Monday Memo October 5, 2015

Message from the Dean

Dear Colleagues,

I appreciate the feedback I received following my message in last week’s Monday Memo. Some of you told me I was spot on in identifying the issues, while others indicate I missed the point. Regardless, it is clear that some view my administration and communication-style as part of the problem. I certainly want to correct that feeling. Although the responses I received underscore the wide variety of perspectives across A&S, the reality is that there are some seriously unhappy people on our faculty and staff. I want people to feel good about working in A&S, and I’m going to do my best to improve morale.

To address staff concerns, next week I will hold two open forums – one on Wednesday, October 14 and one Thursday, October 15; both are from 3-4 p.m. All staff are welcome to submit questions and concerns anonymously via a Google form or via an “Ask-it Basket” at the meetings themselves. Supervisors, please grant SLV to your staff to attend one of these meetings. To address faculty concerns, beginning with the next Monday Memo, the associate deans will begin the process of sharing information with you and then assembling workgroups to tackle some of the specific issues we’re facing. Additionally, I’ll be convening groups of faculty to discuss specific problems and concerns. (I’ve already begun meetings on the faculty salary issue.)

One way we can all contribute to better morale is by taking the time to recognize the excellent work of our colleagues. Today, we announce a call for nominations for A&S awards. Not only have we brought back staff awards, added a Supervisor Award, and incorporated the Hall of Honor, but we’ve also consolidated the awards information, e.g. criteria and forms, onto one webpage: uofl.me/as-awards2016. I am hopeful that this will make it easier to nominate worthy colleagues. We’ve also aligned our process so that we can more easily participate in the university-wide awards. Please note the December 1st deadline.

Thanks for all you do for the College.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Kempf-Leonard
Dean, College of Arts & Sciences

Announcements

Call for Nominations for 2015-16 A&S Awards
Please take the time to nominate your faculty and staff colleagues for a 2015-16 A&S award. The deadline for nominations is Dec. 1 and the awards will be given at the College’s first-ever Celebration of A&S Excellence at the Red Barn on March 10, 2016. In addition, the winners of each qualifying award category will be forwarded to the President and/or Provost’s Offices as the College’s nominations for the corresponding University-wide awards.

The various awards include the A&S Distinguished Faculty Awards, the A&S Outstanding Performance Awards for staff, the A&S Supervisor Awards, the Diversity Champion Awards and the Hall of Honor. To find out more about the A&S Awards, including the criteria and how to submit a nomination, please go to uofl.me/as-awards2016.

IRS Phone Phishing Scam
Voice mail messages left from “Allen Cooper,” claiming to be from the IRS, is a known phishing scam. Because the call sounds authentic, it is important to share this information, and remind that you would never be contacted for this sort of issue in this manner. The IRS typically sends tax payers who owe money a bill or notice via snail mail to their home address. For more information, please see the following web page which also includes information on how to report an incident.

Missing Syllabi
If your course is listed as missing a syllabus, please take a look at the instructions here. Most of the problems are in naming the files.

HERS application deadline Oct. 9
Pres. Ramsey and the Commission on the Status of Women will sponsor an attendee to one of the 2016 Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Institutes. Outstanding women faculty and/or administrators with a solid record of professional growth/responsibility, and a strong interest in campus administration are encouraged to review the institutes and apply for one that best fits individual circumstances. For application info, visit UofL HERS. Submit nominations to Georgette L. Moore.

Lab Safety and Hazardous Waste Training Oct. 8 from 9am - Noon
Recently hired lab employees who work with chemicals should attend this training. Recurrent training for lab employees is required every three years and may be completed in Bioraft (online refresher training). Bring employee/student ID number to sign in. Attendees can pre-register at louisville.edu/dehs; however advanced registration is not required. Additional Information: Cathy Price, 852-2956 or Lloyd Asher, 852-2830.

Teaching, Research, Creative Activities & Service

CCHS research workshop Oct. 28
Nicholas Tampio, Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University and author of Deleuze’s Political Vision (2015), will lead a Commonwealth Center for Humanities and Society research workshop on Gilles Deleuze’s seminal essay “Postscript on the Societies of Control” (1992) in Stevenson Hall 307, from Noon-2pm on Oct. 28. Graduate students and faculty are encouraged to participate but space is limited to the first 15 replies. Please email Tracy Heightchew to RSVP and to request a copy of the essay. Lunch will be provided.

