Message from Dean Howard

Meetings and Events: A Guide to UC Denver

Okay, there’s no getting around it—administrators, especially the Dean of a college as complex as CLAS, go to a lot of meetings and events.  Some of the meetings are important; decisions are made that impact the future of the university, the college, departments, programs, and individuals.  Other meetings are less valuable—one looks around the table and wonders, “We assembled all this talent to discuss this?” However, as I examined my schedule from the shortened Labor Day week, it occurred to me that all of these meetings and events provide a unique perspective on the goings-on within UC Denver, and I thought that it might be interesting to share with you some of the highlights from the week. 

Sustainability Meeting—Sustainability is a university-wide signature area, but it has been a struggle to determine how best to structure and fund this effort.  Despite a large group and some competing interests, a consensus was reached on the path forward.

CLAS Council Meeting—Jeff Franklin and Pam Laird are leading an effort to re-write the by-laws of CLAS.  This has led to important discussions of the voting rights of Instructors and Senior Instructors and the nature and organization of the post tenure review process within the college.

Islamic Origins of the American Blues—Part of the Islam in American Culture series sponsored by the Colorado Center for Public Humanities.  An insightful and moving presentation with wonderful performances by Judith Coe and Sean McGowan of the College of Arts and Media.

Graduate Dean Search Committee Meeting—I am co-chairing this committee, along with Patricia Moritz, the Dean of the School of Nursing.  This is a particularly important hire for our consolidated university because the responsibilities of the Graduate Dean bridge both campuses.

Flu Task Force Meeting—Provost Nairn leads this group, which is charged with ensuring that UC Denver is prepared to deal with an outbreak of H1N1 flu, as well as seasonal flu.  For more information go here.

Celebration of Faculty Excellence Awards—Always a favorite function for me; a way of recognizing and celebrating some of the extraordinary faculty members on the Downtown Campus.

University Honors and Leadership Reception—Another function that I enjoy; an opportunity to meet and speak with the outstanding students involved in this program.

The Kite Runner—A production sponsored by the Theatre, Film, and Video Production Department of CAM.  The novel was performed by a single actor, which sounds improbable, but worked.  The audience was spellbound.

Mother of Invention Second Annual Conference—A conference for inventors organized by Randy Tagg, Associate Professor of Physics.  It was a pleasure to welcome a large group of inventors to our campus and begin to explore ways of engaging them through our Continuing and Professional Education Programs.

There you have it—a view of UC Denver framed by my schedule over the course of a few days.  It is a complex and rapidly changing institution, but one that remains anchored by its faculty, students, and staff.

With all best wishes,

Dan

New! Assessment of CLAS Graduation Requirements

As a reminder, the faculty of CLAS have decided to assess the CLAS graduation requirements in the fall 2009 semester.  The plan and assessment rubrics can be found at the CLAS web page.  If you are teaching a class listed in the catalogue as counting toward the CLAS graduation requirements (including those courses that can be used as core), please collect the assessment data and send it to Tammy Stone.  I will compile all of the data in a preliminary report that will be the subject of conversation in the College in the spring semester 2010.

New! CLAS Educational Policies and Curriculum Committee Updates (EPCC)

The Fall 2009 meeting dates for the CLAS Educational Policies and Curriculum Committee (EPCC) are: September 18, October 16, November 20, and December 18 (tentative – may not meet). Policies/procedures, general information, and forms for course and curriculum development can be found here.

EPPC Fall 09 Submission Deadlines:

1. Proposals for New Degree Programs or New or Revised Minors, Certificates or Options within Majors should normally be submitted electronically to Jill Hutchison in the Dean’s Office at least 14 days prior to the scheduled EPCC meetings for consideration. Future deadlines are October 2, November 6, and December 4.

2. All Course Proposals should be submitted electronically to Beverly Andes in the Dean’s Office at least 7 days prior to the scheduled EPCC meetings for consideration – by October 9, November 13, or December 11.

Our Catalog edit deadline dates have been moved up to mid-November, so any changes you’d like to see reflected in the 2010-2011 Catalog will need to be submitted to the EPCC using the October deadlines.

