In the event of an active shooter, assess the situation! What do you know about the circumstances? What is the best response for you personally to insure your safety? Then decide:

• RUN:  Flee the building if you can do so safely based on what you know is taking place within the building. (i.e. if you hear gunshots on the other side of the building and you are close to an exit, law enforcement recommends running from the building).  If you are outside, get as far away from the threat area as possible. In some situations, you might decide that you can safely run away from the campus if the reported gunman is a good distance away from your campus location. 

• HIDE: Seek shelter inside of the building (classroom, closet, office, etc.) If you are in a position to lock a building door and can do so safely, do so. If there is a lock on an interior door and you can safely reach it, lock yourself in the space. Go to a location in the room where you cannot be seen and stay in place until you are notified the threat is over. Turn cell phone ringers and other tones off and turn off lights if possible.

• FIGHT: If confronted with a gunman, you (and those with you) stand a better chance of surviving if you do something rather than nothing. Look around you. Can you use something in the room to help defend yourself?

Remember: All exterior doors to buildings may be locked if the occupants within the building can do so safely. Electronic card access may also be shut off. Use your best judgment in determining the safest course of action to protect yourself. Seconds count!

Watch the video – Run, Hide, Fight.

As a reminder, you can find information about emergency situations and procedures on the safety and security website including a video on the run, hide, fight response and additional information such as sheltering in place, outside and inside threats, and so forth.

In cooperation with the Evansville Police Department, the University of Evansville is planning an active shooter drill.  In order to maintain the integrity of the drill exercise, the exact date and time will not be published in advance. Note: the drill is scheduled for some time between 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 25 and 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 27. 

When the drill begins, all members of the campus community are expected to respond as if reacting to a real emergency situation.  Participants are asked not to call 9-1-1 during the drill so that there is no disruption to the delivery of emergency services in the city.

The drill will be announced to the campus community via an Ace Alert message. The alert will clearly state “THIS IS A DRILL” and will provide specific information relative to the location of the shooter.  Whether or not you are in the direct area of the emergency, you should respond as you would if this were a real campus emergency. The drill will conclude approximately 10-15 minutes after it begins with another Ace Alert message indicating the drill is over. 

The drill will not involve simulated gunshots; however, Evansville Police Department and other law enforcement personnel will be present on campus. Some building safety coordinators will also be present to assist with certain aspects of the drill. 

A post active shooter drill survey will be e-mailed to all faculty, administrators, staff, and students on or before Friday, October 28.  We ask that everyone respond to the survey as soon as possible after the drill.
 

UE’s United Way campaign has ended, and the winners have been announced. Make sure you congratulate your coworkers when you see them today!

• Mike Tessier (Residence Life) – gift bag from Penny John’s
• Jayme Williams (Academic Affairs, Honors Programs)  – one free vacation day
• Angela Williams (Alumni and Parent Relations) – UE Women’s Basketball tickets
• George Iber (School of Education) – UE Men’s Basketball tickets
• Sharon Gieselmann (School of Education) – Gift bag from Basket Kases gift shoppe
• Emily Wilderman (Office of Enrollment Services) – UE Fleece blanket
• Jill Fisher (Office of Admission) – one free vacation day
• Sherri Peachee (Department of Theatre) – one free vacation day

Even though the campaign is over, your donation can still make a difference, and we are glad to accept it. Just bring your pledge card to the Office of Human Resources! If you have any questions, feel free to contact the office at ext. 2943.

A big thanks to everyone who donated and who will donate! Your gift makes a difference.
 

The fourth round of grants from the Innovation and Re-Investment Fund have been awarded.  The Programs Task Force received 16 proposal submissions with combined funding requests in excess of $1 million.     

Nine proposals will receive funding.  Those receiving funding are listed below by department/area proposal and amount funded.

