November 16, 2009

Inside this Issue

From the Chancellor
Featured Events & Activities
Accolades

From the Chancellor

It's been a very busy time over past 30 days, starting with a trip to China in October.  I was joined by my wife, Barbara, and Assistant Professor Jingpeng Tang.  The purpose of the trip was to celebrate the opening of the University of Minnesota China Center office in Beijing and the 30-year anniversary of the Zhejiang Economic and Trade Polytechnic (ZJETP) in Hangzhou.

Our trip first brought us to Beijing, where we joined U of M Senior Vice President Robert Jones and Director of International Programs Meredith McQuaid for the official opening of the China Center office.  While in Beijing, we also visited with the vice president of academic affairs of Beijing Jiatong University Haibin College about a potential relationship.  We also had dinner with Krista Lemos, former UMC director of communications, and her husband Preston Gobel.  They are doing some important and meaningful volunteer work and are doing well.

We then traveled to Hangzhou for the anniversary celebration.  I have related to many people that the celebration was very impressive with a wonderful physical setting, a large number of guests, and a very large audience attending the program.  ZJETP President Li Shuming asked me to extend congratulations on behalf of the U.S. and German universities they are working with.  It was quite an honor to be asked to do so.

While at ZJETP, we had the opportunity to meet with students who are preparing to enroll at UMC for the fall of 2010.  Over the past three years, faculty and staff from UMC have developed curriculum and taught classes that are having a significant impact on the preparation of these students.

We then joined our U.S. and German colleagues and representatives from ZJETP for a cross-cultural tour and experienced more of the Chinese culture and environment.  Included in the group were Dr. Doug Knowlton, president of Dakota State University, and Dr. Steve Shirley, president of Valley City State University.  Both are well known to the Crookston Campus.

Just after we returned from China, our campus hosted the annual All-College Advisory Council meeting, PIAC meetings, Torch & Shield Awards and banquet, and a visit by Board of Regents Chair Clyde Allen and Regents Venora Hung and Richard Beeson.

Last week I was in the Twin Cities for the November Board of Regents meeting.  Major agenda items included: (1) Review of the Six-year Capital Improvement Plan including the 2010 Legislative Capital Request, (2) Twin Cities transfer student experience and welcome week update, (3) Critical indicators for university performance, (4) The role of private support, and (5) Policy and infrastructure changes regarding conflict of interest.

Thanksgiving is only a short time away and only five weeks remain in the fall semester.  Faculty, staff, and students are all very busy as the semester nears its end.  The Thanksgiving holiday is always welcome to provide a break for everyone to prepare for the end of classes and final exams. 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

– Chuck

Charles H. Casey, Chancellor
University of Minnesota, Crookston

Featured Events & Activities

Annual International Market, Wednesday, November 18 – 2 to 7 p.m., Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center

Thursday Commons : Global Experiences Symposium - Celebrating International Education, Thursday, November 19 – 12:15 to 2 p.m., Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center

International Kids Fair, Friday, November 20 – 5 to 7:30 p.m., International Lounge, Sargeant Student Center

Campus Preview Day Hosted by Admissions, Saturday, November 21 – 9:30 a.m. Check-In, Sargeant Student Center

Music and Theater Department Presents “An Opera and a Comedy” Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22 – 7:30 p.m. nightly, Kiehle Auditorium

Lunch Presentation by Nancy Vyskocil, President, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Tuesday, November 24 – 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bede Ballroom A & B, Sargeant Student Center, RSVP requested

Thanksgiving Holiday Break, Thursday, November 26, and Friday, November 27 – campus offices closed, classes excused

World AIDS Day, Tuesday, December 1

Holiday Social and Silent Auction for Women’s Scholarships, Tuesday, December 1 – 3 to 7 p.m., Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center

Thursday Commons: Campus Assembly, Thursday, December 3 – 12:15 to 2 p.m., Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center

Agriculture and Natural Resources Activities Day, Friday, December 4 – 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. check-in, UTOC, Hill, Owen, and other locations

Campus Preview Day Hosted by Admissions, Saturday, December 5 – 9:30 a.m. Check-In, Sargeant Student Center

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 –

The Chancellor’s Office will host a buffet lunch and presentation by Nancy Vyskocil, president of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, on Tuesday, November 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Bede Ballroom A & B, Sargeant Student Center.  Faculty and staff who have worked collaboratively with the Foundation or who wish to learn more about the Foundation as a potential partner in research or other initiatives are encouraged to attend.  Individuals may come and go as their schedules permit, but they are asked to RSVP to Chris Winjum by November 18.

The fall semester meeting of Campus Assembly will be held Thursday, December 3, at 12:15 p.m. in Bede Ballroom.  The agenda for this meeting and minutes from the last meeting are available online.  Refreshments will be served.

Academic Affairs –

Agriculture and Natural Resources Activities Day is scheduled for Friday, December 4, and will bring approximately 1,300 high school students to the U of M, Crookston.  The competition, held annually on campus for more than 30 years, is overseen by faculty in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department.  Last year nearly 50 high schools participated in this event, which consists of more than 20 contests ranging from horticulture and forestry to ag mechanics, livestock, and sales.  For more information regarding the day's events, contact Amy Lubarski, 218-281-8101.  A full schedule is available online. 

The Music and Theater Department will present “An Opera and a Comedy” Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22, at 7:30 p.m. each night in Kiehle Auditorium.  The one-act opera is “Bastien and Bastienne” by Mozart and the two-scene play is “Suppressed Desires” by Susan Glaspell.  Admission at the door is $5 for adults, $3 for students, with UMC students admitted free with their University ID cards.

