Dear A&S Colleagues,

In recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day today, consider visiting the Hite Institute of Art's exhibit, "THIS IS NOT THE END," at the Schneider Hall Galleries, Belknap Campus, running through November 4, part of the city of Louisville's Photo Biennial Exhibitions. Curated by M.A. candidate Donna Charging, the show features contemporary photo-based work produced by Native Americans from seven different tribes. In a recent feature story on Charging's work in Louisville Public Media, she talked about growing up on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming, one of the largest reservations in the country and home to the tribe her mother belonged to, Eastern Shoshone. Charging makes art that explores the relationship between land and people in Louisville, as in the paining below from her series, "Under All Is the Land" (oil on panel, 36" x 48", 2022).

For an exciting array of additional A&S events taking place in October-November, including an eclipse watch, a student-focused panel on Queer topics, a disability discussion, a new book by Prof. Karen Chandler, ULASSA’s fall festival chili cook-off, and a discussion of food apartheid, read on!

Sincerely,

Julie Wrinn, Chief of Staff

Below: "Under All Is the Land," (oil on panel, 36" x 48", 2022), by M.A. candidate Donna Charging

Research Agenda

Researchers filled a Jacksonville, Florida hotel for a national Black history conference illuminating parts of Northeast Florida’s past while pushing back against controversial efforts to limit the history being shared. Organizers billed the conference by the 108-year-old Association for the Study of African American Life and History on September 21-24, 2023 as "running to the fight" to oppose recent changes to state standards for teaching Black history and the removal of some books from public schools.

Subjects covered in more than 200 presentations ranged from the 19th century Underground Railroad and the legacy of Black-owned newspapers to preservation efforts in Jacksonville’s Eastside neighborhood and the Community Remembrance Project to document racial terror killings in Jacksonville. Marquee guests include the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Lonnie Bunch, and James Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association, the world’s largest organization for historians. Read more.

Shirletta Kinchen (below), Associate Professor of Pan-African Studies, at the “Banned Book Readout” at James Weldon Johnson Park in Jacksonville to underscore concerns about books being removed from school libraries under rules deeming titles divisive or inappropriate. Photo credit: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union

Alumni Spotlight

Monica Pearson visits with journalism students. Seated around the table, left to right: Communication Department Chair Kandi Walker; Louisville Cardinal reporter Allison Jewell; Monica Pearson; Tate Luckey, Editor of the Cardinal; and Laren Hines, an officer with the National Association of Black Journalists.

Recently the College was thrilled to welcome to campus one of its most distinguished alumni, Monica Jones Kaufman Pearson (B.A. English, UofL), a journalist and news anchor whose career encompasses a series of firsts. Pearson is a native of Louisville who grew up in the Smoketown neighborhood. After earning her degree from UofL, she was eventually hired as a reporter for the Louisville Times newspaper and a reporter and weekend anchor for WHAS-TV in Louisville, becoming the first African American female anchor in Louisville. For two years, she worked in public relations at Brown-Forman Distillers.

In 1975 she moved to Atlanta, becoming the first woman and first minority to anchor the daily evening news in the city, where she worked for 37 years at the leading station, WSB-TV. Since retiring in 2012, Pearson has stayed busy, earning an M.A. Magna Cum Laude in journalism and mass communications from the University of Georgia in 2014 at the age of 67. She now hosts and produces Monica Pearson One on One, a monthly personality interview program for Gray Media Group. The hour-long program is shown on Peachtree TV/ WPCH-TV in Atlanta. She has won over 33 Southern Regional and local Emmy Awards for reporting, anchoring, and her Closeups celebrity interview show. She is a member of SAG and AFTRA. When she retired, she was honored on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives by the bipartisan delegation of the State of Georgia for her years of service on and off the air to improve the lives of the citizens of Georgia. Read more about Pearson's innumerable accomplishments, awards, and community service.

On October 5, Pearson visited Prof. John Ferré's class, American Media History, in the Department of Communication, where students had the opportunity to meet Pearson and ask questions. Pearson began with an overview of question formats and those likely to elicit the most revealing answers, which the students had the opportunity to put to immediate use in posing questions to her. Pearson's answers included portraits of figures like Jimmy Carter and Dolly Parton, among her favorite interviewees.

