages.  Links and pages are tested prior to moving sites to the new server, but faculty and staff are reminded they may contact Amber Bailey, e-communications manager, if they encounter links that do not work or that offer errors.  Your patience during this transition is appreciated.

Athletics –

Nearly 25% of UMC students are athletes.  Faculty and staff are invited to take a break from their prep work on Monday, August 24, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and stop by to catch a glimpse of all the hard work our student athletes put in at football, volleyball, and soccer practice.  These practices will take place at Lysaker Gymnasium and at the practice fields (southeast of the new Evergreen Hall).

The Athletics Department is pleased to announce that sponsors have helped secure the necessary funding to provide new athletic scoreboards at Ed Widseth Field, in Lysaker Gymnasium, and at the softball and baseball fields on the Crookston campus.  Northwest Manufacturing, Inc. of Red Lake Falls, Minn., is recognized for signature sponsorship of the scoreboard project, with premier sponsors including Bremer Bank in Crookston; Hugo's; RiverView Health; and Crookston McDonald's.

Accolades

The University of Minnesota, Crookston is the subject of a feature story in the August 2009 edition of Prairie Business magazine. The feature, entitled “University of Minnesota, Crookston Changing with the Times,” gives an encapsulated history of the campus and includes quotes from Bill Peterson, professor, math; Don Sargeant, chancellor emeritus; and Chancellor Chuck Casey.  The article is available online at www.prairiebizmag.com.  The magazine also includes a segment on the newly constructed Evergreen Hall within a feature on housing projects on regional university campuses.

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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