The University of Evansville will host a visit February 29 - March 2, with a team representing its regional accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

The team will review the institution’s ongoing ability to meet the commission’s Criteria for Accreditation, standards of quality that institutions are expected to address. The Criteria emerge out of a set of guiding values that are grounded in shared tenets of the academic community.

Because the standards against which UE will be evaluated are common expectations at colleges and universities, looking at our policies, practices and outcomes will be more than just an exercise in accountability. It will be an opportunity for us to respond to those things that matter both to us at UE and to the larger higher education community.

Click here to learn more about the HLC and what to expect during the visit or follow along on social media using #HLCatUE or #myUEdegree. 

All are welcome to join the Newman Club tonight at 5:00 p.m., at the Newman Center, as we welcome Dominic Faraone. Dominic will be leading a discussion on the intersection of family and society.

Dominic has served as the family life/respect life coordinator at Catholic Charities, Diocese of Evansville, since September 2012. He earned his PhD in 2013 in US history from Marquette University. His academic specialty was American religion, specifically 20th-century US Catholicism.

Please call/text Kristel at (812) 760-8610 for more information! We hope to see you there! 

Assistant professor of voice and soprano Alanna Keenan will present this week’s faculty recital in Wheeler Concert Hall on Tuesday evening, February 9, at 7:30 p.m. Accompanied by professor of piano Anne Fiedler, Keenan will open the recital with an aria from Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto. Other works will include Robert Schumann’s song cycle, Gedichte der Königin Maria Stuart, and five songs from Gabriel Fauré’s La chanson d’Eve.

The program will conclude with modern American composer Libby Larsen’s Songs from Letters: Calamity Jane to her daughter Janey.

On Saturday, soprano Sharon Fry, a student of assistant professor of voice Gregory Rike, will present her senior recital in Wheeler Concert Hall at 2:30 p.m. Fry presents the recital in partial fulfillment of the Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy degree requirements.

Both recitals are free and open to the public.

Writing Center Boot Camp! Outlines, Introductions, and Conclusions is planned for Wednesday, February 10, 5:00 p.m., in the Writing Center. Learn to incorporate vivid language into your introductions and conclusions, and learn how outlining can help organize your thoughts and make writing essays easier. This session will also address the value of annotation. Whether you’re writing a research paper or just want to make your writing more compelling in general, it’s all about detail and organization! Join us for this useful workshop. 

Argentina will be the country featured at I-House this week! Analia Pereira will be presenting. She is a Fulbright Spanish teaching assistant. Her hobbies include singing (or any kind of performing), swimming, dancing, hanging out with friends, traveling, experiencing new adventures, etc. Her favorite part of UE is the friendliness of students, faculty, and staff; the different possibilities UE gives her to learn about the American language and culture; and the attention and importance UE gives to international students. She will be making different kinds of food from Argentina for I-House! She has a lot planned, so make sure to stop by tonight at 7:00 p.m., upstairs in Ridgway University Center! 

NSLS Speaker Broadcast 1 is planned for February 9, 6:00-7:00 p.m., in Eykamp Hall, Room 253, Ridgway University Center. The broadcast will feature Juju Chang, co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline." Everyone is invited to attend. For more information, contact Geoffrey Edwards, director for the Center for Student Engagement, at ge21@evansville.edu or ext.1102.

All are welcome to join us as we celebrate our Ash Wednesday Mass today, at 5:00 p.m. in Neu Chapel. Bishop Charles Thompson will be here to celebrate with us as we begin the holy season of Lent.

Beginning Wednesday, February 18, the Newman Club will be participating at the 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Masses at St. Benedict Cathedral rather than holding our regular 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night Masses. We will meet each Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. at the Newman Center before making our way to the Cathedral.

We hope to see you there! Please call/text Kristel at 812-760-8610 for more information! 

Ash Wednesday is today, and will be observed on campus with Ashes to Go from 11:00 - 11:30 a.m. in Ridgway University Center, followed by a brief 12:15 p.m. Ash Wednesday Service in Neu Chapel. Ashes to Go will return to Ridgway University Center beginning at 1:00 p.m. for those who are unable to attend the service in Neu Chapel.

University chaplain Tamara Gieselman will be presiding over the service along with Neu Chapel organist Patrick Ritsch.