Many thanks to our Advancement team, Denise Bohn and April Waddell, for their tireless behind-the-scenes work in bringing this luminary to campus for the benefit our students.

Homecoming Week

Homecoming Week, October 23-28, encompasses a range of exciting events for engaging alumni. If you have not already done so, please submit your Homecoming events to be featured on the university-wide calendar.

Raise Some L, UofL's annual day of giving and kicks off at 6:02 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, and ends at midnight Wednesday, Oct. 25. View the RSL communications kit and sign up to become an official Raise Some L advocate and receive a recording to the advocate training.

The annual Black Alumni Summit, October 24-28, welcomes Black alumni community back to campus for 11 different events, as shown in this  video teaser. The deadline to register for the Summit is October 16.

On Thursday, Oct. 26, our 2023 Alumni Awards honorees will be celebrated. There are social media graphics for each of those Fellows, which you are urged to use in your promotional items so that all branding surrounding the event is consistent. For a list of all honorees and links to their individual bios, please visit uoflalumni.org/awards. The Alumni Awards ceremony will be livestreamed from the Facebook channel (facebook.com/uoflalumni). 

Community Engagement

On September 28, Tami Harbolt (below in maroon), from Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, who has collaborated with WAGS Pet Therapy of KY, presented the benefits of pet therapy for marginalized populations to the 2023 Kentucky Public Health Nursing – Wellpath Conference in Frankfort, KY. The conference discussed the pyschosocial and physiological benefits of pet therapy for incarcerated populations, children testifying in court, and frontline workers suffering from secondary trauma. Over 200 nursing and public health officials from the Commonwealth were in attendance. The presence of the therapy animals at the conference also brought relief to the attendees who had been in sessions addressing primary trauma among marginalized and institutionalized peoples all day. 

Last month the Yearlings Club Forum hosted UofL President Kim Schatzel, with numerous A&S faculty and staff in attendance. The Yearlings Club, Inc. was established in 1951 by 14 African Americans men from Louisville Municipal College who were not admitted into the University of Louisville “L-Club” due to segregation laws. The club’s mission is to enhance the quality of life and development in West Louisville Neighborhoods and foster brotherhood among African American men. There are currently 30+ members of the Yearlings Club whose leadership includes educators, physicians, entrepreneurs, government and business and community leaders. The Club office is located at 4300 W. Broadway in an historic mansion purchased by the original members.

The UofL Yearlings Club Forum Series is a Signature Partnership initiative of the Office for Community Engagement, created by the late dean, Dr. J. Blaine Hudson, and members of the Yearlings Club in 2004 to introduce university faculty and staff to the community, specifically West Louisville residents. More recently, the DECC Office collaborates in this partnership, which has drawn over 2,000 attendees over the years to its various programs.

Below, left to right: Dr. Douglas Craddock (Vice President of the Office of Community Engagement), Sedge Parker (President of the Yearling Club), Dr. Sherri Wallace (Interim Associate Dean of the Office of Diversity, Engagement, Culture and Climate), President Kim Schatzel (University of Louisville), Attorney David Tandy (Partner at Dentons, Bingham, and Greenbaum) who served as the moderator, and Darrell Griffith (Assistant Vice President of the Office of Community Engagement). Photo credit: Clinton Bennett, Photography & Video Services LLC

Kudos

Congratulations to Ranen Omer-Sherman, Ph.D., JHFE Endowed Chair in Judaic Studies, Department of Comparative Humanities, on the recent publication of his edited volume, Amos Oz: The Legacy of a Writer in Israel and Beyond (SUNY Press, 2023), which was recently reviewed in the Wall Street Journal, where it was praised as "a collection of illuminating essays." The reviewer, Benjamin Balint, said, "for all his oracular urgency, Oz was a realist and acknowledged the limitations of politically engaged writers. Just as Jean-Paul Sartre cannot be credited with pulling French forces out of Algeria or Norman Mailer with ending the war in Vietnam, he observed, Israeli novelists cannot be expected to abolish Israel’s occupation of the West Bank." See book cover below.