New! The Artist In the Moment (& Off the Page),
A Creative Writing Workshop & Reading for Copper Nickel 12 Release

Tuesday, Sept. 22, 3:00 - 4:30 pm in North Classroom 4014
Presenters: John Gallaher & G.C. Waldrep

Copper Nickel and the UC Denver Writing Center will present a reading and workshop discussion by poets John Gallaher and G.C. Waldrep on September 22.

Workshop, free but only on a space-available basis to UC Denver students
NC 4014 in the UC Denver Writing Center
3:00 pm
Students may sign up here
This workshop will focus on the creation and process of writing poetry.  Participants will meet with John Gallaher and G.C. Waldrep in an intimate setting to discuss the stance of the artist—before writing begins, in the moment of composition, and in the process of revision.  The presenters will discuss questions such as—what space(s) could one inhabit before composition? How might the artist’s stance be reenacted in revision? How does one re-vision a poem? How does one address metaphor and wilderness (Carl Phillips's term) in the moment of inspiration? 

Reading, free and open to the public
Tivoli Turnhalle
7:00 pm
This reading will also mark the public release of Copper Nickel 12.

New! SEMANA GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ

October 19-23, 2009

For the UC Denver community, Professor Andrés Lema-Hincapié is proposing a week of cultural activities centering on the author Gabriel García Márquez´s works and life. The prestige of this event will be increased by a visit from an internationally known scholar, Colombian Professor Conrado Zuluaga, who will deliver public lectures, lead short seminars, and hold informal talks in English and Spanish at UC Denver, the University of Denver, and Cherry Creek High School. Other activities include: oral presentations on García Márquez by students from our B.A. and M.A. programs; public readings in English and in Spanish by students of García Márquez´short stories; viewings of documentaries and films inspired by his works; and a closing reception to thank the visiting scholar. Program details will be available in early October. All UCD faculty and students are encouraged to participate in this event. Following are the titles of Professor Conrado Zuluaga’s Public Presentations in Spanish:

-- “García Márquez periodista: Bogotá, Cartagena, Barranquilla” (Lecture)
-- “Cien años de soledad, el sabio catalán y la tradición literaria del Quijote” (Lecture)
-- “Cine y literatura en García Márquez” (short seminar of 4-6 hours for faculty and UCD students)

More details will be available soon. Contact Professor Andrés Lema-Hincapié for more information.

New! STEMapalooza

October 16-17

Don’t miss out on sponsoring a booth at the second annual STEMapalooza. Our Integrated University Communications office has generously offered to cover the cost of the booth fee ($75) and provide you with signage. Reach thousands of middle/high school students, their teachers and parents, and network with numerous industry professionals focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce, education and partnerships.  Conveniently located close to campus, this two-day event takes place in the Colorado Convention Center.  We’re looking for interactive booths from our faculty, staff and students to showcase the breadth and depth of our STEM areas. 

Provost Nairn is encouraging all UC Denver schools and colleges to have an even stronger voice in the STEM conversation by participating in this year’s event. The excitement of scientific discovery is alive and well at UC Denver—let’s show our support!

Register for your booth and learn more at www.stemapalooza.org or call Sharon Unkart at 303.556.6543.

Early Alert Timeline for Fall

Providing intervention assistance to students early in the semester is very important to enhance undergraduate student persistence and graduation rates.  The faculty role in this effort is to identify students who may need assistance.

9/14/09: Early Alert begins

9/14/09 - 9/23/09 at 5pm*: Faculty refer students using Early Alert System

9/24/09: Clean Up Day- an opportunity for committee and consultants to work through any challenges with referral prior to opening Advisor component.

9/28/09-10/2/09: Academic Advisors begin contacting students that were referred by faculty to Early Alert  

9/28/09: General release to DTI & TRIO SSS

10/2/09: Deadline for advisors to have completed initial contact with  all referred students (e-mail)

10/2/09: DTI & TRIO-SSS send out their email to referred students

12/12/09: Early Alert system closed for the fall 2009 semester

* No alerts can be entered by faculty using the EA System after 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23 at 5:00 p.m.

Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Experiences at 303-315-2133 if you have questions.

"INQUIRING MINDS" Student Research Conference

Seeking student project submissions

The first-ever student research conference for CLAS students will be held on November 11 in the Tivoli, Room 320 from 8:30 - noon.

Please post, announce and share this flyer with your students. It's a wonderful opportunity to showcase our students' research. Please encourage them to submit their work for consideration.

As well, please feel free to bring your classes to the presentations on November 11.

Questions: Daniel Auerbach or Charlene Shelton

Ethnic Studies Open House

Wed., September 23
Silent Auction: 11:00 am
Refreshments/Program: Noon - 12:45pm
Lawrence Street Center, 2nd Floor Terrace

Please RSVP by September 18: 303-315-3612 or email

Co-sponsored by the office of the Vice Provost & Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion

View the flyer

Colorado Center for Public Humanities Fall Series: Islam in American Culture

The Colorado Center for Public Humanities has announced its fall series, “Islam in American Culture.” It is a 4-part series, celebrating Islamic contributions to American music, urban design, community life, and literature. The series will explore how Islam has influenced classic American art forms, such as the blues, how it has impacted the built environments of American cities, how it has merged with the nation’s foundational ideals, and how it is being represented by Islamic American writers. The series will also shed light on how the core beliefs and values of Islam have been adapted to the American cultural context.

Next Event:
Islamic Design in the Work of Frank Lloyd Wright
by the Colorado Center for Public Humanities
Monday, Sept. 28
6:00 - 7:30 pm
Executive MBA Suite, 1250 14th St., Rm. 150
Dr. Mina Marefat, Fulbright Research Scholar and cultural advisor to the Guggenheim Museum's Major Retrospective on Frank Lloyd Wright.

(More information)

CLAS in the Spotlight

UCD French professor shares her passion for language
The Advocate, 9/3
Linda Alcott, a senior instructor in the Department of Modern Languages, is profiled by the UC Denver paper.

Associate Dean Brenda J. Allen was the kickoff keynote speaker at Utah State University for “Crossing Boundaries,” a year-long series of art exhibits, theater performances, and presentations by national and international artists and scholars. Her interactive presentation was entitled “Difference Matters: Exploring Boundaries by Exchanging Stories” (September 9). She also conducted a workshop for faculty on inclusive teaching.   

The Department of Modern Language's coordinator for lower-division Spanish, Sr. Instructor Conxita Domeneh has received a grant from the Center for Humanities and the Arts at UC Boulder to give a paper at the Modern Languages Convention in Philadelphia in December. Her paper is entitled  La famosa comedia de la entrada del marqués de los Vélez: la representación de la guerra de secesión catalana” (“La famosa comedia de la entrada del marqués de los Vélez: The Representation of the Catalan Secession War”).

Carol T. English (MS, 2008) and Angela Schultz (BS, 2009) attended the annual meeting of the Botanical Society of America in Snowbird, Utah, where they delivered two poster presentations co-authored with Chair of Integrative Biology Leo P. Bruederle. Carol and Angie presented research addressing reproductive biology in Degener's beardtongue (Penstemon degeneri), a rare Colorado endemic that is restricted in distribution to Fremont and Custer Counties, and about which very little was known prior to conducting this research. Dissemination was supported through funding from CLAS Administration and the UCD Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program.

Laurel Hartley, assistant professor of integrative biology, attended the international meeting of the NSF Long Term Ecological Research Program in Estes Park, CO September 12-16. Dr. Hartley presented her K-12 science education research related to learning progressions for environmental literacy.

