Provost's Wednesday Briefing - January 27, 2021

Eastern Nursing Student Comforts the Nation

Congratulations to EMU Nursing student Lori Marie Key, who performed during the COVID-19 memorial held in Washington D.C. on January 19. You can watch her performance here and read more about her experience in this EMU Today story.

Hot off the Presses! Eastern Faculty Publishes Fourth Book

Congratulations to Christine Hume, Professor of English Language and Literature, on the publication of her fourth book, "Saturation Project." Her work received rave reviews in The New York Times! We invite you to read more about it in this EMU Today story!

Eastern Makes Top 100 List for Online Business Programs

The US News & World Report has ranked the Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communication program in the top 100 of online graduate business programs. Eastern is one of only five Michigan universities in the top 100 and, in this state, second only to Michigan State University. Congratulations to all of the College of Business faculty and staff who work to support this exceptional program.

Call for Interim Support: EMU’s Faculty Development Center

A full search for a new Director to lead EMU's Faculty Development Center is in the process of launching this semester. As most of you are likely aware, Dr. Peggy Liggit decided to return to the faculty at the end of December. Her highly effective leadership in this role leaves the Center well positioned moving forward!

In the meantime, the Provost's Office is issuing a call for one or more individuals who would be willing to provide development support for faculty, lecturers and other staff on an interim basis. These interim support individuals will work with the Provost's Office leadership team to develop and implement programs until the new Director is selected and appointed but efforts will focus this semester on support for remote operations and effective teaching in the online/remote/blended environment. Our office will assign course release equivalents (up to 50% each) that will either release individuals from teaching or pay overloads for appointment during this winter semester.

If you are interested in further discussing this opportunity in more detail, please submit a statement of interest electronically to [email protected], by close of business on February 5, 2021. We are also accepting nominations of individuals who might be appropriate.

Calling on Detroiters to Tell Their Story

The Journal of Narrative Theory, an international academic journal run out of the Literature program here at EMU, hosts an annual Dialogue featuring important public thinkers and artists. This year's dialogue, "Detroit as a Narrative Space" is focused on Detroit and seeks to engage with members of our own EMU community who come from Detroit, as well as to connect with the broader Detroit community, using a poetry competition to help Detroiters tell their stories.

In anticipation of this year’s Journal of Narrative Theory Dialogue “Detroit as a Narrative Space,” featuring Detroit authors Desiree Cooper and kim d. hunter, we are holding a writing contest during the month of February. We invite those who live or work in the city of Detroit to enter submissions of site-specific, creative flash nonfiction about Detroit 20/20. The winner, who will be announced at the March 18 JNT Dialogue, will receive a $250 award and be featured on JNT websites and social media. The online JNT Dialogue is free and open to the public (advance registration required).

In the 20th century, Detroit became known as a space of art, of industry, and of activism. By 2020, Detroit had experienced a pandemic, emerged as a key scene in the national Black Lives Matter movement, and played a critical role in historic national elections. In a year that will go down in the history books, the stories of Detroiters should be the ones that shape the narrative of Detroit. What stories about Detroit and Detroiters need to be told right now, to be remembered by future generations? For more information about the contest and to submit your entry, go to Detroit 20/20 Flash Nonfiction Competition.

This initiative is sponsored by the Journal of Narrative Theory and Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

College of Education Dean Search Underway

Dean Micheal Sayler will retire after a successful tenure later this year. In order to ensure a smooth transition in leadership, a search is underway for a new Dean of the College of Education. We want to extend our gratitude to the following individuals who have agreed to serve on the search committee:

• Dana Heller, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Committee Chair
• Wendy Burke, Department Head, Teacher Education
• Jackie LaRose, Teacher Education
• Rema Reynolds, Leadership & Counseling
• Audrey Farrugia, Special Education & Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Patrice Bounds, Leadership & Counseling
• Elizabeth Johnson, Teacher Education
• Pauline Banks, COE Dean’s Office
• Steve Blair, Department of Mathematics