Nov. 17, 2009 issue
News Briefs

By Ron Podell

• McKanders leaving EMU in February
• Your chance to be in film
• Poinsettia sale
• Toledo Zoo Lights Before Christmas
• Calling all faculty pack rats
• MLK call for academics session proposals
• Children's Institute fundraiser
• Did God Survive the Holocaust?
• Energy savings days on campus
• Evans-Strand Diversity Prize
• AQIP Action Projects sought
• McNair Scholars Program
• Flexible Spending Account vendor holiday closing
• FSA 2009 deadline holiday reminder

 

The following are news briefs about important activities and events occurring at Eastern Michigan University.

McKanders

• McKanders leaving EMU in February: Kenneth A. McKanders, General Counsel for Eastern Michigan University, has announced that he is leaving the University, effective Feb. 28, 2010. McKanders, who has served as EMU’s general counsel since 1987, states that he will be pursuing other professional opportunities. McKanders further stated that his 22 years of service as EMU’s general counsel have been extremely rewarding, both professionally and personally, and that he has enjoyed working with the Board of Regents, the administration, faculty, staff and students. To ensure a smooth transition within the Office of Legal Affairs, the University will promptly proceed with a search for a new General Counsel.

• Your chance to be in film:The iGroup is looking for extras to participate in a major independent feature shooting now in southeastern Michigan. Extras are being sought for several scenes that will be shooting in Monroe, Dearborn and Ann Arbor. There are many days available from now until the end of November. The iGroup is looking for adults 18-25 years old and 30-60 years old. Send an e-mail to Extras@theigroup.com. Be sure to include your name, phone number and e-mail in addition to your race, age, hair and eye color, and a digital picture of yourself. Questions about the production should be sent to Extras@theigroup.com.

• Poinsettia sale:The EMU Women's Association hosts its Annual Poinsettia sale. The profits from the sale are added to their scholarship fund. In April 2009, the association awarded eight scholarships and almost $7,000. The deadline for orders is Nov. 18, with pick-up scheduled Dec. 3. This year the group is offering 8 1/2-inch tri-color and 4-, 6- and 8 1/2 inch in red, white, or pink. It also offers decorated wreaths and garlands. You can choose from pine, cedar or mixed. All orders must be prepaid and the checks payable to the EMU Women's Association. If you do not wish to order, you may still make a contribution to the scholarship fund. For more information, contact Susann deVries at 487-0020, extension 2121.

• Toledo Zoo Lights Before Christmas: Join the EMU Office for Alumni and friends at the Toledo Zoo Lights Before Christmas Saturday, Nov. 21, 6-7:30 p.m. Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies with fellow alumni and friends while touring the amazing displays featuring 1 million lights with more than 200 animal images, strolling carolers, model train displays and even Santa himself. Advanced tickets are required. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under. Tickets include zoo admission and parking, refreshments, admission to the alumni hospitality station and a small gift for children. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Office for Alumni Relations at 487-0250 or e-mail alumni.relations@emich.edu.

• Calling all faculty pack rats: Are you willing to share your tenure and promotion documents? If so, there is an educational use for them. Professor Betty Brown-Chappell, director of the McNair Scholars Program, and Professor Rosina Tammany, University archivist, are developing a course unit that will illustrate the work of EMU's faculty. Brown-Chappell will teach this unit during the 2010 spring semester for the McNair Scholars, academically talented students in the Honors College whose goals upon graduation include doctoral study and, ultimately, a faculty position. As first-generation college students, the McNair Scholars generally do not have the opportunity to find out what a faculty position in a college or university encompasses or how one would obtain tenure and promotion. If you donate a copy of your tenure and promotion documents, you will give the Scholars an opportunity to learn how to research primary and secondary historical documents in an archives setting, as well as making a significant contribution to the Scholars' knowledge base about an academic career. For more information, e-mail Professor Tammany at rtammany@emich.edu or call 487-0020, extension 2301.

• MLK call for academic session proposals: The EMU Martin Luther King Committee invites proposals for academic sessions to be offered as part of the MLK Day 2010 celebration. The 2010 theme is "The Dream." The committee seeks academic sessions that explore, analyze or inform our understanding of Dr. King's legacy, and especially how individuals or groups have both interpreted and responded to Dr. King's dream through personal commitment — by "inserting themselves" into that dream and living it. Session content is neither "identity bound" nor "time bound," but may explore past, present or future across issues and populations, and can highlight struggles or successes in "inserting oneself" into Dr. King's dream. Proposals are due, in electronic format, by Nov. 18. For applications and directions for submissions, go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=uU4MEjlGNyRAKRl8Bi2j7w_3d_3d

• Children's Institute fundraiser: The EMU Children's Institute Savory Sweets cookie dough and popcorn sale continues through Wednesday, Nov. 18. The 3-pound dough costs $10 per tub, due with the order. Approximately $4 from each tub will go toward Month of the Young Child events in April 2010. Items will be available for pick-up Wednesday, Dec. 9, in the afternoon, room 103, Rackham. For more information, contact Beth Kahl at 487-2348.