Above, left to right, Clest Lanier, Yolanda Demaree, Ramonia Brents, Samia Mathew, Josh Boydstun, and Sherri Wallace

Kudos to ULASSA, the A&S staff association, for another wonderful Heritage Luncheon last month devoted to Hispanic American culture. The group welcomed Dr. Samia Mathew, Director of the Heritage Language Program in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages, who shared how Hispanic Heritage Month began. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the first proclamation in 1968 to recognize and align an American celebration with the Independence Day observances in 20 countries. President Ronald Reagan signed the second proclamation on August 17, 1988, to officially extend the recognition to 30-days observed from September 15 to October 15, annually.

This occasion also served as a fond farewell to DECC Office Coordinator Ramonia Brents, who retired on September 29. We wish her a very pleasant journey as she begins her next chapter after retirement!

Above, left to right: Keynote speaker Brandon McCall, Theatre Chair Shona Tucker, and AATP Director LaShondra Hood.

The Black Lights Gala celebrating the 30th anniversary of the African American Theatre Program (AATP) was a glamorous occasion attended by faculty and staff from across the College. Congratulations to Shona Tucker and LaShondra Hood (pictured above) and their team for creating such a fabulous event commemorating this impressive milestone and the uniqueness of the College's Theatre Department.

Above: Dean Touron welcomes attendees.

Above, left to right: Dean's Office Executive Assistant Courtney Griffith, journalist and author Betty Baye, and Finance Director Taleia Willis.

Above, left to right: Cara Cashon, Kandi Walker, Lauren Heberle, Christine Ehrick, Brandon McCormack, and Susan Ryan

Human Resources

2024 Open Enrollment dates are Oct. 23- Nov. 8, with benefit elections taking effect on Jan. 1, 2024. More information will be available in a mailer and in information sessions, and updates will appear regularly in UofL Today.

Wellness: Enroll in Get Healthy Now and earn points for 2024. Employees must earn 480 wellness points between now and November 30, 2023, to qualify for the $40 Get Healthy Now monthly incentive in 2024. Employees are required to complete the Personal Health Profile (PHP), which is worth 200 wellness points, regardless of results. The remaining 280 wellness points may be earned through a variety of activities/programs from now through November 30, 2023. Full list of point opportunities is in the Get Healthy Now Incentive Guide. 

Arts & Sciences Events

Top Left: Mary Carothers, Untitled. Bottom Left: Mitch Eckert, Still Life with Pentimento (for R. Fenton), Kallitype 2023. Right: Courtney M. Leonard , SOUTHWIND STUDY 13, 2017, Photo Documentation, 12" x 12"

The Hite Institute of Art + Design is excited to participate in the 2023 Louisville Photo Biennial, a collaborative event across Louisville, Southern Indiana, and Central Kentucky, with exhibitions at the Schneider Hall Galleries, October 5 - November 4, 2023. In our campus galleries we will be hosting two solo exhibition by photo faculty Mary Carothers and Mitch Eckert, as well as a group photo exhibition curated by M.A. Candidate Donna Charging, THIS IS NOT THE END. Featured artists in THIS IS NOT THE END are Anthony Two Moons, Bré Taylor, Courtney M. Leonard, Nora Moore Lloyd, Tashine Azure, Tom Jones, and Trevino Brings Plenty, representing seven different Native American tribes, whose contemporary photo-based work seeks to present a pathbreaking discourse on the subject of the assumed colonial lens in conversation with collective indigenous knowledge and individual self-knowledge. Read more on our website here. 

The Liberal Studies Program is hosting a panel discussion on disability titled  “Advancing Access in Arts, Sports, and Academia.” By bringing together experts from various fields, the panel is dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding of disability issues and exploring strategies for enhancing accessibility in the realms of arts, sports, and academia. Wed., October 11, 12:00 – 1:30 pm; it is hybrid panel, in-person is in TILL 302 or via MS Teams link. See flyer below.

There will be a partial eclipse of the sun this Saturday, October 14, 20203, a prelude to the historic total eclipse on April 8, 2024, which will occur only 30 miles from Louisville. The Astronomical Society of the Pacific has appointed Gerry Willinger, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, as an Eclipse Ambassador, along with his undergraduate partner Brady Smith. Among many other resources from our Eclipse Ambassadors, Prof. Willinger and Brady gave a free public talk for the University community on the eclipses on October 5. They will also host an eclipse watch with the Society of Physics Students this Saturday, Oct. 14, 11:30 am - 2 pm outside the Natural Science Building (Grawemeyer side), where eclipse glasses, a solar projector, and light refreshments will be available. Prof. Willinger compiled a full page of eclipse resources here. See flyer below.

