Updates in Academic Affairs: October 5, 2015
Inside Updates: Public presentation times set for University Libraries dean finalists, a look at the Office of Exploratory Advising, October meetings slated for academic affairs non-bargaining staff and Fridays with Friends mixers are on tap through May.
University Libraries dean finalists to present public talks on campus
The finalists in the dean of University Libraries search are scheduled to be on campus for interviews and public presentations during the weeks of Oct. 5 and 12.
Each finalist will give a public presentation in the Fetzer Center Putney Lecture Hall.
The candidates and presentation times:
- Dr. Brad Eden, dean of Library Services at Valparaiso University, will present at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7.
- Dr. Mildred Jackson, associate dean for Research & Instruction at the University of Alabama, will present at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8.
- Dr. Lynn Baird, dean of University Libraries at University of Idaho, will present at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12.
- Julie Garrison, associate dean for Research and Instructional Services at Grand Valley State University, will present at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14.
Find the finalists' curricula vitae here.
Graduate College Dean Susan Stapleton is chair of the search committee. Dace Copeland and Cathy Smith, business manager seniors in the Office of the Provost, provided administrative support.
In support of the search, the committee has been working since April with search consultants from Greenwood/Asher & Associates Inc.
Members of the search committee: Maira Bundza, ScholarWorks librarian; Sharon Carlson, director of WMU Archives and Regional History Collection; Brad Dennis, head librarian of the Gary and Rita Swain Education Library; Randle Gedeon, monographic acquisitions, processing and gifts librarian and professor of University Libraries; Linda Rolls, science reference librarian; Dianna Sachs, instructional services librarian; Susan Steuer, head of Special Collections and Rare Books; Julie Hayward, resource sharing manager; Terylle Lavender, supervisor of Access Services; Marianne Swierenga, coordinator of metadata and digital resources; Lofton Durham, Department of Theater; and Corinnediane Eswar, graduate student representative.
The committee was charged with drafting the position description, developing an advertisement plan, and encouraging nominations and applications from prospective candidates. In addition, the committee participated in a "recruiting for diversity" training session hosted by the Office of Institutional Equity. Review of applications began mid-August, with airport interviews conducted with top candidates during the second week in September.
Please plan to attend the candidate presentations and forums as schedules will allow, and encourage participation from faculty, staff and student colleagues. The search committee will have feedback forms available at candidate presentations, and looks forward to your input.
Exploratory advisors help students zero in on a program of study
The Office for Exploratory Advising, located in 1275 Ellsworth Hall, is the advising home for exploring students. Students who have not declared a major are now referred to as "exploring" rather than "undecided" or "undeclared."
Academic advising services specifically for exploring students are common at colleges and universities across the country. The goal for exploratory advisors is to assist students with identifying their program of study, declaring their major and moving successfully into their new academic college.
This fall, the Office for Exploratory Advising will serve 788 students. Of those, 583 are first-year college students, or 14.5 percent of WMU's entering class of students.
There are a variety of reasons students choose to delay directly entering into a degree program, and there is no single proven advising approach that works best with every exploring student.
Research on exploring students suggests that advisors can assist these students in developing the following:
- Self-knowledge: assessing personal interests, abilities, values and establishing goals
- Academic knowledge: becoming informed about educational programs, majors and academic skills development
- Occupational knowledge: exploring career information and developing appropriate employment skills
- Decision-making knowledge: integrating self, educational and occupational knowledge
Exploratory advisors work very closely with college advisors and students to develop course schedules allowing students to explore potential areas of interest while fulfilling University, college, and major-level requirements. Coordination with college advisors helps to assure students can continue to make progress toward declaring a major and graduation.
For more information, contact the Office of Exploratory Advising at exploratory-advising@wmich.edu or (269) 387-4410.
Provost to hold forum for non-bargaining unit staff members
The Office of the Provost will host a meeting for all non-bargaining unit staff members in academic affairs on Friday, Oct. 9, in the Fetzer Center’s Kirsch Auditorium.
Two meeting times will be available to accommodate normal business hours and operations—8:15 to 9:15 a.m. and 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Supervisors are encouraged to accommodate staff participation in these meetings. Media Services will live stream both presentations for staff members who are not able to travel to the main campus in Kalamazoo.
The meetings are intended to provide a forum for staff members to ask any questions and receive updates from academic affairs. As a way to thank administrative staff members for their many contributions to keeping our departments and units running smoothly, beverages and bakery items will be available before each of the meeting sessions.
Those wishing to submit questions or comments for Provost Timothy Greene prior to the meeting may send them to: office-of-the-provost@wmich.edu.
Fridays with Friends mixers scheduled through May
The University community is invited to join colleagues at Fridays with Friends mixers scheduled at various WMU campus locations for the 2015-16 academic year.
Dates and locations for the Friday mixers, each set for 4 to 6 p.m., are as follows:
- Nov. 13, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Parkview Room
- Feb. 5, Fetzer Center lobby
- March 18, College of Health and Human Services, Room 4110
- April 15, College of Aviation, Battle Creek
- May 3, Fetzer Center lobby
Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be featured at each event. A cash bar will be available during the mixers scheduled at the Fetzer Center.