NMU BOARD OF TRUSTEES – ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEEMay 2012

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS ROAD MAP UPDATE

The Road Map to 2015 was introduced in March 2008. The Academic Affairs Division, with the leadership of the Provost and members of the Academic Cabinet and with contributions by outstanding faculty and staff, continues to move forward with many aspects of Road Map implementation. This May 2012 update, while not an exhaustive listing, provides highlights of progress made since the last report in December 2011.

Innovation

Priority: Integrate global engagement and diversity learning experiences throughout the academic curriculum.

In March of 2012, Superior Edge, in partnership with the International Programs Office, sponsored the third International Service Trip with a return visit to Belize. A fourth International Service Trip will be made to Ireland in May.

Dr. Marty Reinhardt (Center for Native American Studies) and his student interns and freshmen fellows are working on an academic research project; the “Decolonizing Diet Project” has incorporated the National Plant Germplasm System and the National Arboretum leading an academic research movement exploring the relationship between people and Indigenous foods of the Great Lakes Region. The project is made possible by a faculty grant, the Cedar Tree Institute and the United States Forest Services.

Ms. April Lindala (Center for Native American Studies) took five NMU students to Mole Lake, Wisconsin for a hands-on workshop to learn how to and to document the instruction of traditional deer hide tanning with Anishinaabe culture bearer, Judy VanZile.

The NMU Center for Native American Studies invited Dr. Scott Herron, an ethnobotanist to NMU as part of the K*C*P Visiting Professor program. Dr. Herron presented to campus and several classes. He also presented to the Hannahville Indian Community as part of the Kinomaagewin-aki (Teachings from the Earth) in collaboration with the Cedar Tree Institute, the Hannahville Indian Community and the United States Forest Service. All five Upper Peninsula tribes will be represented at this training.

Dr. Marty Reinhardt’s NAS 486 American Indian Education Law and Leadership as part of on-line course presentations have had the opportunity to chat (thanks to EduCat technology) directly with several key leaders in Indian Country including: William Mendoza, executive director of the White House Initiative on American Indian Education; Roger Campbell, State of South Dakota Indian Education Officer; and Keith Moore, Director of Bureau of Indian Education.

Mr. Kenn Pitawanakwat took four NAS 102 Anishinaabe Language Culture and Community students to Anishinaabe-Teg conference in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Ms. Shirley Brozzo’s students from NAS 280 Native American Women and Storytelling class were able to hear readers (such as Ms. Grace Chaillier) first hand from the book “Voice on the Water: Great Lakes Native American Now.”

Dr. Randy Appleton and Mr. Barry Peterson, along with 18 mathematics and computer science students, attended the 22nd Annual Argonne Symposium for Undergraduates in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics, October 14-15, 2012, at the Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Ill. Two computer science students presented their research projects at the symposium.

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Dr. Michael Loukinen, Professor of Sociology, was among the recipients of a grant funded by the US Department of Education’s Middle East Institute in Washington, DC, and was awarded membership on the NMU Middle Eastern Studies Team. As a result, Dr. Loukinen introduced Middle East content into his SO101 and SO351 courses, including emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and units on Muslims across the world.

Dr. Renxin Yang, Professor of Sociology, published "Between Traditionalism and Modernity: Changing Values on Dating Behavior and Mate Selection Criteria" in the International Review of Modern Sociology, December, 2011. Her research, which she incorporates in her course on globalization, addresses the rapidly changing values and behaviors concerning male/female relationships and family dynamics during China's economic reform.

Military Science Department supported the implementation of the US Army’s Cultural Understanding and Language Program (CULP) by sending two Cadets to Tanzania. They are also sending one Cadet to participate in a joint Republic of Korea (ROK) Army and US Army Corps of Engineers project in Seoul, Korea. The Cadet will also have the opportunity to immerse himself in the Korean culture during the visit.

Mrs. Abby Cameron-Standerford, Director of Field Experiences for the School of Education, in collaboration with Mrs. Susan Morgan in International Programs has placed student teachers in Peru, New Zealand and France. Urban setting student teaching sites numbered 40 for the academic year. Thirty five percent of student teachers are placed out of the Upper Peninsula.

The School of Education hosted a student teacher from Far Eastern University, Russia for the winter 2012 semester.

The School of Education is developing a faculty/student study abroad to focus on the education system in Finland. We will utilize the connections made during a 16 week student teaching placement conducted during the winter 2009 semester.

The secondary education programs continue to structure learning in diverse sites. All secondary teacher candidates, in addition to their clinical practice, develop activities and events for the Nah Tah Wash School in Hannahville, MI; the Lake Superior Village in Marquette and Preble High School in Green Bay.

The Young Wildcat Scholars Program, a three day academic camp program held on campus, continues to bring 160 NMU Charter School 6th graders and 30 parents and teachers from our five charters to campus each May. These students are from underrepresented minority populations. The NMU School of Education and Charter Schools Office collaborated with 26 NMU academic programs.

Dr. Judy Puncochar collaborated with the Center for Native American Studies to develop a $1.5 million Project RIEL (Revitalizing Indian Education Leadership) grant to educate, prepare, and graduate a minimum of 20 American Indian and Alaska Native K-12 school administrators through an online master’s degree in Educational Administration with an American Indian Education emphasis and with certification as K-12 principals.