Archeology and Art History: Continuation of the social media coordinator.  $3,000 for one year

Institute for Global Enterprise and GAP: Supports the regional High School Changemaker Challenge. $10,000 for the 16-17 year

International Admission: To increase international recruitment in a new region to help diversify international populations. Up to $10,000

Office of Diversity and Equity: To support the diversity and inclusion resource house.  $15,000 one-time

Music: Creates a part-time music outreach coordinator for summer camps and programs. $26,900 over two years

Center for Adult Education: A one-year continuation of the position funded from spring 2015. $65,000 for one year

Arts and Sciences: Creation of a preprofessional health advisor. $113,272 over two years

Retention: Continued support for retention initiatives. $68,000 for the 2016-17 year

Theatre: Equipment and material to enhance the design and tech major. $30,083 for one year

Congratulations to those receiving funding! 

The full proposals for those listed above can be found in AceLink.
 

Fridays in October are exciting because many visitors from around the country are checking out UE for the first time! In respect for the families who have driven such a distance to visit our campus, the Office of Admission asks that the campus community not park in the white or purple parking spaces in the Sesquicentennial Oval on Fridays in October. Thank you for continuously doing your part to make UE such a special place for a prospective student to visit.

All are welcome to attend the Carver Community Center Alternative Energy Celebration today from noon-1:00 p.m., at Carver Community Center, located at 400 SE 8th Street, Evansville.

UE students worked with Carver Community Center to obtain a $90,580 grant to install solar panels and LED bulbs, saving the center on energy bills.

Come to this event to celebrate with these Changemakers and hear how it happened!

The Institute for Global Enterprise is supported by generous funding from Lilly Endowment Inc.

William Robert Young, director of product approval for Haier America Tech Center, will give a talk to the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) UE student chapter today. The lecture will begin at 4:00 p.m. in Room 101, Koch Center for Engineering and Science.

The title of Young’s lecture is "Problem Solving Methodology, Data, and Its Importance to Decision Making and Knowledge."

All are welcome!

The Jostens ring representative will be on campus today from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the UE Bookstore. Anyone interested in purchasing a class ring is welcome to discuss their needs with the representative. Jostens will be offering a sale on selected styles as well. Please stop by and check out their offerings.

This is a reminder to all December graduates to attend Commencement Central today. The event will last from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. You will be able to finalize your graduation plans, purchase your cap and gown and/or graduation announcements, and meet with the alumni and career planning offices. It takes only a few minutes to complete this necessary task. Those that attend the event will receive a free 2016 alumni mug. Please mark your calendar accordingly.

On Thursday, October 27, Tau Kappa Epsilon will be hosting a new philanthropy - TKE Towers! Teams will try to build the tallest tower out of pasta and marshmallows, but be warned, much like the TV show Cutthroat Kitchen, there will be sabotages up for auction! The event will take place at 6:00 p.m. in the Class of 1959 Gallery and Lounge, upstairs in Ridgway University Center. It will last for approximately one hour.

Teams will consist of three to four people, at $5 a person. All proceeds will go to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

If you would like to set up a team, contact Evan at ed106@evansville.edu. Hope to see you there!

All are welcome to join the Newman Club today at 5:00 p.m. for a great discussion on "Transitions in Life," by Father Christian Raab, OSB from St. Meinrad Archabbey and School of Theology. Fr. Christian will also be discussing potential internships with the One Bread, One Cup Program.

We’ll be serving homemade Mexican lasagna for dinner. You can find us at the house on Lincoln Avenue with the purple banner. For more information, please contact Olivia Voegerl at ov4@evansville.edu.

A group of physical therapy students will be presenting “Getting Your Life Together: Food, Exercise, and Doing Well in College” today at 7:00 p.m. in Eykamp Hall, Room 251, Ridgway University Center. During this informal presentation there will be free giveaways such as snacks and Jazzman’s coupons. Come join us for tips on how to balance diet, exercise, and stress while living on campus.