All are welcome.

In the Christian church, Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, a 40-day period of discipline and study prior to the Festival of the Resurrection, Easter. You are invited to be imposed upon, as you remember your mortality, while at the same time believing the good news of the Gospel.

Students who have received federal direct (subsidized/unsubsidized) loans and plan to graduate in the spring or summer (or transfer after the spring semester) are required to attend a Loan Repayment Counseling Session. The Office of Financial Aid will hold the first session of the semester on Monday, February 29, at 6:00 p.m. in Eykamp Hall, Room 251, Ridgway University Center. Other session dates are April 27, at 2:00 p.m., and May 6, at 11:30 a.m.

Need to improve your study and time management skills? Love technology? Then join us today at 4:00 p.m., in Eykamp Hall, Rooms 253 and 254, Ridgway University Center, for an informative and interactive program that will show you apps and strategies that will improve your note taking, studying, and time management skills. The presentation is hands-on as Brian Norton, director of assistive technology at Easter Seals Crossroads, will be bringing 50 iPads for participants to use. The apps and strategies demonstrated can be used on a variety of devices. This event is open to everyone on campus and sponsored by Disability Services, Academic Advising, and the Resource Center. Contact db132@evansville.edu with any questions.

Students wishing to reside in Village Housing (Townhouses, North Hall, or other Village units) for the 2016-17 year should attend one of the scheduled information meetings. There will be information meetings today in Eykamp Hall, Room 252, Ridgway University Center. There will be two meetings (4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.).

For more information, see www.evansville.edu/residencelife and select the Returning Student section on the left side menu.

Information meetings about selecting a residence hall room will be later in February.
 

You are invited to join us today at 4:00 p.m. in the Melvin Peterson Gallery to hear Steve Yates speak at the Creative Writing Wahnita DeLong Reading Coffee Hour.

Yates has been granted three Literary Arts fellowships from the Mississippi Arts Commission - two for his fiction and one for his creative nonfiction. He is the recipient of an individual artist's grant from the Arkansas Arts Council for his fiction as well.

In 2010 Moon City Press published his novel, Morkan's Quarry. Portions of Morkan's Quarry first appeared in Missouri Review, Ontario Review, and South Carolina Review. A novella-length excerpt was a finalist for the Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society William Faulkner/Wisdom Award for the Best Novella. Moon City Press published the sequel, The Teeth of the Souls, in March 2015. Two excerpts from it appeared in Missouri Review, one in Elder Mountain: A Journal of Ozarks Studies, and a novella-length excerpt appeared in Kansas Quarterly/Arkansas Review.

Join us in continuing to celebrate the 40 Days of Peace in memory of Martin Luther King Jr. Today's action is to let go of a grudge. Quit being angry at one person today.

Today's quote: "We must be the change we want to see." -  Mahatma Ghandi 

Are you interested in exploring Asia this summer? UE offers an affordable four-week summer Asian program in Korea from June 26 to July 22. If you would like further information about the program such as credits, fees, detailed schedules, site visits, etc., please contact associate professor of political science Young Kim by e-mail at yk28@evansville.edu, or in his office in Room 53, Schroeder School of Business Building.

The priority application deadline is Friday, February 19. The application is available in the Office of Education Abroad in Room 261, Schroeder School of Business Building. 

The UE athletic training program is looking for motivated students to pursue a master's degree in athletic training. A certified athletic trainer's job settings include, but are not limited to: high school/collegiate/professional sports, clinics and hospitals, occupational health, military, performing arts, physician extender, and more.

A two-year program, starting in May, includes course work, clinical skills, and practical experience. Financial aid packages are available.

For more information, go here or contact Kathy Liu, assistant professor of athletic raining and exercise and sport science, at kl154@evansville.edu.

Applications to study abroad at Harlaxton in Spring 2017 are due by March 7. Please bring your completed application to Room 263, Schroeder School of Business Building. Applications can be found online here.

UE’s Environmental Policy is CREST, which stands for: 

• Continuous Improvement
• Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
• Environmental Compliance
• Sustainability
• Training and Education

This provides the foundation of UE’s Environmental Management System (EMS), a process to continuously improve our environmental impact.