Dr. Sandra Imdieke, Dr. Christi Edge and Mrs. Abby Cameron-Standerford in the School of Education have applied for a grant to match college level funding for an additional graduate student to increase research focused on clinical practice in the field of teacher education with the goal of leading the state in defining best practices in clinical practice that correlate with increased learning for K-12 students.

Drs. Lubig and Reissner, School of Education, successfully led the curriculum state approval process for the all elementary education and special education endorsement areas.

Julie Rochester met with the WFATT – World Federation of Athletic Training and Athletic Therapy in conjunction with the National Athletic Trainers Board of Directors meeting in Dallas, TX – January 2012 to discuss opportunities for international athletic training programming and student exchange programming for NMU Athletic Training Students.

Professors Warchol and Hanson are arranging a university-wide initiative in Kenya, Africa that involves cross-disciplinary faculty and student research. They collaborated with a Kenyan

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university to assist in the facilitation of such projects, in addition to future faculty led student trips abroad.

The NMU Hospitality Management program is collaborating with the NMU Center for Native American Studies, providing some storage space and working with Dr. Reinhart on recipes. The Center for Native American Studies is leading an academic research movement exploring the relationship between people and indigenous foods of the Great Lakes Region. This project is known as the “Decolonizing Diet Project.” The project was made possible by the United States Forest Services and the Cedar Tree Institute.

The Hospitality Management Program hosted, and worked collaboratively with the Native American Student Association for their 20th anniversary Pow Wow Feast at the NMU Jacobetti Center on Saturday, March 17, 2012 with more than 300 people enjoying indigenous Native foods.

The Hospitality Management Program hosted and worked collaboratively with the All Nations Club on their “International Food Fest” on Saturday, March 31, 2012, with about 250 guests enjoying food from around the world.

Nick Griewahn, Tech & Occupational Sciences, led a Special Topics course in Climate Control Technology that audited the commercial foodservice equipment in the Marketplace/Quad I facility. The financial support for instruments and data loggers necessary for the audit was provided by Wildcat Innovation Funds. The audit was conducted to promote sustainability by establishing an energy use baseline and providing innovative solutions to greatly reduce energy associated costs. Another goal was to reduce product loss and equipment downtime through lack of proactive maintenance and to create a more employee and student friendly working environment. This research project was intended to parallel the work performed by Johnson Controls that researched and upgraded the comfort conditioning equipment across campus. Students involved with the project collaborated with many constituents and learned a skill that is extremely marketable.

Goal: An academic curriculum that balances successful programs with new offerings at the undergraduate and graduate level to meet the needs of students, as well as improve student career opportunities after graduation.

Three of the four job fairs sponsored by Career Services this year had an increase in participation by employers compared with last year. The most recent fair, held on March 21, had the highest turnout for employers since 2008 (57 employers registered).

Priority: Utilize corporate partners to increase internship opportunities for students.

The Mathematics and Computer Science Department has strengthened its student intern presence at Intel with eight projected internships for the 2012 Winter Semester which are in addition to the traditional three-month summer internships. The eight new internships will last at least six months and for the first time will include placements in the Networked Tablets group in addition to the Mobility Wireless group. Also, Intel has also hired three other computer science majors as Intel Lab engineers on campus. And we expect to send our usual complement of two or three summer interns to Intel HQ in Hilsboro, Oregon next summer to join our winter interns.

In March 2012, Dr. Robert Legg, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences, co-organized and hosted a third ESRI Upper Peninsula of Michigan User Group conference for professionals in the public and private sectors who use ESRI Geographic Information Systems and other products for spatial analysis. Speakers from Michigan and Wisconsin presented at the conference, and NMU students were able to network and develop internship and employment opportunities.

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Four Military Science Cadets and one faculty member will fly via military aircraft from KI Sawyer to Detroit to attend the Detroit Awards hosted by American auto makers. Cadets will also tour the Department of Defense Transportation Command Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) develops, integrates and sustains ground vehicle technology solutions that give warfighters a decisive edge.

The Online Loss Prevention Management Program Coordinator (Bob Hanson) was successful in securing at least eight (8) loss prevention internships for NMU students at Sears Holdings. A vice president for loss prevention at Sears, Jill Roadman (our first female adjunct in our loss prevention program) assisted in the facilitation of the internships.

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) is providing funding for two Criminal Justice students to travel to their annual conference in Dallas, TX in April of 2012 (flight, lodging and conference fee included). Each student will have a loss prevention mentor to shadow during the conference. The department also provided funding to send a third student, and Bob Hanson was instrumental in reducing the cost to the department to send the student.

Priority: A growing portfolio of corporate collaborations that exploit NMU’s technical expertise, enhance academic programs and facilitate global engagement for students and faculty both on campus and abroad.

Tawni Hunt Ferrarini, Co-director of the NMU Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship and Sam M. Cohodas Professor, conducted a two day workshop in economic education, entrepreneurship and personal finance at Daiwa Securities Trust Company in Tokyo, Japan. She is helping the Council on Economic Education – Japan develop its K-12 programs, workshops and curriculum and working with President Yoshi Nakamoto. They are supporting efforts to integrate economics into the K-12 curricula mandated by the Japanese Ministry of Education.