This Friday, the International Club will be going to The Olde Courthouse Catacombs/The House of Lecter in Downtown Evansville. Tickets for both haunted houses will be $20 a person and rides will be provided. We are meeting at 8:15 p.m. at Jazzman's to organize the rides.

If you would like to help provide transportation, contact gt25@evansville.edu.

The Newman Club will be having a rosary group today at 2:00 p.m. in Room 209 in the Bower-Suhrheinrich Library. All students and faculty are welcome!

All are welcome to join us for Mass this Sunday, October 23, at 1:00 p.m. in Neu Chapel. Fr. Will will be our celebrant. Hope to see you there! For more information contact Olivia Voegerl at ov4@evansville.edu.

Please join the folks in creative writing today at 4:00 p.m. at The Slice for the fall semester’s first #readingseries. This reading will feature work by students James Barton, Taylor Gates, and Juels Chrisman. The reading will start promptly at 4:00, so if you’re looking to enjoy some delicious pizza while you’re there, please arrive early as The Slice can be charmingly slow. Hope to see you all there!

The University of Evansville Department of Theatre will present Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, adapted by Sarah Ruhl, in the May Studio Theatre at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

Orlando follows the luxurious and romantic life of a young English duke who wakes up one morning to find he has transformed into a womanly duchess. Over the course of five centuries, the titular Orlando finds herself tangled up in colorful web of casual acquaintances and life-altering companions as she learns to navigate her new identity and find her place in the world. Through witty humor, fast-paced dialogue, and vivid storytelling, this spirited and poetic play explores the power of transformation and the concept of the self.

Ruhl is a Tony Award nominee and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist. Most recently, she was named the recipient of the 2016 Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award.

Steinberg Advisory Committee Member Paige Evans said of Ruhl, “Sarah Ruhl is unique. She fills her intelligent and highly theatrical plays with striking oddities and playful humor. Sarah is a prolific playwright of great distinction.”

Sam Schanwald, a senior theatre performance major from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, serves as the director of the entirely student designed and directed production. The creative team for Orlando includes scenic designer Elizabeth Tredinnick, a junior from Madison, Wisconsin, costume designer Mitchel Wolf, a senior from Chaska, Minnesota; lighting designer Renée K. Voteau, a junior from St. Louis, Missouri; sound designer Benjamin Phillips, a senior from Fort Worth, Texas; dramaturg Olivia L. Rigdon, a senior from Colorado Springs, Colorado; and stage manager Melia Schnefke, a junior from St. Louis, Missouri. Chuck Meachum serves as technical director for the production.

The cast includes senior McKenna Ceci, from Peachtree City, Georgia; juniors Davis Cowart, from Bronwood, Georgia; Joseph W. Schwalb, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Zoie Quinn, from San Antonio, Texas; sophomores Alexandra Curren, from McKinney, Texas; Marshall Hopkins, from Baldwin City, Kansas; and freshman Shannon White, from Rockwall, Texas.

Tickets are $11 for adults and $9 for senior adults, students, and UE faculty and staff. UE students may pick up their free student ticket beginning at noon on the day of the performance they wish to attend.

Seating is limited and patrons are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by calling 812-488–2031, Monday through Friday, noon to 5:00 p.m.

International security expert Ole Waever, professor of international relations at the University of Copenhagen, will guest lecture at UE this Friday, October 21, at noon in Eykamp Hall, Room 252, Ridgway University Center.

His talk is titled "Climate Change as a Security Issue," and will focus on the political implications of different ways of treating climate change as a security issue.

Waever will present his research from approximately noon-12:45 p.m. to allow those with 1:00 p.m. classes to exit with plenty of time, but will engage in a follow-up Q&A session with those who would like to engage in broader conversation about climate change, international security, and/or recent events in Europe. With such a timely topic that engages social and natural sciences alike, we hope you will attend!

Waever has published several prominent books, including Security: A New Framework for Analysis, Regions and Powers: The Structure of International Security, International Relations Scholarship around the World, and Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions.