Student Affairs –

Student Health will sponsor a Tobacco Cessation Information Booth Wednesday, November 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Northern Lights Lounge, Sargeant Student Center.  Quit Kits will be available for those who are looking at becoming tobacco free.  Those who may be concerned about a friend’s tobacco use can stop by and learn how to help.  Also, attendees can test their tobacco knowledge and be eligible for a UMC Bookstore gift certificate.  Contact Stacey Grunewald, 218-281-8512, for more information.  Visit www.quitplan.com or www.becomeanex.org   or www.mylastdip.com  for online resources.

World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1.  The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988 to provide governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.  Over 1 million Americans are estimated to be living with HIV.  Worldwide 33 million people are living with HIV.  On Tuesday, December 1, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Northern Lights Lounge, Sargeant Student Center, Student Health will provide an educational opportunity related to HIV/STD awareness.  Respect & protect - By respecting and protecting ourselves and others, we can stop the spread of HIV and end HIV prejudice.  For Confidential HIV testing contact Polk County Public Health at 281-3385, or contact Stacey Grunewald, 218-281-8512, for more information.  Learn more about World AIDS Day. 

International Programs –

Visitors can taste treats from all over the world and purchase many items that are not available locally during the International Market on Wednesday, November 18, from 2 to 7 p.m. in Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center.  The International Market highlights a week of activities celebrating International Education Week.  An additional highlight of the week is the Global Experiences Symposium, Thursday, November 19, from  12:15 to 2 p.m., in Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center.  Learn more.

Development & Alumni Relations –

Friday, November 20, is National Philanthropy Day.  The staff of the University of Minnesota, Crookston Department of Development & Alumni Relations offer their deepest gratitude and appreciation to all alumni, friends, and supporters for the kind generosity offered this year.  Private contributions support and strengthen our campus, assist students, and touch the lives of many.  Thank you for your continued support.

Everyone is invited to attend the Third Annual Holiday Social and Silent Auction for Women’s Scholarships, Tuesday, December 1, from 3 to 7 p.m. in Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center.  A silent auction will begin at 4 p.m., a live auction will begin at 6:30 p.m., and raffle chances for various items will be offered throughout the evening. The Multicultural and International Club and Horticulture Club will also have items for sale.  All proceeds from the evening will benefit the Women’s Project Fund, which supports scholarships.

University Relations –

University Relations and Media Services have worked with the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department on a set of radio ads that highlight degree programs offered by that department.  The ads are scheduled to air November 23 through December 6 on 105.1 FM serving the Fargo/Moorhead to Fergus Falls area, 99.3 FM serving the Alexandria area, and 93.3 FM serving the Brainerd lakes area. 

Athletics –

Four Golden Eagle football players have earned all-conference recognition in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) for  the 2009 season.  Jeff Schiller, a sophomore from Lakeside, Calif., was named NSIC North Division All-Conference Second Team Offense.  Cecil Brown, a freshman from Edison, Ga.; Kolby Gruhot, a sophomore from Argyle, Minn.; and Keith McBride, a freshman from Lodi, Wis., earned NSIC North Division All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.

Amber Meyer, a junior from Paxton, Neb., has been named to the NSIC 2009 Volleyball All-Conference Team.  Meyer, an outside hitter for the UMC Golden Eagle Volleyball Team, earned honorable mention recognition.  All-conference team membership honors are determined by the league coaches.

Campus and Community -

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of the Red River Valley, sponsored by the University of Minnesota, Crookston recently received $1000 from Roseau's LifeCare Medical Center to start up a Bone Builders Exercise Program in Greenbush, Minn., in January 2010.  RSVP Bone Builders is an osteoporosis prevention/reversal exercise program that uses ankle and hand weights to build bone density. Benefits of the class may include increased bone density, lower blood pressure, increased energy, an increased sense of well being, and improved balance.  For more information contact Deanna Patenaude, director of RSVP, at 218-281-8288.

Students in the Facility Maintenance and Safety class taught by Kent Freberg, assistant professor, agricultural systems management, recently completed a lab project in wood construction resulting in a new 22’ x 18’ x 8’ high shelter in Crookston’s Walsh Park, near Villa St. Vincent.  The project, a collaborative effort among the U of M, Crookston, the Villa St. Vincent, and the city of Crookston, has been in the works for over a year.   Last fall’s Facility Maintenance and Safety class placed and finished the concrete foundation slab.  Learn more (Crookston Daily Times).

Accolades

John Loegering, associate professor, wildlife ecology, recently served as an expert commentator for a news segment about a group of black bears that has taken up residence in a tree, a behavior that is somewhat unusual for bears.  The segment was produced by KVLY TV and aired on its affiliate stations throughout the region.  View the segment online.

Members of the Sargeant Student Center staff recently attended the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Region 10 Annual Conference on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  Attending from the U of M, Crookston were Lisa Samuelson, director of student activities; Meloni Rasmussen, principal office and administrative specialist; Nik Jiran and Candice Menze, student building managers; and Brooke Hamilton, student information specialist.  Lisa and Nik served as members of the conference planning team.  Attendees participate in various events and activities including education sessions, keynote speakers, and roundtable discussions.  Conference topics included sustainability, veterans’ issues and programming, diversity, branding, and student union operations.  ACUI Region 10 is made up of colleges in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Manitoba, and Western Ontario.  

Publication notes:  The E-Update is published twice each month August through April and once each month May through July.
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If you have any questions regarding the information in this news update, please send them to urumc@umn.edu.

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