It’s important for you to be aware of UE’s EMS and to understand your role in supporting it. All University employees and students are responsible for complying with applicable regulatory programs, EMS requirements and procedures. You can help by improve our environmental impact by:

• Taking recyclable materials like paper, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles to the nearest recycle pick-up location.
• Not littering - put trash in waste receptacles so it doesn’t end up going down the storm drains and eventually into the river. However, never put hazardous chemicals in the trash.
• Calling UE Office of Safety and Security at 812-471-6911 if you see a spill near a campus storm drain.

For more information, check out the following resources:

• EMS: AceLink/Areas/Environmental Management
• Storm Water Management Program
• Recycling program at AceLink/Areas/Recycling
• Environmental Management's Facebook page

If you have questions, please call 812-488-2697 or e-mail js652@evansville.edu.
 

It's almost time! The Honors Program is hosting Nerd Wars Trivia Night on Tuesday, February 16, at 7:00 p.m. in Eykamp Hall, Ridgway University Center Teams of five consisting of students, faculty, administrators, and staff will battle in a competition of wit while enjoying pizza, popcorn, and soda. The winning student team and the winning faculty/administrator/staff team will receive $25 MasterCard/VISA gift cards.

Registration materials can be picked up in the Powell Honors Lounge, from Jayme Williams in Room 238, Koch Center for Engineering and Science, or by clicking here.

The entry fee is $5 per person.

Those who are unable to compose a team of five may still register. Any questions can be e-mailed to Stephen at sl192@evansville.edu or Paige at ph89@evansville.edu.

Spectators and participants may also enter in the ELFFAR (this is not a raffle) for the chance to win a LG Tone Pro wireless headset, a Sony Blue Tooth wireless speaker, a Fitbit Flex wireless wristband, a Roku streaming stick with remote, Buffalo Wild Wings gift cards, Hacienda Mexican Restaurant gift cards, TGI Friday’s gift cards, Orange Leaf gift cards, a selfie stick, and more!

Continuing students should file the 2016-17 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to apply for federal, state, and University need-based financial aid, including all federal student loans. UE's FAFSA code is 001795. You can file the 2016-17 FAFSA by March 10 at www.fafsa.gov.

Submitting by March 10 is essential for Indiana residents and highly recommended for all. Questions regarding the FAFSA should be directed to the Office of Financial Aid in Room 116, Olmsted Administration Hall, or at 812-488-2364, 800-424-8634, or financialaid@evansville.edu.

IRS Data Retrieval Tool
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool transfers parent and/or student IRS tax information into the FAFSA. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is available through the FAFSA approximately three weeks after the 2015 federal tax return is filed electronically. IRS Data Retrieval can be used for the initial FAFSA or to correct estimated tax information on a submitted FAFSA.

The UE Alumni Association is once again sponsoring Alumni Research and Scholarly Activity Fellowships (ARSAF) for faculty. Applications for funding for the 2016-17 fiscal year are due by 5:00 p.m. on April 1. More information and the online application can be found here on AceLink. 

Questions? Contact alumni@evansville.edu or ext. 2586.

Jack DuArte ’66 has just completed his sixth novel, Kidnap the Pope. In this novel, Adolf Hitler’s attempts to avenge the overthrow of his close friend Il Duce, Benito Mussolini. It follows the world’s actions leading up to the events that fixed this remarkable story in the classic annals of WWII

Jack is a historical fiction writer and lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with this wife, Susan. His previous novels are The Resistance, Singapore, Spitfire, Malta, and The White Mouse.

Reviews of his work can be found on Amazon, Kindle, and Goodreads.

Congratulations, Jack!  

Faculty and staff may pick up their two complimentary tickets for our upcoming Men's and Women's Basketball games.

The men's team will take on Illinois State on Thursday, February 11, at 8:00 p.m. The women's team will take on Southern Illinois on Sunday, February 14, at 1:00 p.m.

Tickets can be picked up Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., from Carson Center Athletic Ticket Office. A UE ID must be presented at the time of pickup.

Please call 812-488-ACES if you have any questions.

In the final regular-season meet of the season, the University of Evansville swimming and diving teams fell at Southern Illinois on Saturday afternoon.

The Purple Aces women fell by a final of 191-46 while the men dropped their meet by a 179-62 score.