Stern

• Did God Survive the Holocaust?: Eastern Michigan University, EMU Hillel and Holy Trinity Catholic Student Parish present "Did God Survive the Holocaust: A Jewish/Catholic Conversation," Monday, Nov. 23, 7 p.m., Student Center Ballroom. Featured speakers are Guy Stern, director of the International Institute of the Righteous and director of the Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus in Farmington Hills, and Father John T. Pawlikowski, professor of social ethics at the Catholic Theological Union and director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies Program at the Catholic Theological Union's Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Center. Marty Shichtman, an EMU professor of English, will serve as moderator. For more information, e-mail mshichtma1@emich.edu

• Energy savings days on campus: Human Resources is pleased to announce that, as part of our campaign to contain costs and conserve energy, Eastern Michigan University is implementing another Energy Savings Days Program. This year, the University will be closed for business Wednesday, Nov. 25, and Wednesday, Dec. 23. However, some offices critical to the operation of the University will remain open despite these closures.

All University employees normally scheduled to work on these days will use four hours of vacation or sick/personal time for each eight-hour day. EMU will cover the second half of the scheduled work hours with paid release time. If an employee’s vacation or sick/personal time is exhausted, the employee’s future accrual of vacation time will be borrowed against. Employees who are required to work on these days will receive regular pay for a normal work day and will be credited with paid release time generated at one hour for each hour worked up to a maximum of four hours of release time for each eight-hour day.

Through pilot programs like this, we take another step toward our goal of conserving energy in a manner that serves the interests of the University and provides an opportunity for our employees to enjoy more time with their family and friends. For further questions, call Human Resources at 487-3430.

• Evans-Strand Diversity Prize: The College of Arts and Sciences is seeking nominations for the Evans-Strand Diversity Prize. This $1,000 prize is modeled after the Nobel Peace Prize and is annually awarded to recognize an individual for significant contributions to enhancing understanding of and promoting unity among diverse populations at EMU. The prize is open to students currently enrolled in or graduating in the 12 months preceding the semester of the award. The nomination deadline is Dec 1. Nomination forms are available at http://www.emich.edu/cas/stu-scholarships.html or the CAS Dean's Office, 411 Pray-Harrold. For questions, contact Diane Winder at 487-4348.

• AQIP Action Projects sought: EMU's Continuous Improvement Operations Council (CIOC) requests proposals for AQIP Action Projects to be implemented in January 2010 and beyond. The CIOC will review proposals at its December 2009 meeting. Propsals should be submitted by Dec. 1, 2009. Any member of the EMU community (student, faculty, staff, or administrator) can propose an Action Project. Action Projects are concrete, specific continuous improvement projects that address an EMU area of functioning that can be improved. The project should identify evidence supporting need for improvement. Ideally, an Action Project will document measurable improvement over a period of six months to three- year intervals. Additional information can be found at http://www.emich.edu/aqip/index.html, and the application form can be found at http://www.emich.edu/aqip/actionproject1.html. Proposals should be submitted electronically by Dec. 1, 2009, to jeanne.thomas@emich.edu. For more information, please contact Jeanne Thomas at 487-7120, extension 2742; or e-mail jeanne.thomas@emich.edu.

• McNair Scholars Program: Are you an undergraduate student interested in working towards a doctorate. The McNair Scholars Program can help. This federally funded program mentors undergraduate students to help get them through their program of study with the right research skills and tools to be ready for graduate school applications and success. Benefits include a summer research stipend, faculty research mentor, travel expenses for presenting research or graduate school visits, advising and graduate school preparation. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2010. For an application and eligibility requirements, go to http://www.emich.edu/honors/mcnair/ For more information, contact Cindy Rodrigues, 487-8240, or e-mail crodrigue1@emich.edu

• Flexible Spending Account vendor holiday closing: BASIC, EMU's Flexible Spending Account vendor, will close Friday, Nov. 20, at 3 p.m. Their offices also will be closed Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27. For questions, call EMU's Benefits Office at 487-3195.

• FSA 2009 deadline reminder: The plan year for the 2009 Flexible Spending Account ends Dec. 31, 2009. Please review your account balance and submit your 2009 claims by faxing them to BASIC at 1-800-391-6562. As indicated by IRS guidelines, any unused funds remaining in your account at the end of the plan year will be forfeited. The account plan grace perios has a deadlne of March 31, 2010 to have claims, incurred during 2009, submitted to BASIC. For questions, call EMU's Benefits Office at 487-3195.