A Note from the Dean
Faculty and Staff,
As we reflect on fall semester 2011, it’s nice to be able to pause and highlight some accomplishments the College has made. I’m honored to note our successes through my first online communication.
First, it is my privilege to work alongside the amazingly talented faculty and staff of our college. On a daily basis, our faculty go above and beyond expectations to make our college and the University models. I have appreciated the support and well wishes you all have shown me through this transition period. I know any change can be anxiety-provoking, especially when a new dean arrives and during times when the budget situation seems uncertain. For this, I thank you.
I am sending this communiqué to share some accomplishments from last semester. Our greatest accomplishments appear every other week in this newsletter. We are impressed by the successes of our faculty and staff and commend you for your efforts. We also enjoy boasting about our alumni and are extremely proud of their achievements.
As most know, we had a successful NCATE visit. Under the leadership of Dr. Rori Carson and the entire teacher education faculty, the University will be reaccredited for seven additional years.
Our faculty have been actively seeking new and continuing external funding. Holly Nikels of Counselor Education recently received the last installment of the AT&T PACERS grant. Tracy Davis of the College Student Personnel program received $25,000 from the Verizon Foundation for the Center for the Study of Masculinities and Men’s Development. Our service centers continue to receive funding for their operations and continue to touch the lives of many in our region.
One of my goals is for the College of Education and Human Services to be recognized and visible at both the state and national levels. We hosted the Cracker Barrel reception at the Mid-Western Educational Research Association (MWERA) for a number of higher education institutions in the region. We will also be hosting a reception at the upcoming AACTE conference in Chicago to expand our networking opportunities.
The Dean’s Office and the COEHS departments are also keeping busy with faculty searches. At this time, fourteen are being conducted; hopefully, you will see some new faces in the College soon! I would like to thank the faculty who are serving on these search committees and look forward to meeting the qualified professionals who will help take the College to the next level in teaching, research, and service.
Looking to the future, we will increase student enrollment throughout COEHS. I am committed to focusing on marketing, recruitment, retention, diversity and scholarship funding. A second long-term goal concerns technology. We are looking to embed cutting-edge technology in COEHS curricula and programs. The commitment to technology also means that we need to assess the need for resources and infrastructure in the six buildings in which COEHS programs are found on the Macomb and Quad Cities campuses and at Horn Field Campus. The third goal deals with research. We are working to establish a collaborative research environment among our entire faculty. I intend to examine and pursue research funding for faculty, highlight and spotlight faculty research, and create a cross-disciplinary research team of scholars to mentor junior faculty in various research areas of interest. In this, I strive for partnerships among faculty and will look to the twelve existing Faculty Scholars for assistance. While a continual process, a fourth goal is tied to ongoing review of our programs. It is important to me that we continue to enhance the quality of teaching both inside and outside the classroom.
In sum, I am excited about the changes ahead. I look forward to working with you, as we take the College to the next level. Together, we are preparing individuals with the necessary skills to compete in the global economy. Through continual curricular review and program development and your dedication and perseverance, we will achieve these goals.
Best,
Sterling
Departmental News
Bruce Harris, IDT, presented a number of papers with colleagues at the annual convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technologies in Jacksonville, FL. The titles presented were, Making Online Instruction More Engaging and Interactive, Advantages and Challenges of Fully Online Degree Programs, and Issues in Online Academic Integrity: Identity Verification, Cheating and Assessment. A fourth paper presented, Five Strategies to Promote Self-Regulated Learning in Online Courses was co-written with Reinhard Lindner, EIS, and another colleague from a different institution.
Shawn Parmanand and Bill McFarland, CNED, attended a training program entitled “Coming Home: PTSD, Mental Health and Transition Issues in Combat Veterans and their Families” on February 7, at WIU’s Macomb Campus. This training program was presented by Dr. Heather Cochran, with opening remarks by Dr. Dau-shen Ju both from the Iowa City VA. The training included information on identifying and screening for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, other post-deployment conditions, risk factors for developing mental health problems after combat, the effects of PTSD on veterans, family members, and the community, and interventions that can be offered to veterans with combat related mental health concerns.
Dean Zoerink, RPTA, escorted six WIU students to the Alliance Management/Leadership Institute (AMI) in Kansas City, MO, on January 3-6. More than 700 college students, faculty and nonprofit professionals came together at this conference to prepare and certify students for nonprofit careers.