This fall saw the initiation of the first Intel-NMU mobile device app programming contest for Northern students, sponsored by Intel Corp. in collaboration with the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, in the form of prize money, trophies, and full access to their new, strategic app software. Intel is giving our students first opportunity at testing the capabilities of their secret new software and in exchange our students are providing valuable feedback to Intel for the next version of their “SDK”. All contest competitors will be eligible for special new SDK internship and full-time employment openings at Intel next year, and all submitted apps will be reviewed for possible licensing by Intel.

Priority: Consolidate and/or reduce the number of undergraduate majors and streamline baccalaureate programs to enhance quality and efficiency.

A new programmatic redesign of the Electronic Journalism major in CAPS (enhanced by the addition of journalism courses from the Department of English), now called Multi-Media Journalism has been approved by the Committee on Undergraduate Programs. The first cohort of students will begin in the fall.

Following the replacement of only two of the three retiring CAPS faculty responsible for teaching both the Public Relations and Entertainment & Sports Promotion majors, the department has formally suspended the latter program and will create an emphasis in the PR curriculum to provide commensurate opportunities for students.

The Mathematics and Computer Science Department has introduced an actuarial sciences component to the curriculum as part of its curricular review/overhaul. Several students are already studying for and plan to take one of the first two exams this summer.

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Priority: Develop and implement a plan for substantially increasing federal, state and private grants to NMU.

Military Science secured 4 additional federally funded ROTC scholarships in December and currently have 8 more NMU students on track to receive federally funded scholarships in the fall. Current estimate of annual federal direct tuition and fee payments to NMU is $224,600.00. Additionally book allotments are estimated at $16,000.00. Total monthly stipends which indirectly return to campus and the community are estimated at $53,200.00.

Dr. Brian Cherry, Assistant Provost for Graduate Education, visited University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point to evaluate their grant/research process. We identified key areas for NMU to explore over the next year to increase faculty participation in conducting grant funded research. Also Graduate Education provided funding for three faculty members to attend the National Institute of Health (NIH) Seminar who have projects that may be able to receive funding.

Priority: Explore and act upon graduate programming (certificate, master’s, doctoral) in areas of strength, needs and opportunities.

A track in the CAPS Department specifically designed for those with interests in theatre has been created for the English M.A. program.

The Masters of Arts in Educational Administration with the American Indian emphasis incorporates courses from the School of Education and Native American Studies and received the only master’s level endorsement from the Tribal Education Departments National Assembly.

Graduate Education is working with departments to identify courses that can be cross-listed at the graduate level. This will allow for more efficient use of faculty resources and create a better learning experience for the students by interacting with people outside of their discipline.

The College of Business will graduate its first MBA cohort in May 2012.

Priority: A growing portfolio of corporate collaborations that exploit NMU’s technical expertise, enhance academic programs and facilitate global engagement for students and faculty both on campus and abroad.

Staff from Continuing Education and Workforce Development met with Cloud Peak Energy Systems Manager and engineers from Gillett, Wyoming to discuss NMU’s mining industry craft testing process they identified as a “best practice” and would like to emulate at their three mine properties. CEWD is working with Cloud Peak to provide consulting to assist in designing a similar craft testing program at their locations in Wyoming and Montana.

Continuing Education and Workforce Development working with Technology and Occupational Sciences Department and the Industrial Maintenance Program arranged a student project that connected a student from the IM Program with a Cliffs Natural Resources 5S (Lean) management class. The student then was able to apply lessons learned in the class to a review of training steps CEWD was conducting for another Cliffs course, completing the process on behalf of the 5S course participants. A “win-win-win”- Cliffs management personnel had an opportunity to work with an NMU student in a day long class on lean concepts; an NMU student was exposed to Cliffs management personnel and company processes regarding lean concepts; and a CEWD instructor and staff received feedback on how to more efficiently store material and supplies for future classes.

Priority: Consolidate and/or reduce the number of undergraduate majors and streamline baccalaureate programs to enhance quality and efficiency.

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The Criminal Justice department, in collaboration with the Registrar’s Office, was able to streamline a process to award eligible BS in CJ students an Associate Degree ‘on their way’ to their BS. In addition to increasing the number of AS graduates, the awarding of a mid-educational degree enhances a student’s employability and provides validation of successful progress. Additionally, this assists in assuring that many BS students who must leave school early because of unforeseen circumstances will leave with at least an associate’s degree.

Priority: Work with strategic technology and telecommunication partners to enhance the teaching, learning and working environment.

The student radio station, WUPX, has installed enhanced transmitting ability thanks to the work of NMU alumnus Kevin Boyle with the FCC. Our students now assault the ears of roughly 60,000 listeners spread across Marquette County.

Priority: Implement a framework for integration and collaboration between the NMU Foundation, the Alumni Relations Office and the Academic Affairs Division to support academic innovation and student success.

Admissions partnered with the NMU Foundation/Alumni Relations to create a “Chat with Cats” component at Wildcat Weekend so prospective students and families could speak with NMU alumni.