He was elected to the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters in 2007 and in 2014 became a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog, Denmark's highest national honor.
 

Zeta Tau Alpha's annual Big Man on Campus philanthropy event is Saturday, October 22, at 7:00 p.m. in Eykamp Hall, Ridgway University Center. Tickets will be on sale October 19-21 in Ridgway University Center lobby for $5, and at the door on the night of the event for $7. All proceeds from the event go toward ZTA's national philanthropy of breast cancer education and awareness!

Phi Mu's annual fall philanthropy, Rock for Riley, is Friday, October 21, at 7:00-9:00 p.m. in Eykamp Hall, Ridgway University Center. Tickets will be on sale October 17-20 in Ridgway University Center lobby for $5, and at the door on the night of the event for $5.

All proceeds from the event go toward Phi Mu's national philanthropy, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Still need service hours? The Newman Club will be playing bingo with the senior citizens at the University Nursing Home on October 25. We will meet at the Newman Center at 5:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact Paige Hignite at ph89@evansville.edu or Olivia Voegerl at ov4@evansville.edu.

The Rotary Santa Run committee is offering University of Evansville students, staff, and administrators a special discount on their registration fee for the Rotary Santa Run.  The code is santa-on-campus and runs from Friday, October 21-Friday, October 28. It is a limited time offer of $5 off and the registration system has been established to accept the code for that week only. 

Visit www.evansvillerotary.com or https://runsignup.com/Race/IN/Evansville/RotarySantaRun to register.  

The third annual Rotary Santa Run is set for December 3, at 9:00 a.m., at the Buffalo Trace Boy Scout Council. This 5k raises funds and awareness in supporting youth outreach - gang intervention and prevention.

We are conducting a research study on individuals' attitudes towards corporal punishment. The study consists of an online survey that you can take on your own time, and it should not take more than 10 minutes to complete. If you choose to participate, please be in a quiet place or have a pair of headphones available. The survey must be completed by Thursday, October 27.

If you have any questions please contact Megan Dellorto at md178@evansville.edu, Kristen Fowler at kf144@evansville.edu, or Kay Sheets at ks419@evansville.edu.

The Department of Art is pleased to announce its annual Holiday Art and Crafts Sale. Everyone in the UE community who creates art or crafts is welcome to participate. This includes faculty, staff, students, spouses, children, parents, relatives, and friends.

The sale will be held in the Melvin Peterson Gallery on Thursday, December 1. Doors will open at 7:00 a.m. and the sale will continue until 6:00 p.m. Participating artists and craftsmen may drop work off the day prior to the sale or on the morning of the sale before the doors open. Vendors do not need to stay with their work as art department staff and volunteers will be on site to handle the sale.

If you would like to join in this year’s Holiday Sale, or you would like more information, please contact the Department of Art at dh196@evansville.edu or 812-488-2043.

Let the University of Evansville Dining Services team know what you think! Head on over to Sodexo’s customer survey. Fill it out and you’ll be entered to win $50 Ace Bucks and a Foodie Basket! The survey will be open from October 17-November 2.

This is a reminder that textbook adoptions for Intersession and Spring 2017 are now due in the UE Bookstore. Please contact the UE Bookstore if you have any questions. Early returns save students money.

All December graduates are strongly encouraged to attend Commencement Central on Thursday, October 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to finalize graduation plans. The registrar, alumni, and career planning offices will be present to assist you. You'll also be able to purchase your cap/gown and/or graduation announcements. Everyone that attends will received a FREE Class of 2016 mug. It only takes a few minutes to make sure everything is complete.

Calling all bearded men and their friends! Grow a beard and fight cancer by signing up for UE's Battle of the Beards against USI. Your $5 registration fee qualifies you for participation in both Battle of the Beards (you could win a Buffalo Wild Wings gift card) and Relay for Life. Can't grow a beard? That's okay! Grab a friend and sign up at the Battle of the Beards information page today. 