Kathy Barclay, C&I, presented a two part webinar on Using the Common Core Standards and Nonfiction Literature, PreK-2, which was hosted by the Illinois Resource Center/ISBE.
Lorri Kanauss, DFMH, and students in the Dietetics program recently hosted the third annual Go Red Luncheon. The luncheon was sponsored by the Women's Center in collaboration with Beu Health Center, Campus Recreation, the Employee Wellness Committee and the DFMH Department.
Mike Godard, KIN, presented, The Direct Route from Conference Presentation to Peer Review Publication for CITR on February 3.
Jill Myers and Todd Lough, LEJA, and Katharine Pawelko, RPTA, presented the CITR workshop, "Off-Duty" Comments: The Effects of Social Networking on Public Careers.
Rob Porter, RPTA, John Curtis, Barefoot Gardens, and Suzan Nash, WIRC, presented Local Food Possibilities and Issues on February 7.
Jill Cassady, DFMH was mentioned in the article, Visions of Sugar Plums in the McDonough Voice for her work with Macomb High School students enrolled in an Introduction to Culinary Arts through the Western Area Career System.
Dale Adkins, RPTA, Mike Godard, KIN, Jack Thomas, President, and Ranbir Kang, presented Four Men for Men's Health on February 8. The event was co-sponsored by Employee Wellness and The Center for the Study of Masculinities and Men's Development.
The Department of Social Work recently hosted a recruitement social with a panel that included the student organizations SWSA and Phi Alpha, a representative to address field education and the academic advisor, Cindy Dadello.
The Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration hosted another successful Summer Camp Job Fair with over 200 students in attendance!
Alumni in the News
- Les Huddle, '80 Educational Leadership, has been named the Lafayette School Corporation (LSC) Superintendent in Lafayette, IN.
- Marjorie Bordner, '36 BSEd, recently turned 97 and was featured in an article in the Canton Daily Ledger. Read the story here.
- Heather Wier Vaught, '98 LEJA, has been named the new chief legal counsel to House Speaker Michael Madigan. She will also be House parliamentarian and ethics officer for the Democratic caucus.
- Greg Walkington, '74 Teacher Education, was recently inducted into the Woodstock High School Blue Streak Athletic Hall of Fame.
- Branden Burke, '11 LEJA, was recently hired as an officer for the Rockford Police Department.
- Marsha Zierk, '72 PE-Women, recently passed away. She taught English at Central High School near Burlington, IL for 37 years.
- Jean Arndt, '77 Health Sciences, began a YWCA blog for the Canton YWCA. Follow her posts at cantondailyledger.com.
- Jennifer Bresnahan, '08 LEJA, was recently sworn as a patrol deputy assigned to the operations division for the Kendall County Sheriff's Office.
- Two Educational Leadership alumni have been selected to serve on the ISBE's State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board Principal Preparation Review Panel, Kimberly Lisanby-Barber and Jennifer Garrison. Lisanby-Barber serves as a principal represetative and Garrison serves as a superintendent representative.
Announcements
- The travel award competition is open to all COEHS faculty who present at a professional conference. Applications are due to the Dean's Office on or before March 23, 2012. Find the application at www.wiu.edu/coehs/faculty_resources/index.php.
- RPTA will host its annual Professional Development Conference on Friday, February 24. For more information visit their website at www.wiu.edu/coehs/rpta/pdc.php.
- University Librairies is currently asking for submissions for all WIU authors to submit their 2011 works. To submit, click here.
- The Ninth Annual Environmental Summit, "Scientific Discovery and Technological Innovation: Understanding the Environmental Impacts and Creating Solutions" will be held Tuesday, April 3 at the QC Riverfront Campus and Wednesday April 4 at the Macomb Campus. For more information and to register for exhibit space, visit wiu.edu/summit or e-mail Mindy Pheiffer at MJ-Pheiffer@wiu.edu.
- Watch the Horrabin Hall Television for tech updates, pictures from events, and important dates for students!
- Faculty, send your students to Horrabin Hall 104 to complete their technology projects. We provide hands-on assistance in a one-on-one or small group format. Send us a copy of your project or lesson plan that you will be having your students complete so that we are prepared to assist with their exact needs.
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