Title IX Informational Session for faculty members will take place on Wednesday, February 13, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., in Mago Hunt Center Theater. Sandy Chung (vice president for human resources and Title IX coordinator for compliance) and Matthew Rygg (associate vice president for student development and Title IX coordinator for education) will be present, as will Tom Greene, provost. Chung and Rygg will provide an overview of the work done this year by the Title IX team, and will respond to questions. Please submit questions in advance using this form.
Tom Greene
2019 Commencement Honorees: Nominations Welcome
The University of Portland invites nominations for the 2019 commencement speakers, Christus Magister Medal recipient, and honorary degree recipients. All nominations should be emailed to poorman@up.edu and greene@up.edu and should contain the following information:
- Name of nominee.
- A paragraph or two answering the following question(s):
- If a nominee for Christus Magister Medal: How has this nominee evinced a vigorous spiritual life and an accomplished professional career in service to others? How has this nominee been a source of inspiration and consolation to the world? How has this nominee illustrated and enhanced the mission of the University of Portland?
- If a nominee for Honorary Degree: How has this nominee contributed to the University’s values of teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership? What impact has this person had on his/her local community and/or the world? Is this a person that the University would like for its students and faculty to imitate in their own lives?
- If a nominee for Commencement Speaker: Why would this nominee be an exceptional Commencement speaker? What sort of message would this nominee deliver to the graduates of the University and their families?
- Any contact name(s) for the nominee (if possible).
- Any connection between the nominee and the University of Portland (if applicable).
The deadline for nominations is Friday, October 26.
First Cohort Announced for Ignite Grants
The provost’s office is pleased to announce the first cohort of Ignite Grant awardees. This award program supports new ideas and approaches for course, curriculum, and program development that make an innovative contribution to UP’s teaching and learning future. The following faculty will receive a $5,000 grant to explore new ideas that have the potential to reshape the classroom experience:
- Jeffrey White, international languages and cultures; Carolyn James, mathematics: “Peer Learning Capture”
- Rebecca Smith, Nicole Ralston, and Ben Gallegos, education: “Going Beyond the Classroom: Using Virtual Reality to Enhance Classroom Learning”
- Laurie Dizney, Tara Prestholdt, ad Christine Weilhoefer, biology: “Advancing the Biology Curriculum through the Franz Campus”
- Alexa Dare, communication studies; Lauren Alfrey, sociology; Ali Na, communication studies: “Radical Praxis: Race and Gender Inequality In and Beyond the Classroom”
- Lindsay Benes and Joanne Olsen, nursing: “Designing the Learning Ecosystem to Ignite Education”
- Sam Holloway, Ian Parkman, and Itzel Megchun, business: “MakerSpace Curriculum”
Project abstracts will be posted in the coming weeks on the Teaching and Learning Hub under “Ignite Grants.” The Office of the Provost extends its thanks to all who have participated in this round of Ignite Grants and Tom Greene would like to acknowledge leadership of Erin Tochen and Sam Williams in facilitating this work. Stay tuned for the next round of Ignite Grants scheduled to launch in the fall.
2018 Holy Week, Good Friday Observance
University offices will be closed and no classes will be held on Friday, March 30, in observance of Good Friday, according to Tom Greene, provost. The closing actually begins at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 29; no classes should continue beyond that time, and other events, apart from those connected with the religious observance of Holy Week, should not be scheduled from that time through Monday, April 2.
Even though classes are not scheduled for Easter Monday, University offices will be open as usual.
The early closing on Holy Thursday is intended to allow students, faculty, and staff to attend the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which will be celebrated in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher at 4:30 p.m.
The University’s custom of closing on Good Friday is in acknowledgment of the special religious character of the day. In Catholic tradition, Good Friday has always been recognized as one of three important days (the Sacred Triduum) of religious observance: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.
For more information contact the provost’s office at 7105 or staten@up.edu.
Summer Undergraduate Research Protocol
The Provost’s office would like to remind all faculty members conducting collaborative research with undergraduates this summer that the Deans Council approved a uniform, University-wide protocol for all undergraduate research projects. A list of the items required each semester as part of the protocol can always be found in the Undergraduate Research section of the PilotsUP Forms page. The same information is listed below. Any student receiving a stipend or credit for an undergraduate research project at UP is expected to complete the protocol and faculty members are responsible for informing students of this expectation.
Undergraduate Research Protocol
Learning Agreement – This form is completed by both the faculty member and student. The faculty member must complete their portion of this online form first.