Michaela Kent was the top performer of the day, earning the win in the 50 backstroke with a time of 27.35. She also grabbed a pair of third place efforts in the 25 and 50 free races. Her time in the 25 free was a 16.40 while she checked in with a 24.82 in the 50 free.

In the 50 free, Kaylee Gubricky had a solid fourth place finish with a time of 25.72.

Adrianne Gamester, Jessi Hildebrand, Maja Magnusson, and Megan Schremp combined to take third in the 100 free relay as they swam a time of 49.94.

On the men’s side, Ethan O’Rourke had a strong day, taking 4th in the 50 free, swimming a 22.04. Matt Childress was just behind him with a 22.32 to take 5th.

O’Rourke combined with Jared Sutphin, Childress and Everett Plocek to take second in the 200 free relay.

Diving excelled on Saturday as Cory Barnes picked up two victories. In the 1-meter dive, he won with a score of 249.60 while his 3-meter victory was a 223.05. Courtney Coverdale took third place in both dives. In the 1-meter, her score was a 238.72 while she was credited with a 232.50 in the 3-meter.

Next up for the Aces are their conference championships. The women travel to the Missouri Valley Conference championship in Carbondale, Illinois, from February 17-20 while the men head to Ypsilanti, Michigan, for the Mid-American Conference championship from March 2-5.

A 3-pointer in the second half made University of Evansville senior D.J. Balentine the all-time scoring leader for the Purple Aces as UE topped Missouri State by a final of 83-64 on Saturday afternoon at the Ford Center.

Needing 18 points for the mark, Balentine did just that. All 18 of his points came in the second half and the clincher came with 2:49 remaining in the game as he posted the 2,280th point of his illustrious career.

“This is unbelievable, I am so grateful for this,” Balentine said. “The embrace from my teammates after getting that basket was the best feeling ever. I never thought it would feel like this, and to do it in front of the home crowd is even better.”

Standing at 15 points, UE (19-6, 8-4 MVC) junior Jaylon Brown found Balentine open on the break and Balentine converted on the shot.

“I knew what I was doing in trying to get him the ball,” Brown said. “I knew what he needed and was looking for him.”

Balentine knew from the start that the basket was good.

“As soon as JB got the ball, he gave me a look and that is when I knew he was going to pass it to me,” Balentine explained. “I knew it was good when I let it go.”

Head coach Marty Simmons, who also coached previous record-holder Colt Ryan, was proud of his senior.

“This is an incredible accomplishment,” Simmons said. “He is the first person to credit his teammates, who set the screens and pass him the ball, but at the end of the day, you have to put it in the bucket.”

“Everyone is so excited for him. When he was a freshman, Colt talked to him and tried to give him advice on what he needed to do at this level,” Simmons continued. “D.J. came to the program as someone who could score the basketball and was a pretty good scorer in high school, but may be even better in college. That is what makes him so special.”

Balentine finished with a total of 18 points, but it was Brown leading the way with 19 points, tying his career high. He was 6-of-11 from the floor and knocked down three of his five 3-point attempts. Egidijus Mockevicius posted his 20th double-double of the season, recording 11 points and 12 rebounds while Mislav Brzoja continued a nice stretch of play with 13 points and six boards.

Missouri State (10-14, 6-6 MVC) was led by Chris Kendrix, who scored a game-high 21 points and hauled in seven rebounds. He hit 11 of his 13 free throws.

Evansville scored the first three points of the game, forcing Missouri State to miss its first four shots. The Aces continued to hold the lead at the midway point of the half and added to that lead with a 9-0 run. Up 16-12, the Aces went on the run as Mislav Brzoja capped it off with a triple.

The Bears ended the run as Jarred Dixon connected on a floater. MSU would later cut the Aces lead to seven at 34-27 in the final two minutes of the half before UE had a run of its own, scoring the final six points, including a Willie Wiley shot at the buzzer, to go into halftime up 40-27. Wiley had a strong game, tying his career mark with 8 points.

A 3-pointer by Jaylon Brown opened up the second half and the Aces were able to cruise from there. They led by as many as 24 points (80-56) in the final two minutes before taking the 83-64 win.

On Thursday, the Aces return to action at the Ford Center as they play host to Illinois State in an 8:00 p.m. game on CBS Sports Network.