Environmental Characteristics Associated With Pedestrian–Motor Vehicle Collisions in Denver, Colorado
American Journal of Public Health September 2099 Issue
A study by Anne K. Sebert Kuhlmann, John Brett, Deborah Thomas and Stephan R. Sain looked at models, constructed with data from Denver,  that identified conditions that likely contribute to patterns of pedestrian–motor vehicle collisions. Should these models be verified elsewhere, they will have implications for future research directions, public policy to enhance pedestrian safety, and public health programs aimed at decreasing unintentional injury from pedestrian–motor vehicle collisions and promoting walking as a routine physical activity.
Related media hits:
UCD Researchers Study Dangers of Pedestrian Environment
Colorado Higher Ed News, 9/16
Sloan's Lake vigil mourns neighbor
Denver Post, 9/17

Chair of Ethnic Studies Donna Langston presented a paper at the American Political Science Association Annual Conference in Toronto, September 3-6, “Cherokee Freedmen: Racism and Citizenship in Tribes”. She also presented concluding remarks at the Andrew Mellon Fellowship Retreat for the American Indian College Fund in Denver, September 10-12, “The Role of Tribal Colleges and their Faculty”.

Tanzania: Hominid Footprints to Be 'Laid to Rest' in Kingly Manner
AllAfrica.com, 8/22
Charles Musiba, assistant professor of anthropology, is mentioned related to his suggesting that a special museum be erected around the footprint site to protect the prints and act as historical display center.
Read related story, submitted by Charles Musiba, about the students involved in this project.

Timberley Roane, associate professor in integrative biology, was a faculty representative at the inaugural Rocky Mountain Society for Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) conference held on the Auraria Campus August 28-29.  Sponsored by the Auraria student chapter of SACNAS, approximately 120 underrepresented students, faculty and staff from high schools, colleges and universities across Colorado attended the conference, which introduced students to careers and educational opportunities in the sciences.  CLAS was a platinum contributor for the event, along with contributions from Integrative Biology, Chemistry, and Health Careers Advising.  The conference also received support from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Integrative Biology Professor Diana Tomback just returned from Canada, hosted by Parks Canada and Alberta Provincial Park scientists. She met with the Whitebark and Limber Pine Recovery Team in Alberta and presented a talk on the ecology and health status of both pines throughout their North American ranges. Recovery Team members and Tomback participated in an all day helicopter tour of Willmore Wilderness Provincial Park, landing at high elevation whitebark pine sites. This park, which is remote and pristine, has the northernmost population of whitebark pine in Alberta. Following this tour, Tomback traveled with science staff members in Jasper National Park to examine whitebark pine, and also visited limber pine at its northern limits. Whitebark pine has received"endangered" status in Alberta, and limber pine will shortly. Whitebark pine has been proposed for endangered species status in the United States.

Events

Economics Fall Seminar Series
Shangjin Wei, Columbia Business School
Friday, Sept. 18
1:00 pm
Title: "The Status-Seeking Motive for Savings and Entrepreneurship: Evidence and Implications"
Lawrence Street Center, Room 450

Copper Nickel 12 Release Event
With readings by John Gallaher and G.C. Waldrep
Tuesday, Sept. 22
7:00 pm
Tivoli Turnhalle

P-20 Speaker Series: Harrison School District Superintendent Mike Miles, "267.5° West - Principles of a Turnaround District"
Tuesday, Sept. 22
5:30 - 6:45 pm
Lawrence Street Center, 2nd floor atrium
The reform efforts in this district that are gaining state and national recognition, particularly for his stance on improving the teacher evaluation process. (RSVP)

Ethnic Studies Open House
Wednesday, Sept. 23
11:00 am - Silent Auction
Noon - 12:45 pm - Lunch/Program
Lawrence Street Center, 2nd Floor Terrace
RSVP by September 18: 303-315-3612 or email

Small-molecule Inhibitors of a Ubiquitin E3 Ligase
Prof. Xeudong Liu, Department of Chemistry and Bio-Chemistry,
CU Boulder
Friday, Sept. 25
Noon - 1:00 pm
North Classroom 3004

CLAS Masters Speaker Series
Professor Emeritus of English, Rex Burns
"The Case of the Publishing Racket, Other Publishing Misdemeanors and a Clouded Future"
Friday, Sept. 25
2:30-4:30 pm
Tivoli Zenith Room (Room 640)
RSVP to Katy Brown by Sept. 18