Responsible Conduct in Research Training – New users will need to create a CITI account and affiliate with University of Portland during the registration process to access the course. After creating an account the user must select the appropriate Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) course from the UP course selection menu. Both faculty members and students must complete CITI’s RCR course, if they have not done so at a previous time.
Pre-Experience Survey – To be completed by the student during the first week of the semester.
Post-Experience Survey – To be completed by the student during the last week of the semester.
If you have any questions about this process, please contact John Orr (orr@up.edu) in the Office of Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement.
Bulletin Updates Due March 20
Faculty and staff members who are tasked with updating their departmental and office information in the 2017-2018 University Bulletin need to submit changes to reviewers by Monday, March 20, according to Tom Greene, provost. Course changes and descriptions are handled by the registrar’s office; this deadline is for narrative sections of the Bulletin, for example, program descriptions and requirements. The Smartcatalog tool used to update information can be accessed by going to this link. Access is limited to designated users who have been issued usernames and passwords.
A list of deadlines for Bulletin updates is available at this link.
For assistance with usernames, passwords, or new accounts, contact Marc Covert, marketing and communications, at x8132 or mcovert@up.edu.
UP Faculty and Staff Memorial Garden Dedication, Oct. 4
All faculty and staff are invited to attend the dedication of the University’s new Faculty and Staff Memorial Garden on Tuesday, October 4, at 4 p.m., beginning at the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. The blessing of the garden will be followed by a presidential reception in Bauccio Commons.
Many units across campus took part in planning the memorial garden, coordinated by a committee made up of Matt Baasten, Tom Greene, Fr. Edwin Obermiller, C.S.C., Jim Ravelli, Karen Eifler, and Rich Christen. The garden’s designer is Nathan Hale, physical plant. The garden is located on the Academic Quad near Buckley Center and the Clark Library.
For more information contact the provost’s office at x7105 or staten@up.edu.
An Open Invitation
University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., invites the University community to nominate candidates for the University’s annual presentation of honorary doctorates. Such men and women have in a remarkable way encapsulated the University’s dedication to teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership in the classroom, residence halls, and the world, and are notable in their professions and/or communities for dedication, commitment, creativity, service, and the manner in which they have turned their talents to the common good.
Nominations should be sent to Tom Greene, provost, at greene@up.edu, preferably by the end of June. Names should be accompanied by a short explanation of the candidate’s life and work.
2016-2017 Bulletin Updates Due March 14
Faculty and staff members who are tasked with updating their departmental and office information in the 2016-2017 University Bulletin need to submit changes to reviewers by Monday, March 14, according to Tom Greene, provost. The Smartcatalog tool used to update information can be accessed by going to the “Provost” section under the Academics pulldown menu on the main UP webpage. The link is located under “Faculty Resources” at http://tinyurl.com/ad5nzkk (“Smart Catalog (Online Bulletin) Login”) or by using this link. Access is limited to designated users who have been issued usernames and passwords.
A list of deadlines for Bulletin updates is available at http://tinyurl.com/p8pmy4y.
For assistance with usernames, passwords, or new accounts, contact Marc Covert, marketing and communications, at 8132 or mcovert@up.edu.
New Studies Abroad Director: Eduardo Contreras, Jr.
Eduardo Contreras, Jr. has been appointed director of Studies Abroad, according to Thomas Green, provost. He will be assuming his responsibilities on July 1, 2015.
Contreras comes to The Bluff from Harvard University, where he recently completed his doctor of education degree. He also holds an Ed.M. in higher education from the Graduate School of Education at Harvard, an M.A. in Asian cultures and languages, and a B.A. in history (with high honors) from the University of Texas at Austin. He is also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He will have a concurrent faculty appointment in the School of Education.
Recently, Contreras has been teaching in the Higher Education Institutes at Harvard, serving as the study abroad program consultant in the Harvard Europe Program, and providing mentorship in the Office of Minority Education at MIT. Before moving to Massachusetts for graduate studies, he was a program coordinator in the study abroad office, international advisor in the Center for Global Educational Opportunities, and a research associate in the South Asia Institute, all at University of Texas at Austin.
Contreras is fluent in Spanish, and can also speak, read, and write in Hindi/Urdu, and read and write in Sanskrit. He is the author of numerous articles and chapters on international education and he has also offered many presentations and invited lectures on the topic.
For more information, contact the provost’s office at 7105 or staten@up.edu.