The Departments of History and Comparative Humanities are hosting a student-focused panel on Queer topics for the University of Louisville’s Pride Month. Monday, Oct. 16, 12 – 1:30 pm, Ekstrom Library, W104. Our speakers will be:

• Tia Lee on “Sexual Health & Relationships with Healthy Cards”
• Tessa Pickle (they/them) on "The Religious Gender-play, Camp Activism, and Radical Fun of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence"
• Vincent Young (he/him) on “Louisville’s Leather Community”
• Tobias McDaniels (they/he) on "Forgotten Members of Our Community: LGBTQ+ Youth Experiencing Houselessness”
• Olivia Beutel (she/her) on “The AIDS Epidemic & Louisville’s Queer Community” 

A new book by Karen Chandler, Chair of the English Department, is the focus of a discussion in the new Liberal Studies Faculty Spotlight series. In Tending to the Past: Selfhood and Culture in Children’s Narratives about Slavery and Freedom, forthcoming from the University of Mississippi Press in January 2024, Dr. Chandler examines Black-authored historical novels and films for children that counter stereotyping and victimization narratives and depict creative means by which ordinary African Americans survived slavery and racism in early America. The session on October 18 will be moderated by Andreas Elpidorou, Director of the Liberal Studies Program.

The Liberal Studies Faculty Spotlight series, taking place on Wednesdays, 12:00 - 1:30 pm, will celebrate A&S faculty and showcase their research endeavors, publications, and talents in a conversational format, revamped from the former "Meet the Professor" series. See flyer below.

Food Apartheid! In the Community & on Campus. Join us for a panel discussion on Food Apartheid, Solutions & The Role of Black Farmers, Thursday, October 19, 11:00. Free lunch provided. Registration required: https://rebrand.ly/foodapartheid. See flyer below.

ULASSA, the A&S staff association, is featuring a chili contest at its fall festival. If you require ADA accommodations for this event, please email A&S HR at ashumres@louisville.edu. See flyer below.

The College's Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research is thrilled to announce that this year's Anne Braden Memorial Lecture will be delivered by 2022  MacArthur fellow and Rice University professor of Creative Writing Kiese Laymon. To learn more about Laymon's biography and other ABI happenings, read the ABI fall 2023 newsletter, The Subversive." See flyer below.

A&S Series

Fall Urban & Public Affairs Garden Gatherings. Mondays, 1-2pm at the Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W. Bloom St., behind Bettie Johnson Hall) continue on October 16, 23, 20; November 6, 13, 20, and 27. UofL’s organic campus gardens are great places to relax, reconnect, learn, and savor the sweet taste of sustainability! Stop by anytime to sample the goodness and help us keep things watered and weeded. Tools and gloves provided, but bring bags to harvest into. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram.

The 30th "Reel" Latin America(n) Film Festival, organized by the Department of Classical and Modern Languages, continue throughout October. See below for showtimes and co-sponsors. For details about each film, visit the festival website. Questions: Manuel Medina, manuel.medina@louisville.edu. The UofL calendar lists more 2023 Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month Events.

Next up in the Department of Geographic and Environmental Sciences' speaker series is Matthew Harrell of APK Development on October 24. See series flyer below for details.

University Events

Pride Month Signature Events

At the University of Louisville, we celebrate Pride during the month of October, in conjunction with LGBTQ+ History Month. On behalf of everyone at the UofL LGBT Center, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating Pride Month 2023, on the Belkap and Health Sciences Center (HSC) campuses. Considering the impact of the current climate on our LGBTQ+ students, employees and loved ones, your ongoing support and advocacy mean more than ever.

Pride Picnic & Resource Fair, HSC, October 12, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM, HSC Courtyard

Black Queer Symposium (New!), October 18, 7:00-8:00 PM (virtual); October 19, 6:30-8:30 PM (Belknap | SAC Ballroom); and October 20, 7:00-8:00 PM (virtual). For complete information, visit EngageUofL and search “Black Queer Symposium”: https://louisville.campuslabs.com/engage/events

Pride Keynote Address/LGBTQ+ Affirming Healthcare Series, Session Two, October 19, 12:00 – 1:00 PM, Health Sciences Center (Kornhauser Auditorium). See flyer below.