Questions? Contact Kerilynn Pitocco at kp158@evansvill.edu or Lynnette Whitsitt at lw147@evansville.edu.

Effective Monday, October 17, UE distribution services/mail services begins outsourcing the metering of United States Postal Service domestic and international mail (letters, flats, etc.) and USPS domestic parcels to Data Mail Inc., a local third party vendor. UE mail services will no longer have equipment to meter mail and/or process parcels for shipment in-house after Friday, October 14.

What Is Changing!

• UE will no longer have a USPS meter or mailing equipment. Additionally, UE will no longer have a UPS account or UPS shipping equipment.
• The current UE mail processing form has been updated and re-named the UE USPS Mail/Parcel Processing Request form. Also, instructions are available titled UE USPS Mail/Parcel Processing Request Form Instructions. Both are available on the mail services website on AceLink Areas under Forms & Instructions.
• Current yellow UE account barcode cards are being replaced with new cards titled UE account barcode card provided by Data Mail Inc. A sample of the new UE account barcode card and instructions are available on the mail services website on AceLink Areas under Forms & Instructions. Departments having existing yellow account barcode cards are asked to turn these cards in to Mail Services to be exchanged for new Data Mail Inc. generated UE account barcode cards. Beginning Monday, October 17, four un-laminated UE account barcode cards will be distributed followed by 8-10 laminated UE account barcode Cards.
• UE mail services will no longer provide UPS services due to low outgoing package volumes, removal of equipment, and upcoming UPS rate increases on average of 4.9 percent with an overall increase of 9 percent for packages weighing 1-10 pounds. Departments desiring UPS services may contact UPS directly, set up a department account, request a site pickup, and pay UPS directly with a UE Pcard.
• Departments desiring to ship USPS International parcels will go directly to a local post office, complete the required USPS documentation (customs forms, etc.), and pay USPS directly with a UE Pcard. The same can be accomplished with UPS but typically at a much higher cost.

What Remains the Same!

UE distribution services/mail services will continue to:

• Pickup UE incoming mail and parcels from the USPS, Monday through Friday, except for UE holidays
• Process incoming business reply and short paid UE mail
• Sort mail by UE campus department in the mail services area
• Make a daily - Monday through Friday - campus mail run to deliver and/or pick up department mail that is pickup ready and includes USPS domestic and international letter mail, USPS domestic parcels, pre-stamped and sealed mail, and campus mail.
• Deliver to residence halls as is currently performed.

The staff of UE’s Office of Study Abroad is looking for some new photos of students who have studied abroad in the past, and they are hoping you can help! They have set up a photo contest in the hopes that you’ll submit your pictures to be hung in their office and to also be used in future marketing materials.

In order to get a good variety of photos, they have created a few categories for pictures that they are looking for. They are:

1. Your university: Send pictures of you in front of your university/on your campus to highlight your home away from home.
2. The great outdoors: They’d love any pictures that highlight the environment and capture the beauty of where you studied.
3. Harlaxton: Harlaxton gets its own category because it’s so popular. Send photos of your time at Harlaxton and around the manor.
4. Live like a local: Do you have any pictures of yourself engaging in local activities or participating in cultural traditions? Send them!
5. Artistic eye: Have any unique pictures that capture something special about your trip? Did you take a picture you think is particularly artistic? Send them in!

There will be a table at the International Education Week Marketplace on November 14 from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., where votes can be cast to select the photo contest winners. Stop by to cast your vote! The top voted picture from each category will be hung in the study abroad office.

Only three to four submissions will be allowed per person. Along with each image, include where the photo was taken and what category you think it belongs in. Please submit your pictures to gb91@evansville.edu.

All pictures must be submitted by November 4.

Underclass pictures will be taken October 20 from 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and October 21 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in the Ridgway University Center lobby for the 2017 yearbook. It's free - and it only takes a few minutes. Stop by!

