Monday Memo January 27, 2020

Dean's Message

Dear Colleagues,
 
In my three weeks as interim dean, I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting with A&S alumni and hearing the ways in which they have been impacted by individual faculty and staff of the college. Many of our alumni remember fondly the individual faculty and staff that challenged, inspired, and guided them. 
 
Research shows that a primary factor in student persistence is the expression of concern by faculty and staff regarding student success and well-being. Those personal, caring interactions inspire, motivate, uplift, and assure students that they can and will succeed. Not only do these relationships of care support student success, but they also cultivate alumni who want to remain engaged with the college and who want to give back. This feedback from alumni is both instructive and immensely rewarding. In the coming months, I will be working to collect and share some of these stories with you.
 
This commitment to the success and well-being of our students should be—and is—celebrated.  We celebrate examplars of this commitment at our annual Celebration of Excellence, where we grant faculty and staff awards. (This year’s awards will be on April 21 at 2 PM). I encourage you to nominate members of our A&S family for their commitment to student success as demonstrated by excellence in teaching, research, service, community engagement, diversity, graduate studies, and supervision. The deadline to nominate for all our awards is February 28, 2020. Each awardee will receive a framed certificate and $500. To find out more and apply.
 
In the meantime, allow me to thank you for continued commitment to the academic success and personal well-being of our students.

Sincerely,

David S. Owen, Ph.D.
Interim Dean, and
Professor of Philosophy

Announcements

Nominate an advisor for the Provost's Award by January 31!

Know an advisor who's had a positive impact on a student? Show your appreciation by nominating them for the Provost’s Award for Exemplary Advising! The deadline is coming up: January 31st! Nomination form and instructions.

Call for Proposals: 2020 Research and Creative Activities Grants and Olorunsola Award

The A&S Research Office is now accepting proposals for 2020 Research and Creative Activities Grants for Faculty and Graduate Students and for the 2020 Olorunsola Endowed Research Award for Young Scholars. Electronic proposals must be received by Prof. Robert Buchanan, Associate Dean of Research by Monday, March 16, 2020. See full requirements at the Research Office website. 

Update on Carol Singleton fundraiser

To date, the GoFundMe campaignto assist Carol Singleton with getting back on her feet after an accident over winter break has reached $1,255, surpassing the original goal. The goal has been raised to $1,600, so it's not too late to give! Read an update from Carol and/or donate here.

Great Place to Learn

Fulbright Semi-Finalists and Call for Nominations

This year, 30 UofL students from across the university have been named semi-finalists for the US Student Fulbright award! Our Fulbright candidates have applied to conduct research and teach English in 28 different countries. these candidates have been recommended by the National Screening Committee and will begin receiving final results in March. Many thanks to the dedicated UofL faculty and staff members who participated in campus interviews, wrote recommendations, reviewed essays, and helped make these applications as strong as possible. We are already looking for our new group of candidates for the upcoming Fulbright application cycle. If you are a student or alum interested in applying, or a faculty member who'd like to suggest a candidate, please email the Scholarship Office.

Great Place to Work

Professional Development Opportunities

All trainings held at Belknap Human Resources Building, 1980 Arthur St.

Civility Training — Why Civility is So Important in the Workplace
February 5, 2020, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Presented by Dr. Diane Tobin, University Ombuds
For more information and to register

Dealing with Difficult People
February 11, 2020, 1:00 - 2:30 PM
Presented by The Human Development Company
For more information and to register

Emotional Intelligence — What is it and How to Get it
February 19, 2020, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Presented by Dr. Diane Tobin, University Ombuds
For more information and to register

Creating Inclusive Environments through Team Building
February 20, 2020, 9:00 - 10:30 AM
Presented by Kristia Worthy, Director of Talent Development for the Athletic Administration
For more information and to register

Providing Excellent Service to the Cardinal Family
February 25, 2020, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Presented by the Business Operations unit
For more information and to register

Leading from Our Strengths
February 27, 2020, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Presented by Brian Buford, Director of Employee Development & Success. 
Prerequisite: Take the Strengths assessment before class and bring your results with you. Go here for StrengthsFinder 2.0 guide and an access code for your assessment.
For more information and to register

Candy Kudos

Diversity & Inclusion

ABI seeks faculty fellows

Are you interested to pursue administrative work that is boundary-crossing and advances transdisciplinary racial and social justice research? Are you interested to advance racial/social justice research while working closely with community organizations? The Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research is recruiting for a Spring 2020 administrative faculty fellowship, with possible extension into AY2020-21. Click here for more info and application.

Volunteers needed for International Mother Language Day

The United Nations’ International Mother Language Day is a celebration of multilingualism and cultural diversity. The University Writing Center seeks multilingual volunteers (students, faculty, or staff) to host a table during our open house-style event on February 21, 12-1 PM. Volunteers will create an interactive activity about their home language to engage visitors. Contact Cassie Book if interested.

Sustainability

Join us for our monthly EcoReps Lunch & Learn workshop featuring a free vegetarian lunch and locals making a difference in sustainability! Guest speaker Bill Johnston, Principal Geologist at Linebach-Funkhouser, will present "Kentucky's Brownfield Redevelopment Program: Look what we have accomplished!"

In the News

LISTEN: Karina Barillas, Ricky Jones And Alyce French Johnson At The MLK Hope Breakfast (WFPL, 1/20/20) Listen to Prof. Ricky Jones's (Pan African Studies) speech at the MLK Hope Breakfast. 

Familiar face tapped to lead Kentucky State Police into 2020 as Rodney Brewer comes out of retirement (Ky Forward, 1/22/20) - Rodney Brewer (Criminal Justice and SPI) reappointed to lead KSP.

I hate MLK Day celebrations. Those who once hunted King have seized his story (Courier-Journal, 1/22/20) - Op-ed by Prof. Ricky Jones (Pan African Studies) on the watering-down of King's legacy.

UofL adds new LGBTQ academic certificate (WHAS 11, 1/23/20) - Prof. Dawn Heinecken (Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies) interviewed about new undergrad LGBTQ Certificate.