For questions about these events contact: Byron Terry, Belknap LGBT Center, Director: byron.terry@louisville.edu; or Lisa Gunterman, HSC LGBT Center, Director: lisa.gunterman@louisville.edu. For general information about the LGBTQ+ Affirming Healthcare Series, visit: https://louisville.edu/lgbt/hsc/lgbtq_affirming_healthcare_series.

The Office of the Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation (EVPRI) will host a university-wide event honoring winners of the Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Awards, and word has it that A&S faculty will be among the honorees! Thursday, Oct. 19 4:30 pm in the SAC Ballroom. Register to attend here.

Delphi Center Programs

Call for Proposals: 2024 Celebration of Teaching and Learning Conference. The 2024 Celebration of Teaching and Learning Conference will take place on Friday, Feb. 2, in the Student Activities Center at Belknap Campus. Join the conversation by submitting a proposal to share the important work being done in the classroom, online, and beyond to advance the university’s educational mission. Proposals should describe teaching and learning efforts by faculty, staff, and students that are thoughtfully designed, implemented, and evaluated. Learn more and submit a proposal online by Tuesday, Oct. 10 at uofl.me/celebration-proposals.

Blackboard Ultra Migration. UofL's Blackboard Support team will be developing course shells for spring 2024 on October 15. These courses will be created in "Instructor Choice Mode" so educators can preview their course in the new Blackboard Ultra Course View or decide to switch back to the original Blackboard view. Review the new Ultra Course View at your pace at uofl.me/Ultra_Faculty.

Create Accessible Documents with Adobe Acrobat. Learn essential strategies for creating accessible PDFs during this virtual workshop on Friday, Oct. 20 from 12-1 p.m. Participants will explore how Adobe Acrobat can be used to add alt text to images, create accessible forms, and implement other accessibility features to ensure content is user-friendly for all digital audiences. Learn more and register to attend online at uofl.me/adobe-workshops.

Digital Storytelling Institute. Join us for an exploration of media assignment design and practical applications of storytelling and narrative activities on Monday, Oct. 23 from 2-3pm.. During this webinar, we'll share examples of how to incorporate narrative into assignments throughout the semester and consider how storytelling can serve as a meaningful alternative to traditional research topic reports. This session offers a valuable opportunity to refine your teaching techniques and enhance the learning experience for your students. Learn more and register to attend at uofl.me/digital-storytelling.

Using Library Resources to Enhance Diversity in Your Course. The Delphi Center is proud to partner with the University of Louisville Libraries for this hands-on, virtual workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 25 from 12-1:30 p.m. During this session, we will walk through the process of evaluating the learning content within one's course for the representation of diverse perspectives and cultures. Participants will also explore the use of library resources to increase diversity without increasing learning material costs for students. Learn more and register to attend at uofl.me/library-resources.

 Teaching with AI: Emerging Research and What it Means for Higher Ed. What are we learning about the implications of ChatGPT and other forms of AI on higher education? Join the Delphi Center and the Writing Center for a virtual workshop Thursday, Nov. 2 from 12-1:15 pm in which we will summarize emerging empirical research on how AI is affecting students and instructors. Participants will also get to discuss ideas and next steps for their own instruction given research findings. Register to attend at uofl.me/AI-Workshops.

Data Visualization with Express & Illustrator. Interested in using compelling visuals to convey data-driven narratives? Discover how to harness the creative power of Adobe Express and Illustrator to design eye-catching graphics and informative visualizations, as well as techniques to transform raw data into engaging visuals that resonate with your audience during this virtual workshop. Register to attend on Thursday, Nov. 9 from 1-2:30 p.m. at uofl.me/adobe-workshops.

Celebrate Graduate Student Appreciation Week

All offices and departments on both the Belknap and HSC campuses are invited to join the Graduate School in celebrating graduate students the week of Nov. 6–10. If you wish to participate by hosting an activity or giveaway please submit your event online by end of day Friday, October 27. All submitted events will be shared university-wide and directly with graduate students.