December 7, 2009

Inside this Issue

From the Chancellor
Featured Events & Activities
Accolades

From the Chancellor

Winter has finally arrived at the University of Minnesota, Crookston after an unusually mild November.  The holiday season and start of 2010 are only a few weeks away.  This also means the close of fall semester is almost at hand.  Classes end on December 11, and finals will be completed on December 17.  A common refrain is “Where has the semester gone?”

I continue to be grateful for the outstanding commitment of faculty and staff to student learning and service.  Our students are serious about their education and represent the campus well in the community, region, and beyond in the many activities and events they are involved in.

The state budget forecast was released on December 2.  While not surprising, it is a reminder of the challenge the University of Minnesota faces in providing funding to maintain a quality education for students.  That challenge is something the Crookston campus must respond to as well.  We have a small group working with a financial planning model that will assist us in developing longer term financial plans.  We will also be examining every aspect of the operations of each academic and administrative unit on campus to determine if we are investing in the right areas and operating in the most efficient and effective way.  Our objective will be to continue to provide a quality education for our students that ensures access and affordability.

My best wishes to everyone over the next few weeks.  Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

– Chuck

Charles H. Casey, Chancellor
University of Minnesota, Crookston

Featured Events & Activities

Retirement Reception for Charles “Chuck” Habstritt, Wednesday, December 9 – 3 to 5 p.m., Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center

Horticulture Program Poinsettia Sale, Thursday, December 10 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Northern Lights Lounge, Sargeant Student Center

Horticulture Program Poinsettia Sale, Friday, December 11 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Greenhouse, Production Horticulture Building

Last Day of Instruction for Fall Semester, Friday, December 11

First Annual "White Out" at the NSIC Home Opener Women's and Men's Basketball Games vs. the Golden Bears of Concordia-St. Paul, Friday, December 11 – 6 p.m. Women’s Game, 8 p.m. Men’s Game

Theater Performance: 'Poetic Captivity' to benefit Disabled American Veterans, Saturday, December 12 – 4:30 p.m., Kiehle Auditorium

Final Exams, Monday, December 14, through Thursday, December 17

Faculty and Staff Holiday Get Together,Thursday, December 17 – 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bede Ballroom

Christmas Holiday, Thursday, December 24, and Friday, December 25 – campus offices closed

New Year Holiday, Thursday, December 31, 2009, and Friday, January 1, 2010 – campus offices closed

Spring Semester Classes Begin Monday, January 11, 2010

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 annual Faculty and Staff Holiday Get Together will be held Thursday, December 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Bede Ballroom.  The day's theme is “Dashing through the Decades.”  All faculty and staff are invited, including everyone from the University of Minnesota, Crookston, the Crookston Regional Extension Office, the Northwest Research and Outreach Center, and the Area Health Education Center.  A buffet lunch featuring lasagna (including a vegetarian option) will be served, and door prizes will be awarded.  Attendees are encouraged to bring holiday treats for the pot luck dessert table and to come dressed in a style from their favorite decade to win fun prizes.   Back by popular demand is the White Elephant Gift Exchange.  In keeping with the day’s theme, anyone may bring a current gift or one from a past decade for the exchange.

The budget presentation Chancellor Casey gave at the Campus Assembly meeting on Thursday, December 3, is available for review online at www.umcrookston.edu/chancellors-office/budgetfinance.htm.

Academic Affairs –

Associate Professor Charles "Chuck" Habstritt will be honored at a retirement reception on Wednesday, December 9, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center.  The public is invited to attend.  Chuck Habstritt began his teaching career in 1969 at the U of M, Crookston, where he has specialized in agronomy and soils.  Over the course of his 40-year career, he coached the highly successful Collegiate Crops Judging Team to top three finishes more than 25 times and was named “outstanding educator” by students three times.  In 1999 he was selected to receive the Distinguished Teaching Award by his colleagues, and in 2008 he was honored with the University of Minnesota's John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising.

Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs Thomas Baldwin, recently returned from a international conference in Taiwan, where he presented a paper entitled "Relevance for Life 'Our Curriculum'" and participated in a number of panel discussions.  In addition to his participation in the international conference, another goal of the trip was to develop collaborative opportunities and discuss possible exchange programs for students and faculty.  While in Taiwan he visited seven different universities.  A “2+2” agreement—where students complete two years at their university before attending the U of M, Crookston for two years to earn their bachelor’s degree—was renewed with Nan Kai University of Technology, and new 2+2 agreements were signed with National Taipei College of Business and China University of Science and Technology.  Memorandums of understanding were signed with Overseas Chinese University and Vanun University of Technology.  Baldwin also presented a session on redefining the curriculum to faculty and staff at Lung-Hwa University of Science and Technology and discussed international study options at the U of M, Crookston with students attending the Chinese Culture University.