Priority: Develop new opportunities for faculty and staff who wish to focus specified time on a project to advance Road Map goals and priorities.

Dr. Shelly Russell, CAPS Department, leveraged the use of faculty grant funds and reassigned time to explore new options and enhance the CAPS initiative regarding sustainable theatre practices on college campuses.

Note: The CAPS Department has been ranked as a "Top Ten" program for peer-reviewed publications among more than 700 programs in the US and Canada according to the ComVista/ComAnalytics system that tracks systematic research in the fields associated with communications.

Meaningful Lives

Priority:  Create an infrastructure that integrates the Liberal Studies Program with the First Year experience and other support services that improve retention.

In concert with the First Year Experience Advisory Board, the Academic and Career Advisement Center is looking into a second semester course for Freshman Probation/College Transitions Program students still on probation into a second semester.

Priority: Identify and utilize quality assessment measures to improve the effectiveness of academic advising.

Seven NMU Cadets will attend a nationally calibrated leader development and assessment course at Fort Lewis, Washington this summer. These Cadets will compete against over 2,500 Cadets from 273 ROTC programs from around the country. Last summer NMU Cadets scored well above the national average in all areas assessed to include leadership, physical fitness, and military skills. We expect even better results this year.

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Priority: Create an enhanced infrastructure that will continually expand the availability and variety of new technological tools and services for NMU students, faculty and staff.

In Winter 2012, five new computers running 64-bit Windows were installed in the EEGS Department’s Laboratory for Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing in West Science. Software has been updated so that students are able to analyze large spatial datasets. The EEGS Department also purchased new Trimble GPS units that are survey grade and are capable of connecting to both U.S. and Russian GPS satellite systems.

Graduate Education has automated both the admissions process and the plan of study process. This will cut down on both the amount paper being used and the employee hours it takes to process the paperwork. It should also allow faculty to do a better and more accurate job of advising.

Priority: Develop a “virtual” campus that provides reliable, convenient access to online courses and other essential student services.

While in Tokyo, Japan, Dr. Tawni Hunt Ferrarini conducted a GoTo webinar open to her EC101 students. Participating students can now add the following skill builder to their resumes: Ferrarini, Tawni. Feb 28, 2012, "The Economics of Money and Monetary Policy" Webinar. Tokyo, Japan.

The CAPS department increased its initial offering of summer on-line courses in 2012 by another 25%. In 2009, CAPS offered but a single on-line course and, in the coming summer, students will have access to six web-based courses that serve both the Liberal Studies and CAPS majors.

The NMU Center for Native American Studies provides the American Indian Education courses on-line for graduate students around the world. NAS 485 and NAS 486 are endorsed by the Tribal Education Departments National Assembly (TEDNA).

Ms. April Lindala, NMU Center for Native American Studies, has re-designed NAS 330 Native Cultures and the Dynamics of the Religious Experience to be an on-line course for the summer of 2012. This is one of five on-line courses that Native American Studies offers.

The Mathematics and Computer Science Department offers online sections of its most popular classes, MA 103 (Finite Math) and MA 171 (Intro to Probability and Statistics), three semesters a year.

Admissions and Audio-Visual have partnered to provide exposure to NMU distant prospective student audiences through electronic field trips to NMU. For content, we’ve partnered with other departments (Academic and Career Advisement Center, School of Education) and involved current NMU students:--Texas (November 2011)—Admissions and current students--L’Anse (March 2012)—Admissions and ACAC--Texas (April 2012)—Admissions and School of Education and current students

Priority: Establish articulation agreements with community colleges that effectively evaluate and improve the transferability of liberal studies and other courses and credits, and that will be attractive to transfer students.

The CAPS Department has established an articulation agreement between Lansing Community College and NMU regarding the Communication Studies major.

The Mathematics and Computer Science Department completed an articulation agreement with Bay de Noc Community College for students completing their Associate Degree in Network Administration to enter NMU's Network Computing baccalaureate degree program.

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Priority: Increase access to and understanding of financial aid by creating new online interactive tools that simplify the financial aid process for prospective students, parents and others.

Admissions worked with Financial Aid, IT-Information Services, and others to create an “Admitted to NMU” tab on MyNMU and created communications to provide admitted students the chance to create their MyNMU account upon admission. Of the many “steps to enrollment,” this enables them to see and complete a very critical piece—and the driving force behind this—to apply for Foundation Scholarships and also view their financial aid awards and messages. Within three weeks of the launch, 1,060 admitted students had created their MyNMU accounts.

Priority: Utilize the Center for Native American Studies, the Multicultural Education and Resource Center and the Office of International Programs to recruit, retain and grant degrees to students.

The NMU Center for Native American Studies has worked with three students to design and submit Individually Created Programs with a concentration in Native American Studies.

The NMU Center for Native American Studies faculty affairs council recently approved for the NAS minor to be recognized as a concentration for the AAS-General University Studies.

Admissions collaborated with the Center for Native American Studies and the Multicultural Education and Resource Center to create and mail an invitation to prospective students who have self-identified as Native American, as well as to Michigan Indian Educators, to visit campus in conjunction with the Pow Wow and Wildcat Weekend held in March 2012.  The invitation detailed the various activities being held on campus and the types of activities that could be included in a customized campus visit through the Campus Visit Program, including connecting with staff in CNAS and MERC.

