Updates in Academic Affairs: January 26, 2015

Faculty and professional staff invited to lead a First-Year Seminar

The Office for First-Year Experience invites current faculty and professional staff to consider leading a First-Year Seminar as an instructor for the fall 2015 semester. The seminar course—a collaborative effort across WMU colleges, departments, programs and academic disciplines—is designed to help meet the diverse needs of first-year, first-time students by providing them with a seamless transition to WMU.

One critical aspect of the FYS offering is to foster positive interactions and engagement between our instructors and first-year students. Research confirms that connectedness to multiple individuals helps to promote student engagement and academic persistence.

Our first-year students need and want your involvement and participation. So that our students experience the success that we envision for them, everyone's contribution and commitment are needed.

Please consider becoming involved with the First-Year Seminar; help to create a stimulating learning environment that will promote and reinforce student persistence toward graduation.

FYS instructors

• Assist in accomplishing the goals and learning outcomes of the course.
• Assist in the development of the FYS syllabus and course content.
• Participate in the First-Year Experience Seminar evaluation process.
• Participate and attend First-Year Experience Seminar sponsored functions and meetings.
• Help to successfully transition incoming students to WMU. 

Instructor applications are available. The formal invitation includes details regarding teaching positions and the Request to Teach application. Applications are due by Friday, Feb. 27, and may be submitted via email to fye-info@wmich.edu, or through campus mail at mail stop FYE 5263.

For more information, please contact Dr. Toni Woolfork-Barnes, director of First-Year Experience Programs, at toni.woolfork-barnes@wmich.edu or (269) 387-2301.

Michigan ACE Women’s Network conference to be held in June 

The 2015 Michigan American Council on Education Women’s Network conference is set for June 8-9 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. The theme of this year’s conference is “Make a Difference: Leadership, Inclusion, Connections.” Madlyn L. Hanes, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses of Penn State, will deliver the keynote address.

The first day of the conference will include a workshop led by the Network’s Women of Color Collaborative and a dinner featuring a panel of Michigan’s female legislators. The second day of the event will include informational and training sessions as well as the keynote address. Faculty and staff members at all career levels are encouraged to attend both days of this powerful and uplifting conference.

In addition, faculty and staff members in all higher education positions are invited to submit presentation proposals for conference sessions focused on aspects of leadership, inclusion and connection. In previous years, session topics have ranged from navigating doctoral programs to workplace bullying to best practices in professional networking. The deadline for submissions is Friday, Feb. 13.

Find more information about the conference and proposal submission. For questions about the MI-ACE Women’s Network and conference, contact Brynne Belinger, WMU’s MI-ACE Institutional Representative, at brynne.belinger@wmich.edu or (269) 387-0392.

Disability Services for Students migrating to new accommodation management system

Disability Services for Students is in the process of migrating to a new student accommodation management system called Accommodate. Currently, DSS provides services to more than 800 students.

Transitioning to the new system will require students to request services and appointment scheduling through GoWMU. With the new system, instructors of record will receive email notifications regarding students requesting academic accommodations or modifications. The current system of notification through academic accommodation cards will run parallel to the new Accommodate system until September when the cards will be phased out.

Students are required to request academic accommodations for each semester and each class from DSS. DSS staff then screen and approve accommodations or modifications. When students are screened and approved for academic accommodations and modifications, instructors of record receive email notifications from this system. 

DSS will continue to stress to students the importance of meeting with faculty members as soon as they have been approved for services. The office also encourages students with a prior medical certification to register with DSS in the first two weeks of a semester. In addition, DSS stresses to students that accommodations are not retroactive to the beginning of a semester, and take up to five days for implementation. Students with disabilities will be able to reserve testing rooms five days prior to any test.

To help remind students how to request academic accommodations or modifications and to utilize DSS services, we ask instructors to consider including the following statement on course syllabi:

To assure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, faculty at Western Michigan University need to know how a disability will impact student participation and work in courses. Any student registered with Disability Services for Students who would like to discuss accommodations for this class should contact the instructor of record in a timely manner. Students with documented disabilities who are not registered with DSS should the office call at (269) 387-2116 or visit wmich.edu/disabilityservices. Students cannot request academic accommodations without scheduling an appointment and meeting with a DSS staff member. If a student does not register with DSS, his or her academic accommodations cannot be executed.

For more information about the Accommodate system, visit wmich.edu/disabilityservices. You also may contact Jayne Fraley-Burgett at jayne.fraley@wmich.edu or (269) 387-2120.

A ready reference: links for Center for Academic Success programs 

The Center for Academic Success Programs enhances teaching and promotes student learning through collaborative and effective research-based programs.

To assist faculty, staff and students with access to frequently requested services, the following links are provided for ready reference:

• The Academic Resource Center supplemental instruction spring 2015 schedule for select courses in biological sciences, chemistry, geosciences, math and physics.
• The spring 2015 schedule for College Success Seminars offered through the Academic Resource Center.
• Please note that walk-in office hours are also available on Tuesdays from 1 to 2 p.m. in 1275 Ellsworth Hall.
• The Bronco Study Zone is located on the second floor of Waldo Library, and provides subject area tutoring times and drop-in tutoring.
• For additional information, please refer to the spring 2015 schedule.

For more information regarding academic success services and programming, please contact Randy Ott.