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Deans Notes - November 3, 2022

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Letter from Dean Pamela Jansma

Introducing the New Honors Scholars Program (HSP)

In response to calls from students and faculty to update and make honors programs at the university more accessible and dynamic, several people in the CLAS community stepped up to help create the new Honors Scholars Program. This flexible certificate program encourages students to set their own goals and design their own honors path. Combining challenging coursework with co-curricular/extra-curricular activities, this new program makes it possible to add a Certificate in Honors to students’ diplomas. This kind of expansive, interdisciplinary, inclusive program is what providing a world-class liberal arts and science degree is all about.

This innovative approach to challenging our students both academically and personally provides highly motivated students with unique learning experiences aimed at pairing curiosity and critical thinking with flexible and personalized learning options. A lot of hard work went into formulating the best possible approach to help more of our students achieve educational goals, develop their talents, explore their passions, and feed intellectual curiosity – this program is the exciting result. The criteria for the program include:

  • Current CU Denver student or applicant with a GPA of 3.25 or better
  • Students must begin the program before completing 75 credit hours
  • Students must maintain a 3.25 GPA or higher to maintain eligibility

I encourage everyone to check out the program website and familiarize yourself with this incredible opportunity for our students. Faculty and staff are invited to nominate undergraduates for the program on that site. I’d like to thank Professor Jennifer Reich and the Honors Taskforce (including Richard Allen, Michael Berry, Terri Cooney, Larry Erbert, Brooke Krencik, Marjorie Levine-Clark and John Swallow) for all their hardwork making this happen.

CLAS Staff Council Highlighted Staff of the Month

Julie Bickner, Program Coordinator, Learning Assistants Program

CLAS Staff Council is pleased to feature a staff member each month in the Dean’s Notes. Staff are invited to be profiled by random selection and participation is voluntary. We encourage staff who would like to be profiled to reach out to us directly! If you are interested in sharing your story in a future edition of the Dean’s Notes, please email clas.staffcouncil@ucdenver.edu or Anne.Beard@ucdenver.edu.

As the Program Coordinator for the Learning Assistants Program, Bickner has been key to that program’s success and its mission to “support student learning, satisfaction, and retention in Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering (STEM) courses, particularly those courses that are large enrollment, critical for success in a degree program, and/or have historically low retention rates.” Bickner has managed most day-to-day aspects of the LA Program since 2016 and says the best part of her position is the people she works with.

Bickner says that she finds inspiration in her own children, who work hard in school and in their activities while she, in turn, strives to model the same behavior by working hard to do her best at her job — and in life in general. Asked what might surprise her colleagues, Bickner says that she loves to water ski and has played soccer for over 40 years.

Bickner’s pivotal role in the LA Program is greatly appreciated by her supervisors. Bud Talbot, Co-Director of the LA Program, remarked that, "The LA Program would not be the success that it is without Julie's coordination efforts and hard work. She is an excellent manager and keeps the program running smoothly. And she is an absolute joy to work with!” Laurel Hartley, Co-Director of the LA Program, echoes that sentiment, saying, “Julie is simply the best. She steers the LA Program and makes a difference for students, LAs, and faculty at CU Denver. I love working with Julie and appreciate her both as a professional and a person.”

Julie Bickner is one of the many staff people who are essential not only to the functioning of CLAS, but also to its heart by fostering a culture of service, learning, and hard work on behalf students.

A welcome side benefit of the CLAS Staff Profile series is the chance to remind people about valuable programs and resources within or available to the college. A case in point is the Learning Assistants Program which is a free service that supports student learning, satisfaction, and retention in STEM courses. https://clas.ucdenver.edu/la-program/

CLAS in the News

photo of michael berry

Midterm Election Updates from Michael J. Berry

News

Michael J. Berry, Associate Professor, Chair, and Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Political Science, was recently interviewed by a reporter for a story on ballot measures in the upcoming midterm elections.

Ballot measures in five states would expand legislative powers
Plurbis News, October 13

photo of andrew scahill

Andrew Scahill on Horror and Surrogacy Theory

News

Andrew Scahill, Assistant English Professor and author of The Revolting Child in Horror Cinema, suggests ‘surrogacy theory’ may be another reason we are drawn to horror movies. “Horror films allow us in a way to control our fear of death by giving us a surrogate experience,” he says.