Admissions is collaborating with the Center for Native American Studies to distribute complimentary copies of Voice on the Water to Michigan public high schools during recruitment visits to those schools.

Priority: Develop and implement a quality advising system in each college that will meet the needs of students, enhance retention and lead to increased graduation rates.

The Academic and Career Advisement Center has devised, and worked with IT-Information Services to create an Expanded Student Profile (ESP) for advisers to use when meeting with students. The profile gathers all information for a particular advisee from many different sources (various Banner screens, MyNMU, etc.) and presents them in one screen profile.

Graduate Education has created a better method of tracking student who register as non-degree seeking by letting them identify an area of interest and appoint an adviser who can contact and advise the student more effectively.

Dr. Judy Puncochar, School of Education, received the 2012 Michigan Campus Compact Service Learning Award.

Eighteen student teachers are enrolled in the Michigan Service Scholars Program where they will each receive a $1,100 award for completing 300 hours of academic service learning during their student teaching experience.

The School of Education supported five teacher candidates and four local teachers to co-present with Mrs. Sue Szczepanski at the 2012 Michigan Reading Association Conference in Grand Rapids. Their presentation focused on the implementation of a new spelling protocol and its impact on student achievement.

Dr. Laura Reissner, School of Education, and 14 students from the Student Michigan Education Association/Council for Exceptional Children attended the State Council for Exceptional Children Conference held in Grand Rapids.

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Dr. Joe Lubig, School of Education co-authored NMU’s application for the Michigan Campus Compact (MICC) 2012 Engaged Campus of the Year Award. The award highlights the work done by faculty and students in academic service learning.

The School of Education sponsored conference attendance for 200 teacher candidates to attend the 2011 Fall Teachers’ Conference and the 2012 UP Special Education Conference. This allowed teacher candidates to receive the most current professional development in content areas and for students with special needs while also networking them to the professionals in our region.

Secondary education teacher candidates started a one-to-one tutoring support network for high school students in need. Candidates developed the network with local principals and guidance counselors to address specific needs of individual students.

The School of Education’s online graduate programs in education are among the top 50 nationwide, according to the 2012 rankings compiled by U.S. News and World Report. NMU is 39th on the list and the second-highest in Michigan.

Leveraging Campus Attributes

Priority: Enhance the portfolio of academic programs, research and other activities that leverage the university’s location in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

As part of Dr. Marty Reinhardt’s academic research project the “Decolonizing Diet Project” in the Center for Native American Studies, two freshmen fellows, Alex Kerlin and Mallory Huizenga, and Zaagkii Project intern, Samantha Hasek are obtaining real-world research opportunities as they 1) build databases of indigenous foods in the Great Lakes region and food providers in the Upper Peninsula, 2) collect and report research subject data, 3) develop displays, 4) serve as technical support for Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission on their traditional food program and 5) present at events such as the annual powwow. Through this work these students are gaining exposure to the Indian community and the twenty-five research subjects counting on these students for accurate reporting of information on what foods are available on the diet and how to obtain it.

Aimee Cree Dunn of the Center for Native American Studies has completed eight 60-minute interactive presentations throughout the Upper Peninsula to various schools as part of the 7th Fire Project. The presentation, designed for 7-12 grade students (standards based), introduces the concept of Traditional Ecological Knowledge. She will visit ten schools and also convert the presentation for community audiences. This project was funded by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition.

Dr. Frederick E. Nelson (NMU Alumnus '73 BS Geography) visited campus in April 2012. He visited Dr. Susy Ziegler’s GC 205 Introduction to Geographic Research class. GC 205 had been a formative course when Nelson was an undergraduate, motivating him down the path to a successful academic career. In Dr. John Anderton’s GC 495 Geography of the Upper Peninsula class Dr. Nelson discussed his long-term research on climate change at the Huron Mountain Club. At an evening event in Mead Auditorium, Dr. Nelson presented The Unintended Research Legacies of John Munro Longyear to an audience of NMU faculty and students and many members of the greater Marquette community. The presentation described Longyear’s myriad contributions to education at NMU and indirect links to current research on permafrost at sites in Norway formerly developed by Longyear as part of the Arctic Coal Company. Next academic year Dr. Nelson plans to engage NMU students in data collection at his field sites in the U.P.

In March 2012, Dr. Robert Legg, Department of EEGS started his 2012 field season using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). The equipment is used to map a variety of subsurface features. Ancient drainage networks that once connected Lake Superior and Lake Michigan were identified in Germfask, MI. A preliminary survey identifying locations of unmarked grave sites in the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community was conducted in April. Dr. Legg and colleagues will apply

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the GPR technology to a geological study on the property of the Huron Mountain Club in May and June.

A common practice in the College of Business MBA program is integrating actual business issues from the surrounding area and applying the in-class content to develop business solutions that may be, in turn, used to improve organizational performance.

Priority: Work to enhance opportunities, funding and events that strengthen and increase current university areas that focus on the Upper Peninsula—Center for Native American Studies, Center for Upper Peninsula Studies, Beaumier Heritage Center, and NMU and Central Upper Peninsula Archives.