The UMC Library was recently allocated $25,000 to invest in items that directly benefit the student experience.  Objectives of these investments are:  to build core book (print and digital) collections for the new majors being offered at UMC, including biology, criminal justice, health sciences, marketing, and quality management; to update the DVD collection and reformat some videos from VHS to DVD; to purchase academic backfiles for selected journal titles; to update and replace hardware such as  digital cameras, web cameras, scanners, jump drives, and head phones for student use and checkout; to add and update software on library computers for student use;  and to add a larger flatbed scanner for digitizing large items for the UMC Digital Archives Project.  Library staff will solicit suggestions from faculty, staff, and students when selecting items to purchase. 

Student Affairs –

Tony Tengwall is the new northwest regional coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.  His regular office hours on campus are Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Hill 15.  Feel free to contact him with any questions regarding veterans’ issues and benefits. 

A special performance of “Poetic Captivity,” a drama about the sacrifices of our country's servicemen and women written and directed by U of M, Crookston Senior Deborah Halstad, will take place on Saturday, December 12, at 4:30 p.m. in Kiehle Auditorium. A free will offering will be taken at the door, and all proceeds will support the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).  The cast includes members of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), the Communication Club, and Student Programming and Activities for Campus Entertainment (SPACE).

Development & Alumni Relations –

The third annual Women's Holiday Social, held Tuesday, December 1, raised a total of $6,795 (including in-kind donations) with more than $4,050 in cash that will go directly to support student scholarships.  More than 120 people gathered to celebrate the season, connect with friends of the University, and enjoy refreshments, while bidding on some 20 holiday baskets and other items.  Proceeds from the silent and live auctions, as well as the raffles, will support the Women's Project Fund and scholarships.

University Relations –

The first-ever UMC Cookbook, featuring recipes from faculty and staff, will go to print shortly.  Pre-orders are currently being taken.  The price is $15 per copy, with proceeds after cost of production going to support student scholarships.  To order a cookbook, contact Patti Tiedemann, 218-281-8402 or Linda Wilkens, 218-281-8403.

Athletics –

Eight Golden Eagle student-athletes were named to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) All-Academic Teams for the 2009 fall athletic season.  To be eligible for this honor, the student-athlete must be a sophomore with a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or better.  Football: Cody Brekken, a junior from Crookston; Timothy Ennis, a junior from Lancaster, Calif.; Justin Overby, a sophomore from Langdon, N.D.  Soccer:  Megan Hannon, a senior from Green Bay, Wis.; Stephanie Lee, a junior from  Scarsdale, N.Y.; Anna Ogaard, a junior from Maple Grove, Minn.  Volleyball: Janie Bauer, a sophomore from Durand, Wis.; Danielle Rueter, a sophomore from Burlington, Wis.

The Sport and Recreation Management Association will host the first annual "White Out" during the NSIC home opener women's and men's basketball games on Friday, December 11, when the Golden Eagles face the Golden Bears of Concordia-St. Paul.  All fans are encouraged to wear white to fill up Lysaker Gymnasium.  White t-shirts can be purchased at the door for $5.  All fans in white are eligible to receive a raffle ticket for a chance at great prizes given away throughout the evening.  Drawings for prizes will be held at the halftime of the women's game and at the start, halftime, and conclusion of the men's game.  A clothing and shoe drive will also be held that evening.  Learn more.

Campus and Community -

Over the course of fall semester students enrolled in the courses Marketing Research and Integrated Marketing Communication, taught by Rachel Lundbohm, M.B.A., instructor, marketing, had the opportunity to synthesize current research and develop plans to address the specific needs of several regional businesses.  Students worked with the Northwest Minnesota Area Health Education Center (AHEC), the Pembina Trail Resource Conservation and Development Council, and C & M Ford Sales, Hallock, Minn., on various projects involving research and analysis that will help these entities make future marketing decisions.  Learn more.

Accolades

In its November 24 edition, Agweek, a regional weekly publication focusing on agriculture, published a cover story and suite of related articles about a looming shortage of rural veterinarians and programs designed to address the issue.  The articles provide information about the U of M, Crookston’s pre-veterinary program options in animal and equine science.  Ron Del Vecchio, Ph.D., professor and head, Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, is quoted, and students Mindy Nieuwboer, a junior from Kenneth, Minn., and Tony Dank, a senior from Sartell, Minn., were featured.

Jack Geller, Ph.D., professor and head, Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department, was interviewed about rural broadband Internet access in an article appearing in the December 6 edition of the Grand Forks Herald.  He is a member of Minnesota's statewide High-Speed Broadband Task Force.  The article is available online.

Larry Smith, Ph.D., head of the Northwest Research and Outreach Center, has been named a recipient of the Sugarbeet Distinguished Service Award for 2009.  The Sugarbeet Research and Education Board presented the award at the American Crystal Sugar Company annual meeting on Thursday, December 3, in Fargo, N.D.  The award recognizes individuals for their recent, significant contributions to the success of the sugarbeet industry in Minnesota and North Dakota.  Recipients have demonstrated excellence in research and/or education programs that have made a significant impact on the sugarbeet industry.

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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