August 2018
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Dear colleagues,
As I launch into my fourth year at Marquette, I want to extend a warm welcome back to all our returning faculty and an especially enthusiastic hello to the nearly 70 new faculty who have joined us this year. This fall we greet the largest incoming class in Marquette’s history — approximately 2,200 students. This new class of students presents us with yet more opportunities to transform lives. Where do we want to take Marquette this year? Where do you want to take Marquette this year?
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Since our last newsletter, we’ve seen the launch of the Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute, the opening of Wild Commons, AHPRC construction well underway and new Marquette Wi-Fi networks.
I hope you all had a tremendous summer pursuing your scholarship, enjoying some family and vacation time, and having a refreshing change of pace. I am excited for this new year and all the potential it holds, some of which you can see in the entries that follow.
This year I welcome you to participate in the annual provost’s address to the faculty. This is the second year of this new tradition of addressing the faculty and an important time for me to hear your perspectives on where we have been in the past year and where we are going as a university. Although it is impossible to find a time when all can attend, we will gather Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 4 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium; I hope to see many of you there.
In this seventh edition of the POST, we welcome our new chief of digital learning and provide a wealth of opportunities to learn, engage and contribute.
We also highlight several important initiatives that will propel the university forward in the areas of strategic plan, community engagement, innovation and faculty development. We have a lot to be proud of, and I am inspired by your accomplishments and your commitment to Marquette. I am honored to be working with such a talented and committed faculty.
I hope that you find these “short takes” helpful and informative.
All my best wishes for the fall semester,
-Dan Myers, Provost
Provost annual address to faculty
Meet with Provost Dan Myers on Tuesday, Sept. 25, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium. Dr. Myers will discuss a wide range of topics that are of interest to faculty. A question-and-answer session will follow.
Marquette Forum: “Democracy in Troubled Times”
Building on the success of the past two years, the 2018–19 Marquette Forum will engage in a yearlong series of conversations focused on “Democracy in Troubled Times.” Across the globe, the very idea of democracy is being challenged, as we witness what is being called a “backlash to liberal democracy” on a range of economic, military and social issues. Key questions for the forum will include: what is the role of the university in a democratic society? How does Marquette develop and deepen partnerships across greater Milwaukee to promote difficult dialogues on politically charged issues? If you are interested in participating or developing events related to the Forum, please contact Dr. John Su, vice provost for academic affairs.
Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Community Organization nominations
Nominations are being accepted for the Marquette University Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Community Organization Award. Each year the Office of the Provost, supported by the Office of the President, recognizes exemplary leadership by a single community organization that manifests the ideals of community engagement and supports, promotes, and cultivates collaborative, mutually beneficial, bi-directional relationships, making tangible differences within the Milwaukee community.
The deadline for nominations is Sept. 10; the deadline for dossiers of nominated organizations is Oct. 12. Nominate only one candidate on each form you submit, either by email to Dr. Dan Bergen, executive director of community engagement, or nominate online. For more information, please visit the Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Community Organization website.
Marquette University Community Engaged Scholars Network
The Marquette University Community Engaged Scholars Network convenes once a semester to explore and address opportunities for and challenges to engagement in research and teaching. Participating faculty members will have the chance to network with and learn from one another regarding this important framework for scholarly activity. The fall meeting will be held Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 9 to 10 a.m. Interested faculty members should contact Dr. Dan Bergen, executive director, Office of Community Engagement.
Provost initiatives
The Office of the Provost has announced funding for initiatives to support faculty mentoring, new community engaged research projects, and an initiative that will advance diversity, equity and inclusion.
Incorporating culturally enhancing practices in the classroom
The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion is inviting faculty to join Dr. Gina Garcia of the University of Pittsburgh on Thursday, Sept. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. to learn about the most effective ways to “serve” Latinx and other minoritized students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions. “Serving” is conceptualized as outcomes and experiences that students have, as well as structural changes, transformation and practices within the institution. Participants will focus on classroom practices, including curriculum and pedagogy, to engage minoritized students and enhance their racial/cultural/ethnic backgrounds while incorporating their ways of knowing. For more information, contact Jacki Black, associate director of Hispanic initiatives, or register here.
Linguistic diversity symposium
The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion welcomes faculty to attend three events featuring national scholars Dr. Walt Wolfram and Dr. Kim Potowski on linguistic diversity. They are “The Speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Sociolinguistic Justice,” on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 4 p.m.; a screening and discussion of the documentary “Talking Black in America” on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 6 p.m.; and “Best Practices for Linguistic Inclusivity in Classrooms” on Thursday, Sept. 20 at 11 a.m. For more information or to register, see the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion website.
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) initiative
The HSI Steering Committee continues to evaluate its goals, strategies and progress toward further diversifying our campus and enhancing the campus experience for all students. Faculty engagement is critical to this effort, so if you are interested in taking a more in-depth look at the HSI initiative, getting questions answered and providing feedback, please reach out to Jacki Black, associate director for Hispanic initiatives, who can attend standing department meetings and respond to individual queries.
Strategic plan shows on the road
The strategic plan is moving into its implementation phase. Dr. Jenny Watson, vice provost for academic planning, accompanied by Sumathi Thiyagarajan, director of program management, will be visiting the colleges this fall to explain the new structure, field questions and ask for input. For more information or to request a visit, contact Dr. Watson or Sumathi Thiyagarajan.
Partner hire task force
Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Dr. Gary Meyer is convening a task force this academic year to better understand the ways in which the university currently supports partner hires, and to explore best practices and ways to improve shortcomings. If you would like to share your story (as either the “primary” hire or the “partner” hire) to help Dr. Meyer and the task force better understand your experience, please reach out at gary.meyer@marquette.edu or faculty.affairs@marquette.edu.
Faculty Mentoring Program
The Faculty Mentoring Program is designed to facilitate the professional development of tenure-track assistant professors. It extends Marquette's principle of cura personalis or “care for the whole person,” to these faculty who are matched with a more senior faculty member for a confidential, interpersonally supportive relationship that is outside the scope of any formal performance review or evaluation. Faculty interested in requesting a mentor should contact Dr. Gary Meyer, senior vice provost for faculty affairs, or send a note to faculty.affairs@marquette.edu.
Marquette Faculty Exploring Leadership Opportunities
The FELOs leadership program, now in its second year, has been designed to introduce faculty to the complexities, challenges and joys of leadership with a specific emphasis on academic leadership at a Catholic and Jesuit university. The program unfolds over the course of a full academic year and is geared toward associate and full professors who aspire toward a greater leadership role on campus. Applications for the 2019–20 cohort will be made available mid-September with a Nov. 1, 2018, deadline. For more information or to obtain an application, contact Dr. Gary Meyer, senior vice provost for faculty affairs, or send a note to faculty.affairs@marquette.edu.
Chief of digital learning
Dr. David Schejbal joined the Office of the Provost on Aug. 1 as Marquette’s chief of digital learning. Dr. Schejbal comes to Marquette from the University of Wisconsin – Extension and is well recognized as an innovator in online learning and a champion for increased access to quality higher education. As chief of digital learning, Dr. Schejbal will work with deans and faculty to develop new online distance education programs and will provide leadership and administrative support for online program development to colleges and departments. He will also work closely with Dr. Shaun Longstreet, associate provost for educational development, who will continue to coordinate the production, technology and faculty support for online learning for both residential and distance education students. To learn more about his work and discuss distance education program development, please reach out to Dr. Schejbal by email or phone (ext. 8-6395).