April Lindala, of the NMU Center for Native American Studies in collaboration with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Chippewa’s Tribal Historic Preservation Office, received a National Endowment for the Arts grant for the project, Creating and Learning Art in Native Settings (CLANS). The grant is to educate Anishinaabe youth on traditional and contemporary Anishinaabe art styles, songs and dances with the purpose of building a portfolio of work for a public display and performance.

Priority: Identify new opportunities for academic study, external funding and research in sustainability and other related areas.

In his role as President of the Fred Waara Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Dr. James Cantrill (CAPS) has collaborated with Dr. Jill Leonard (Biology) to fund the work of a graduate student who will serve as lead field-technician for the Escanaba River Watershed Partnership (with funding provided by a number of sources including North American Hydro, the Trout and Salmon Foundation, and Trout Unlimited). The project is designed to scientifically evaluate the tributaries of the Big West Branch in an effort to enhance the reproduction and longevity of native brook trout in the system.

Mr. Richard Eathorne was recently appointed by the McGraw-Hill Publishing Company to serve as its new Academic Author/Editor for Annual Editions: Environment. This yearly publication is read widely by college students as a stand-alone environmental science/studies text or as a supplement to the learning and critical-thinking objectives of introductory environmental science curricula at the university level. Eathorne’s first edited compilation of articles and accompanying thought-questions was published in Winter 2012.

Priority: Enhance processes throughout campus operations to guide the use of resources and inform resource allocation.

Continuing Education and Workforce Development in collaboration with NMU Plant Operations and with assistance from HVAC faculty, the Center for Institutional Research and Johnson Control designed and implemented a new online Preventive Maintenance Technician aptitude test to assist Plant Operations with internal/external assessments.

Spanning over two decades, Continuing Education and Workforce Development along with NMU's Education Department again this year will partner with Upper Peninsula Intermediate School Districts, administrators, and educators to bring the "Action in Education" Summer Institute to the NMU campus. Attracting some 300 teachers per year this four day institute provides teachers and school administrators with a variety of legislative and career updates and professional development every year.

NMU Hospitality Management students helped Marquette First Presbyterian Church raise $1800 for orphans in Kenya, by producing and/or presenting foods at the church’s February 4th Tea social.

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Professor Chris Kibit hosted a group of Northstar Public Academy students for a lunch, where he presented “Table Etiquette”. The juniors and seniors were to go back to their school and teach younger students the same subject.

Priority: Continue campus discussions regarding the “library of the future” to identify state-of-the-art facilities, collections, technology and collaborations that will meet current and emerging instructional and research needs, and that will support the goals and priorities of the Road Map.

Library faculty broke an all-time record for instruction in their effort to embed library expertise, resources and information tools into the teaching and learning enterprise. As of March 31st, library faculty surpassed the 300-session mark for course-related library instruction offered to classes in a fiscal year (July 1 – March 31) … and the semester isn’t over yet! While some sessions are traditional face-to-face classroom meetings, more than 50% of these 300 sessions use the model whereby librarians are embedded in courses within EduCat, able to respond to students’ questions and research needs as work progresses throughout the semester. Library instruction data goes back to 1974-1975 and this is the first time the 300 mark has been broken (although 1991-92 was a close runner up with 291 sessions). Maybe the librarians should go bowling!

Numerous pieces of comfortable furniture were delivered in January, reconfiguring areas once occupied by book stacks into informal learning spaces. Students are now lounging on “soft seating” and bean bags while studying or collaborating with classmates.

“The Honors Atelier” study and meeting area was created in the library in response to the Honors Program need for a gathering space. Honors students selected the name and chose furniture to outfit the space where they now gather to study and hold meetings.

Continuing the migration from print to electronic collections, Olson Library recently added 16,033 EBL E-book titles to the collection, enabling access to these materials in a loan-to-purchase environment where the e-books can be browsed but are purchased only upon multiple borrowing instances.

Priority: Examine classroom and other learning spaces to create the highest quality learning environments, and to advance the application of new pedagogies and technologies.

Working in concert, the Dean of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Michael Broadway, and the CAPS Department are working on a plan to take under-used space in the McClintock Building to create both a code-compliant costume shop for the Forest Roberts Theatre and a MacIntosh-platform computer lab that will allow media production students to use industry-standard technology.

As part of the substantially updated CAPS Department Theatre major, now reflecting contemporary stage practices as well as those found in the film and television industries, select “main stage” theatrical productions have begun showcasing the Panowski Black Box studio space in the McClintock Building.

J.D. Phillips (Mathematics and Computer Science) and Jill Leonard (Biology) are co-Principal Investigators on a $160,000 NSF grant designed to increase active learning on campus. The grant includes the redesign of a classroom (LRC 108) into a technologically sophisticated, state-of-the-art active learning facility. Faculty University-wide have been teaching in the classroom (indeed, a central goal of the grant is to increase active learning across the campus). Qinghong Zhang (Mathematics and Computer Science) is a participant in this grant.