Robert Dion, chair of the Department of Law, Politics, and Society, was recently interviewed by Indiana Business Journal for an article about Indiana politics during this election season. You can read the complete article online.

David Green, senior lecturer in British studies at Harlaxton College has published an article in the Journal of Medieval Military History titled "‘Imperial Policy and Military Strategy in the Plantagenet Dominions, c.1337-c.1453."’

Diana Tkachenko and Chieko Yamada will represent the University of Evansville Women’s Tennis team at the ITA Ohio Valley Regionals beginning today.

Middle Tennessee State is the host of the tournament and it will be held at the Adams Tennis Complex.

Action begins today for the Purple Aces as Yamada will play in the qualifying singles round. Tkachenko will be on the court on Friday in her opening round of the main draw.

Both Tkachenko and Yamada will take part in main draw doubles, which also begins on Friday.
 

University of Evansville director of athletics Mark Spencer has announced that the Purple Aces will add four varsity NCAA athletic sports - men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field. The additions will be effective for the 2017-18 season.

The news became official with unanimous votes of support from the University of Evansville Board of Trustees and the Faculty Athletic Committee.

“The addition of four varsity NCAA sports is a big step forward for UE athletics and the university as a whole and reaffirms its commitment to competing at the highest level,” Spencer said. “The resources being committed to this program will allow us to fund a nationally-competitive cross country and track and field program while strengthening the support services that will benefit the entire student-athlete population.”

“The addition of these sports is in line with the mission of the University of Evansville and gives Coach Walters and the program the ability to compete year round and will give them the opportunity to set the competitive bar higher,” Spencer added.

Head coach Don Walters is very excited about the addition and the impact that it will have for UE and the athletic department.

“This is something we have been working towards for 17 years and I am very excited that we are able to make this announcement,” UE head cross country coach Don Walters said. “It benefits the University of Evansville in so many ways. For our program, it really opens the door for us to recruit student-athletes that we would not have had the chance to in the past. The future is very bright for our program.”

The addition of the track programs give the Purple Aces cross country teams an added advantage moving forward. Several student-athletes entered spring track events as unattached participants in order to stay in shape and compete at a high level. This will allow student-athletes to work as a team during an otherwise quiet period.

“We are excited about adding a program that extends the rich history of Purple Aces athletics and brings strong and accomplished students to UE,” University of Evansville president Tom Kazee said.

Members of the current cross country team have extensive track backgrounds. Sophomore Sienna Crews brings plenty of track experience from her high school days including the 1-mile, 2-mile, 800-meter, 400-meter and several relays.

“I am so excited about this addition, it will be a great opportunity for my teammates and myself,” Crews said. “With us having no seniors next year, I want to be a team leader as a junior. With us bringing more student-athletes into our program, it will allow us to train together all year.”

“My personal goal is to run every event that I can, but I am really excited about being able to participate in steeplechase since it was not an event that was offered in high school,” Crews added.

Even though they will not be student-athletes next year, seniors Paul Schwartz and Ben Woolems are excited about the future of the program.

“Last spring, Ross (Frondorf) and I participated in a few track meets as unattached and I am just so excited for the program to be adding track,” Schwartz said. “Being able to do those meets was very helpful, so adding this sport will help everyone out so much. The main benefit will be year-round training, which will make us better at what we do.”

Schwartz ran the 1 and 2 mile races in high school as well as the 800-meter. He also participated in the pole vault.

Woolems, who ran most of the longer track events and relays, echoed Schwartz’s sentiments.

“The addition of track leaves this program in a better place than when we arrived,” he said. “It will help our team to stay active and focused all year round. This will help our teams to keep on building without having to wait until fall to compete.

Evansville last had a track and field program during the 1980-81 school year. Highlighting the history of the program was UE Athletics Hall of Famer Rory Hennings. He left the program holding the UE and Indiana Collegiate Conference records in the 60-, 100-, 200- and 300-yard dash events.