Economics Fall Seminar Series
Guy David, University of Pennsylvania
Friday, Sept. 25
3:30 pm
Title: "On the Determinants of Organizational Forgetting"
Lawrence Street Center, Room 450

Islam in American Culture: Islamic Design in the Work of Frank Lloyd Wright
by the Colorado Center for Public Humanities
Monday, Sept. 28
6:00 - 7:30 pm
Executive MBA Suite, 1250 14th St., Rm. 150
Dr. Mina Marefat, Fulbright Research Scholar and cultural advisor to the Guggenheim Museum's Major Retrospective on Frank Lloyd Wright.
(More information)

5th Annual Undergraduate Symposium
Friday, Oct. 2
8:00 am - 2:30 pm
St. Cajetan's
Registration

Economics Fall Seminar Series
Peter Kuhn, University of Califonia Santa Barbara
Friday, Oct. 2
3:30 pm
Title: "Employers' Preferences for Gender, Age, Height and Beauty: Evidence from Chinese Job Ads"
Lawrence Street Center, Room 450

Philosophy Fall Lecture Series
Frederic Bender, Associate Professor at UCCS
Monday, Oct. 5
2:30 - 4:00 pm
Title: "Ecocide, Peak Oil and Deep Ecology"
Honi Haber Library, Plaza Bldg M108A

Copper Nickel 12 Release Event
Reading by Kate Greenstreet
Tuesday, Oct. 6
7:00 pm
NC 1535

STEMapalooza
Friday, Oct. 16 - Saturday, Oct. 17
Colorado Convention Center
(More Information)

Islam in American Culture: Journey into America
(a documentary film)
by the Colorado Center for Public Humanities
Thurs, Oct. 15
11:30 - 1:30 pm
Starz Film Center
with Jonathan Hayden and Frankie Martin, Ibn Khaldun - Research Fellows in American University's School of International Service
(More information)

Philosophy Fall Lecture Series
Mitzi Lee, Associate Professor, CU Boulder
Wednesday, Oct. 21
2:30 - 4:00 pm
Title: "Justice and the Law in Aristotle's Moral Theory "
Honi Haber Library, Plaza Bldg M108A

UC Denver Open House
Sunday, Oct. 25
11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Auraria Events Center

CLAS Masters Speaker Series
Professor Emeritus of Economics, Suzanne Helburn
"The Economy, Simple Lessons on Avoiding Such Catastrophes and How We Have Failed"
Friday, Oct. 30
2:30-4:30 pm
Baerresen Ballroom, Tivoli 320A
RSVP to Katy Brown by Oct. 23

Economics Fall Seminar Series
Hani Mansour, University of Colorado Denver
Friday, Oct. 30
3:30 pm
Title: TBA
Lawrence Street Center, Room 450

Islam in American Culture: Islam and the Contemporary Novel
by the Colorado Center for Public Humanities
Tuesday, Nov. 3
6:00 - 7:30 pm
Tivoli Turnhalle
with Laleh Khadivi, the award-winning author of the novel, The Age of Orphans(Bloomsbury, 2009)
(More information)

Philosophy Fall Lecture Series
Candice Shelby, Associate Professor at UC Denver
Wednesday, Nov. 18
2:30 - 4:00 pm
Title: "Shifting Conceptual Spaces "
Honi Haber Library, Plaza Bldg M108A

IN THIS ISSUE:

Message from Dean Howard

Graduation Requirements Assessment

EPPC Updates

Creative Writing Workshop and Copper Nickel 12 Event

Semana Garcia Marquez

STEMapalooza

Early Alert Timeline

INQUIRING MINDS Student Research Conference

Ethnic Studies Open House

Center for Public Humanities Fall Series

CLAS in the Spotlight

Events

ARCHIVES:

Past issues since Jan 21, 2007.

USEFUL LINKS:

CLAS News

Faculty Resources

Staff Resources

Campus News

The CLAS Deans' Notes is a bi-weekly newsletter
for college faculty and staff.

EDITOR:

Katy Brown
303.556.6663
Katy.Brown @ucdenver.edu