Julie Rochester/Chris Kirk/Maggy Moore and the Athletic Training IECC – Injury Evaluation and Care Clinic took advantage of the space created by the move of the Dept. of Athletics from

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the PEIF 2nd floor to the Superior Dome . This move allowed the IECC to relocate out of a classroom setting into a more formal setting/dedicated space to the operation of the IECC. This more professional/formal space has served to increase client base and patient comfort/confidence in services. Students continue to be highly integrated into this clinical setting providing services to patients under the direct supervision of Athletic Training faculty, staff, and graduate assistants.

Dr. Sandra Imdieke, School of Education, received the Northern Michigan University “Excellence in Teaching Award” for 2011-2012. Her outstanding work as a teacher of undergraduate students in face-to-face classrooms, graduate students in online environments, and colleagues in professional development contexts, has been previously recognized by the Michigan Reading Association as the “Teacher Educator of the Year” (2006) and by NMU as the Michigan Association of Governing Board and the Northern Michigan University Distinguished Faculty (1999 and 2000 respectively).

Sandra Imdieke, Northern Michigan University education professor, was recently appointed chair of the 2013 Caldecott Award Selection Committee. The Caldecott Medal is presented annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. It was named in honor of the 19th century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott and is presented annually by the Association for Library Service to Children.

Amanda Hawkins, NMU School of Education graduate, is making a positive impact on kids in Garden City, Kansas. Amanda was one of six finalists for the Crystal Apple Award, given annually to Finney County's top educators.

School of Education hosted recruiting visits for 40 teacher candidates with schools in Garden City, KS and Fairbanks, AK using distance technology. Several students have been offered teaching positions as a result.

Three NMU teacher candidates are working with Admissions to conduct virtual campus visits with middle school students in April 2012.

Dr. Carl Wozniak, School of Education, conducting research that will aid us in recruitment and retention: Administrator Perspectives of Post-secondary Educational Opportunities for High School Students, 2nd International Conference on Education Research, New Orleans, LA & Freshman Fellows: Recruitment and Retention of Great Students Through Research Opportunities, International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference, Milwaukee, WI.

Community Engagement

Goal: Increase collaboration with local communities, schools, governments, development groups and other partners to enhance community and economic development in the Upper Peninsula.

Dr. Tim Hilton, Professor Cornell DeJong, and Dr. Deanna Trella, Department of Sociology and Social Work, presented their research on “Homelessness Families in the UP,” at the Sonderegger Symposium and the Upper Peninsula Homeless Education Conference, Fall, 2011.

Dr. Scott Demel, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, collaborated with the Beaver Island Historical Society to excavate sites on Beaver Island with students in his summer field school. As a result of this effort, the Beaumier UP Heritage Center/NMU campus in May will present an archaeological exhibit of Beaver Island entitled “Scattered to the Winds - The Vanishing Community of Cable's Bay.” In collaboration with Dan Truckey, a grant of $15,000 from Michigan Humanities Council was awarded for this exhibit. Dr. Demel also is presenting his research at the Society of American Archaeology, Memphis, TN, in April. His presentation is entitled “Fisherman & Farmers – An Archaeological Look at Life on Beaver Island: Cable's Bay & Burke Farm.”

Dr. Michael Loukinen, Professor of Sociology, completed two documentary films: Land of Hiawatha (2011) a 45-minute documentary featuring the variety of seasonal activities featured at

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Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Park, Grand Island and the Hiawatha National Forest. This documentary is shown seven days a week to visitors from all over the world at the Visitors’ Center in Munising and Tri High: An Alternative School (2012) a 56- minute documentary of an alternative school in the Upper Peninsula.

Dr. Alan McEvoy, Professor of Sociology, conducted a daylong workshop for professionals at Oakland University School of Nursing, November, 2011. The workshop was entitled “Workplace Bullying in the Nursing Profession: Patterns and Solutions.”

The School of Education has collaborated with Calumet/Laurium/Keweenaw Schools to develop a teacher led professional development course to support the development of iPad teaching and learning for 5-12 students.

Upper Peninsula Writing Project (National Writing Project) has over 100 UPWP Teaching Assistants across the U.P. providing teacher professional development in the areas of literacy, writing and technology.

Friday, January 20th the Seaborg Center along with the other Upper Peninsula Math and Science Centers held the second Superior Hub work session for increasing STEM careers and education in the Upper Peninsula. U.P. businesses, organizations and education representatives met to work on a timeline of activities for improving STEM efforts in the U.P. Over fifty people attended this meeting and are planning to continue the work on May 24, 2012 at the Seaborg Center.

Saturday February 11, 2012 the Seaborg Center along with the Marquette Planetarium held a nation-wide Telecon for educators as part of the NASA Educator Resource Center Network, 2011-2012 online workshops for educators on Glass and Mirrors (Telescopes). The event was attended by around 20 educators from across the nation.

On Saturday, February 11, 2012 Seaborg Center staff coordinated the Region 1 Science Olympiad Regional Tournament for over 300 Upper Peninsula students and teacher coaches. This was the 25th year the Seaborg Center has sponsored the Upper Peninsula Science Olympiad (SO) Tournament. Winners in the Seaborg Tournament will compete at the State SO Tournament on April 27th.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 fifteen teachers completed a Family Engineering event as part of the Science Learning Team Workshop at the Seaborg Center. Those teachers engaged in hands-on engineering activities and team activities. They all received a Family Engineering manual and access to the Family Engineering Kits for implementing this event at each of their schools.