NSF Research Traineeship Program deadline Mar. 25
The National Science Foundation NRT program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new, potentially transformative, and scalable models for STEM graduate education training, and supports programs that ensure that graduate students in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs pursue a range of STEM careers. Deadline for the Letter of Intent is March 25, 2016. For more information, visit Announcements.

Fall 2015 EVPRI Internal Grants Deadline Nov. 10
The Office of the EVPRI is accepting applications for the NEW Internal Grants Program. The Internal Grants Program (Research I, Research II and URG) aims to assist faculty in new highly productive research projects. All grant categories are open to full-time faculty. For information and applications forms, visit EVPRI.

Kudos & Congratulations

Prof. Dowling talks science on WHAS radio Prof. Timothy Dowling (Physics & Astronomy) was a guest expert on WHAS radio to discuss the possibility of water on Mars. The conversation included other topics, some controversial, including climate change, renewable energy and Kentucky coal. Tony Cruise, the host, commended Prof. Dowling for his aplomb and said off-air, “If I’d had this guy as a science teacher in college I would have paid a whole lot more attention. We’ll have him on the show again.” You can listen to the segment on WHAS radio.

International, Diversity & Engagement

The College of Arts and Sciences is committed to building an exemplary educational community that offers an inclusive and equitable intellectual climate. This section of the Monday Memo is designed to increase awareness, understanding, and respect for the range of human diversity throughout the college. If you would like to include something in the Monday Memo related to International, Diversity & Engagement Programs, email Marian Vasser.

Work-Restricted Religious Holidays
In accordance with the university’s policy, we would like to reiterate the importance of allowing students who observe work-restricted religious holidays to do so without jeopardizing their academic standing in any course. Staff and faculty who observe work-restricted religious holidays should be accommodated as well. Individuals who follow and/or observe work-restricted holidays are not permitted to engage in daily work or attend school, which includes taking exams or performing routine duties. Learn more about holidays celebrated across cultures in September and October.

Item of Note

Undergrad research journal accepting submissions
Let your students know Philologia, Virginia Tech's undergraduate research journal for the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, is accepting submissions from students who attend ACC schools. The submission deadline is October 15.

Grawemeyer Symposium Oct. 15
Arts & Sciences Hall of Honor member and Peabody Award-winning broadcaster Bob Edwards is moderating a panel celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Grawemeyer Education Award. The panelists include former Grawemeyer Award recipients Dr. Carol Gilligan, Dr. Vanessa Siddle Walker, and Dr. Pashi Sahlberg. For more information, visit Grawemeyer Award Symposium.

‘Thursdays in Pink’ for Breast Cancer Awareness month
A&S staff and faculty are invited to participate in “Thursdays in Pink” in October for breast cancer awareness month. Every Thursday, if someone wants to wear jeans with something pink, they have to make a minimum $1 donation to A&S Advisor Kourtney Hall’s team for the Making Strides against Breast Cancer walk. Each office can collect the money and then turn it in to Kourtney at the end of the month. You can also stop by the Dean’s Office and put your donation in the jar at the front desk or make a donation online.

Thank a Donor Day
You are invited to participate in thanking UofL Donors on the Belknap Campus in the Humanities Quad. For more info, visit Thank a Donor.

Show your school spirit during Homecoming Week
In honor of Homecoming, A&S is encouraging faculty and staff to participate in “UofL Spirit” week October 19 - 23. Staff and faculty are invited to dress in UofL attire or UofL-themed colors.

Free depression screenings Oct. 8
The Psychological Services Center (Davidson Hall, Suite 210) will be offering FREE depression screenings as part of Mental Health Awareness Week on Thurs., Oct. 8, from 10am to 6pm! Please call 502-852-6782 for more information or to schedule.

In the News

Born that way? ‘Scientific’ racism is creeping back into our thinking. Here’s what to watch out for. (The Washington Post, 9/28/2015) – Prof. W. Carson Byrd (Pan-African Studies) writes about ‘scientific’ racism in the 21st century.

TV ads supporting Matt Bevin pulled off air (WLKY, 9/29/2015) – Prof. Dewey Clayton (Political Science) on the importance of television ads in political campaigns