Spooky season: why we love to feel afraid
Bazaar, October 31

Spotlight

Cameron Blevins and John Tinnell’s CU Next Award Project Hopes to Bring Data Advocacy for All

Spotlight

Cameron Blevins, Associate Professor Clinical Teaching Track in History, and Professor John Tinnell of English, are part of an inter-campus team that received the CU Next Award for their project, Data Advocacy for All. The $300,000 grant, received in May, will soon provide students with the opportunity to learn how to ethically and effectively use data to raise public awareness and drive social change. The team will build educational modules designed to assist students define, assemble, evaluate, map, publish and persuade with data – and Tinnell will begin teaching the modules in fall of 2023. The content students produce in courses will include text, videos, audio recordings and graphics – all of which will be accessible to the public on the University Libraries’ site, CU Scholar. Students at CU Boulder and CU Denver will ultimately collaborate on a data-advocacy website about climate hazards in Colorado. While the project will...

Sarah K. Fields Inducted into National Academy of Kinesiology Fellows

Spotlight

Communication Department, Professor Sarah K. Fields, was inducted as a Fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK) on October 1.  Fields became the 616th domestic Fellow since the NAK was founded in 1926, and only 200 active fellows may exist at any time.  A standout in her induction class, Fields was the only Fellow from a Communication Department—most are from Schools of Medicine or Allied Health Programs. 

Insight into Pandemic Eldercare Impacts for Mexican Immigrants from Sarah Horton

Spotlight

Sarah Horton, Professor and Graduate Program Director for the Department of Anthropology, recently published an article based on interviews conducted with undocumented Mexican immigrants about their pandemic eldercare burdens. “Praying for More Time: Mexican Immigrants’ Pandemic Eldercare Dilemmas,” published in Medical Anthropology Quarterly, details how they struggled to help elderly parents obtain health care despite their own exclusion from pandemic relief.

Please Contribute to the Student Food Pantry

Spotlight

As we get towards the fall break and colder months, the campus food pantry is typically more frequently visited by our students. As a result, there are times when the food pantry must limit the amount of food taken from the pantry. To prevent this from happening, CLAS staff have set up boxes in CLAS predominate buildings to collect any non-perishable foods. This also gives us an opportunity to reach out to staff we normally wouldn’t or to get to know some of newer colleagues in CLAS.

Boxes are located with:
Anne Beard (anne.beard@ucdenver.edu) –LSC 420 (Sociology)
Stephen Frazier (stephen.fraizer@ucdenver.edu) –NC 3018 (Health and Behavioral Sciences)
Alexandria Joo (ALEXANDRIA.JOO@UCDENVER.EDU) –Plaza 108 (Ethnic Studies)
James Salmen (james.salmen@ucdenver.edu) –SI 2071 (Biology)
Angela Schmitt (ANGELA.SCHMITT@UCDENVER.EDU) –SCB 3209 (Political Science)

If you have any questions, please reach out to Project Lead Sulastri Carr, Program...

Events

CLAS Faculty, Staff and Student Individual Photo Sessions, November 8 & 9

Events

10:00 am – 2:00 pm
North Classroom Atrium A (north end, close to elevators)

Photos can be used anywhere you need a professional image (permissions are granted). You do not need appointments in advance; simply show up and sign-in for a slot (in the past the average wait was less than 15 minutes). The whole process is speedy and painless, so if you’ve never taken the opportunity before, now is the time to get a professional photograph taken. Any questions can be directed to Tracy Kohm, CLAS Marketing, Communication and Outreach.

 

CU Denver’s Institute for International Business International Executive Roundtable - War in Ukraine: At the Brink of Nuclear War?, November 29

Events

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (Mountain) 
Hybrid format – in-person and online options - Click to Register 

In February 2022, CU Denver’s Institute for International Business (IIB) hosted a lecture by Dr. Christoph Stefes, Professor, Political Science, College of Liberal Arts and Science. The lecture, “Back in the USSR: What Does Putin Want and How Should the US Respond?” was attended by 200+ faculty, staff, administrators and students from the CU system and its four campuses, as well as guests from the IIB’s business and academic partners. The IIB is pleased to invite Professor Stefes back to speak at the International Executive Roundtable and give us an update on the Ukraine-Russia War. 

Almost a year into the war, Ukraine has recently been able to push back Russian forces. Unexpectedly, it has made significant territorial gains. Yet, Russia has not responded well. It has formally annexed four Ukrainian territories in gross violation...

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Deans Notes

Editor: Tracy Kohm
Marketing, Communication and Outreach Professional
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
tracy.kohm@ucdenver.edu

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