March 2017
Dear colleagues,
Spring is on the horizon! I hope you were able to rest and rejuvenate over the break last week. As we head into the final weeks of the semester, I wanted to take a moment to wish you well and thank you for all you do for Marquette.
In this third edition of the POST, we share information on the next Marquette Forum event, as well as an update on the Core revision process.
We also highlight several important initiatives that will propel the university forward. We have a lot to be proud of right now at Marquette, and I’m in awe of what we have accomplished together this semester.
I hope you continue to find these “short takes” helpful and informative. Be in touch if there is anything else you'd like to see in this newsletter.
Thank you,
-Dan Myers, Provost
Marquette Forum
Please join us at the Marquette Forum's culminating event, a distinguished lecture by Dr. Angela Davis, Wednesday, March 29, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Al Maguire Center. For details and ticket reservations, see the Forum website.
Planning for next year’s Forum is now underway. The yearlong series of conversations and events will focus on health disparities and access to health care. The exact title and events are to be determined, but five primary focus areas are emerging:
- Children’s health/social determinants of health
- Mental health: enduring stigmas and challenges
- Global health: developing Marquette networks
- Incarceration and health
- Milwaukee: accessing healthcare
Next year’s Forum will continue the conversations initiated this year; it will also explore opportunities for developing grant-funded initiatives to extend beyond the conversations and theme. If you have ideas for events or would like to partner to help engage Marquette with the greater Milwaukee communities, please contact Dr. John Su.
African-American student task force
The Division of Student Affairs, in response to concerns about the campus climate for African-American students, is forming a task force composed of interested Marquette faculty and staff to explore more deeply the underlying structural and environmental factors that contribute to lagging African-American student retention and engagement.
The task force seeks to identify areas of concern, research and propose best practices for retention and support, and recommend initiatives and actions to increase African-American student engagement, retention, and satisfaction. If you are interested in assisting in this endeavor, please contact Dr. Xavier Cole.
New series of Water Conversations at the Global Water Center
Marquette University cordially invites you to the Water Conversations Seminar at the Global Water Center on Friday, March 24, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. David Strifling, director of the Marquette Law School Water Law and Policy Initiative, will speak on reducing chloride discharges to surface water and groundwater. The formal presentation is scheduled for 30 minutes, with 30 minutes remaining for coffee, questions and networking. Future dates for additional “Water Conversations” are Friday, April 28 and Friday, May 26. For more information, contact Dr. Dan Zitomer.
New Program Incubator
The Provost’s Office has implemented a New Program Incubator designed to diversify and expand the university’s portfolio of high-demand graduate programs, reinvigorate existing master’s programs ripe for innovation and expansion, and identify new markets for graduate programming. The benefits of developing or revitalizing a program through the incubator include proposal development coordination, access to start-up funds and participation in revenue sharing. A call for applications for prospective programs seeking a 2018 launch is open until Monday, April 3. Applications for programs with a later launch are accepted on a rolling basis. For further information, contact Carrianne Hayslett, associate dean of the Graduate School and director of the New Program Incubator, at (414) 288-0252.
Core revision process
Curricular committees are currently reviewing a proposal for revising the University Core of Common Studies. The proposal can be found on the Core revision website.
If the proposal is approved, an implementation committee will begin work late this spring to prepare campus for a fall 2018 rollout. Faculty will be encouraged to develop ideas for collaborating in the Methods of Inquiry Foundations course and to discuss themes for the Discovery Tier. In collaboration with the Office of Mission and Ministry, the implementation committee will also be charged with developing faculty professional development opportunities to infuse Catholic intellectual traditions throughout the Core. If you have questions or are interested in participating in any of these areas, please contact Dr. John Su or Dr. Sarah Feldner.
HLC assurance report
Marquette University is required to submit an assurance report to the Higher Learning Commission ahead of a four-year review that will take place in the summer of 2018. The HLC Leadership Team is preparing the first draft of this report now and anticipates finishing by June 2017. If you would like to review one or more chapters for completeness and accuracy once complete, please contact Dr. Gary Meyer.
Bridging Theory to Practice dialogue grant
The Center for Gender and Sexualities Studies and Service Learning received a Bridging Theory to Practice dialogue grant from the Association of American Colleges and Universities to work with faculty and students to facilitate dialogue and reflection on campus. We are in the process of recruiting faculty and students to participate in this project. For more information, contact Dr. Angie Harris.
Community Engagement
The CGSS also reaffirmed its commitment to community engagement by collaborating with Cream City Foundation to complete a needs assessment of LGBTQ+ organizations and communities in southeast Wisconsin. The group collected and analyzed data, and compiled findings into a report, which they presented to the foundation.The findings will be used to set the foundation's strategic priorities. For more information, contact Dr. Angie Harris
Electronic Technology Accessibility Initiative
Many of you are now aware of this important initiative, the goal of which is to ensure that Marquette’s electronic materials are accessible to individuals of all abilities. A newly approved policy will guide our efforts to create accessible course materials, and to ensure
— as we migrate Marquette’s webpages to a new content management system over the next several years
— that our websites are accessible.
Training resources will be available this spring and summer for faculty, content managers and others. Watch for the new Electronic Information Technology website, coming soon. Details on training opportunities will be available via the Center for Teaching and Learning. Questions may be directed to Anne Deahl.
Spanish-speaking faculty and staff sought
As part of Marquette's initiative to become a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and create a more welcoming campus environment for Spanish-speaking parents of prospective and current students, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion aims to increase the university’s capacity for Spanish-language assistance and programming. To that end, we are compiling an inventory of faculty and staff who are fluent Spanish speakers and who would like to add their names to a list of potential volunteers for communicating with parents and to participate in future events. To volunteer, please go to Campus-wide Spanish Speaker Inventory. For any questions about this or other HSI-related initiatives, please contact Jacki Black.
Doctoral Diversity Fellowship Awards
In support of Marquette’s commitment to diversity, and to further enhance our efforts to create a Culture of Inclusion, the Graduate School has created three new Doctoral Diversity Fellowship Awards, doubling the number of Doctoral Diversity Fellowships we now offer. These prestigious awards are intended to recruit exceptional doctoral students from diverse backgrounds to Ph.D. programs. Each fellowship is a four-year award that provides a competitive stipend and tuition scholarships. The new awards will be rolled out over the next three years. If you have any questions about these awards, contact Tom Marek in the Graduate School.
Marquette University online
A newly formed group will help identify ways in which Marquette can expand its portfolio across several digital learning spaces. Group members will explore opportunities within graduate and undergraduate education, including the development of certificates, badges, micro-credentials and continuing education experiences. In addition, group members will consider current and potential partnerships, delivery platforms and innovative strategies to help Marquette increase its presence and success in these online spaces. For more information, contact Dr. Gary Meyer or Dr. Shaun Longstreet.
Academic Program Review
The Academic Program Review Committee has created a subcommittee to examine the program review process. The goal is to create a more streamlined process and a review that will have a more lasting impact and benefit to units. Suggestions are welcome from the campus. Contact Dr. Jenny Watson with thoughts and suggestions.