The Seaborg Center received a $58,400 grant to implement a high school Algebra II training this summer. The training will be for high school mathematics teachers for Embracing Mathematics and Technology for High School (EMATHS) and will be offered to teachers in Marquette and Alger counties. Continuing Education and Workforce Development on behalf of the Center for Rural Community and Economic Development hosted and moderated a community discussion with the CEO of Marinette Marine, Mr. Chuck Goddard. The Center together with the Lake Superior Community Partnership and the Economic Club of Marquette organized the event that provided for an exchange of information between Mr. Goddard, the university and community leaders focused on how the Marquette area and NMU can help Marinette Marine continue to be successful in the future.

Goal: Include all units of the campus in the process of community engagement; that is, collaborations between the university and its larger communities (local, state, regional, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.

Dr. Marty Reinhardt of the NMU Center for Native American Studies presented at the training entitled, Kinomaagewin-aki (Teachings from the Earth) in collaboration with the Cedar Tree Institute, the Hannahville Indian Community and the United States Forest Service. All five Upper Peninsula tribes will be represented at this training.

J.D. Phillips was selected to be part of the U.S. delegation to participate in the 12th International Congress on Mathematics Education this summer in Seoul, Korea. This is funded by the NSF.

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The Mathematics and Computer Science Department held its third annual U.P. High School Math Challenge. High School students from across the U.P. are invited to participate in a day of various mathematical challenges.

The Mathematics and Computer Science Department held the 13th Annual Invitational Programming Contest, drawing a record 84 graduate and undergraduate students comprising 30 teams from six universities, including schools from Canada and Minnesota as well as upper and lower Michigan.

Military Science hosted “Leader Development Day” for the Lake Superior Leadership Academy (LSLA). Our “Leader Development Day” exposed community leaders/business owners to leadership theory and application techniques used by US Army ROTC. Leadership Day is a combination of leadership theory, discussion, and hands-on activities.

Robert Eslinger, as Co-Director of the Center for Rural Community and Economic Development, collaborated with the Colleges of Business, Professional Studies, and Arts & Sciences, Northern Initiatives and numerous staff and faculty to complete a paper outlining entrepreneurial activities on campus in response to a request from the Governor’s Sense of Place Council.

The Center for Rural Community and Economic Development participated in ‘Community-University Partnerships-Invested in Michigan’s Future’ at the State Capital in Lansing on March 6th with a poster collaboration including information about the work of the Center (Community and economic profiles), Continuing Education and Workforce Development (Local industry partners) and the Studio for Experimental and Eco Design, School of Art & Design (Art and Design entrepreneurs).

Priority: Significantly increase the number of NMU students who participate in the Superior Edge, academic service learning and other leadership development opportunities.

A Military Science cadet will attend the George C. Marshall Awards and Leadership Seminar in Richmond, Virginia to meet with the senior leadership of the Army. The seminar will provide information on the latest national defense trends and strategies expected to shape the Army in the future.

Priority: Provide ongoing diversity training and education for faculty, staff and students.

Military Science conducted Department of Defense “Don’t ask don’t tell” policy repeal implementation training with all department faculty and Cadets.

Priority: Implement strategies to assist students to more effectively communicate the skills and competencies developed through their achievements in community engagement.

In February of 2012, the Center for Student Enrichment at Northern Michigan University received the Best Practices Award for the Jon C. Dalton Institute on College Student Values for the Student Leader Fellowship Program (SLFP). The SLFP nomination was entitled “Leadership Education as Character Development – Best Practices from 21 Years of Helping Graduates Live Purposeful Lives.”

In February, the Student Leader Fellowship Program was recognized as a finalist for Michigan Campus Compact’s Campus/Community Partnership Award.

Goal: Include all units of the campus in the process of community engagement; that is, collaborations between the university and its larger communities (local, state, regional, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in the context of partnership and reciprocity.

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On Wednesday, April 11, 2012, the NMU Counseling and Consultation Services department hosted Marquette area behavioral health practitioners (individuals and agencies) for a Meet and Greet to discuss services, programs, resources, etc. as well as how we all might work together better to address problems and meet needs.

Priority: Implement and fund strategies to increase the number of students and employees from under-represented and nontraditional groups.

Admissions has coordinated and hosted three student group bus trip visits in March and April 2012—two College Possible groups (~100 students and staff from Minneapolis/St. Paul and Milwaukee) and one with the West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology (~30 students and staff). All three groups are composed of underrepresented students.

Priority: Continue to increase and whenever possible promote a culture of openness and access through regularly scheduled community/campus forums, high-quality publications and the effective use of communication technologies.

During Wednesdays throughout the month of February, the Financial Aid Office extended office hours until 7:00 p.m. to assist students and families completing FAFSA’s for the 2012/2013 academic year.  Additional outreach included setting up an information table in the LRC from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. every Friday in the LRC for the month of February and a similar information table for the month of April in the Jacobetti Center.  

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