President Kazee has been hosting open forums to update the campus community on Fall 2017 enrollment, the current fiscal situation, and strategies under consideration to address this year’s budget deficit. Open forums will be moderated by President Kazee with members of the President’s Cabinet in attendance to present and/or answer questions specific to their areas. The sessions have been scheduled to provide an opportunity for all faculty, staff, and administrators to attend.

The next session is planned for Wednesday, September 27: 3:00-4:00 pm, Eykamp Hall, Room 251, Ridgway University Center.

One of the ways that the University of Evansville recognizes and publicizes student success is through Merit, a social media and hometown news service. Merit automatically creates a personal web page for each student where badges and stories about his or her achievements are displayed. Examples of achievements that might be highlighted in this way include being named to the Dean’s List, joining an organization, presenting at a conference, or receiving an award.

Whenever a student achieves something notable, the University adds a badge and information about that accomplishment to the student’s Merit page. The information is also sent it to the student’s hometown newspaper. Each time a badge and information is added to a student’s page, a notification email is sent to the student’s UE email address.

Each student can “claim” his or her page and then personalize it with photos and information on activities, jobs, volunteer work and more. (Those who would rather opt out of having a Merit page can do so, as well.)

These personal Merit pages can be shared easily by students with family, friends and potential and current employers through email or social media networks like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Building a Merit page is, in a sense, like building a resume about one’s college career, and is a very useful asset when applying for jobs and internships.

The Merit program and its UE-related pages are managed by UE’s Office of University Relations. Students with questions about Merit should call University Relations at 812-488-2236 or 812-488-2241 or email uerelations@evansville.edu. For more information about Merit, visit meritpages.com.

The University of Evansville women's soccer team sets its sights on Missouri Valley Conference action as the Aces open league play against Loyola tonight at 7:00 p.m. at Arad McCutchan Stadium.

Last weekend, the Aces wrapped up non-conference play against Saint Louis and Morehead State. To open the weekend, Evansville battled SLU, tying the match at the half, but eventually fell to the Billikens, 3-1. The Aces continued to show resiliency on Sunday against Middle Tennessee as UE battled back from a pair of one-goal deficits, but dropped the match, 3-2, on an overtime goal by the Blue Raiders.

Entering the weekend, Loyola holds a 7-3 overall record and a 1-0 mark in MVC play. The Ramblers are currently on a four-match winning streak in which they have outscored their opponents 17-2. In the all-time series, Loyola holds a 4-1-3 advantage, but the Aces have proven to be a thorn in the side of the Ramblers. In two of the last three meetings, Evansville has earned penalty-kick victories over Loyola to advance in the MVC Tournament.

Missouri Valley Conference play starts this weekend for the University of Evansville Volleyball team as it opens today at Indiana State before coming home on Monday to face Illinois State at Meeks Family Fieldhouse.

UE (6-6) played its final weekend of non-conference play took place last weekend as the Purple Aces took part in the Ball State/Butler Tournament. Evansville dropped matches against BSU and Butler by 3-0 finals while taking Duquesne to five sets before falling, 3-2.

Adeline Payne earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team as she posted her best weekend of play at the Ball State/Butler Tournament. In her first eight matches at UE, Payne nine kills. In three matches over the weekend, she notched a total of 29. Payne set her career mark with eight at Ball State, hitting .231 in the game.  Against Butler, Payne had six kills, but added her first career service ace along with a career-best four digs. She had the best match of her career versus Duquesne, totaling 15 kills while hitting .262 in the 5-set match.

Conference play begins this weekend as the Aces open the MVC schedule at Indiana State before coming home next Monday to face Illinois State. The Aces are looking to open league play with a victory for the first time since 2011. That year, Evansville swept past Bradley in its Valley opener by a 30- final.

For the third time this season, the Purple Aces recorded double-digit service aces, totaling 10 against Duquesne. Rachel Tam set her career mark with six to lead the team while Taylor Jones added three of her own. MVC squads have had just five matches this season where they have registered 10 or more kills; UE has accounted for three of them including 14 versus Morgan State and 13 against Arkansas Pine Bluff.

Indiana State has struggled to a 2-10 start to the season. The Sycamores opened the year with a 3-0 win over DePaul and earned their second win of the year on September 15 versus Cal State-Fullerton. Four of their ten losses have come in five sets. They are led by Laura Gross, who averages 3.52 kills per set. That tally ranks sixth in the league.

Monday’s home conference opener will see Illinois State come to Meeks Family Fieldhouse. The Redbirds enter the weekend with a 7-6 record and will play a pair of MVC matches before heading to Evansville. Today, they face Missouri State before welcoming Southern Illinois on Saturday. Last weekend, they won the Wildcat Classic in Tucson, Arizona, as they defeated New Mexico State, William and Mary and Arizona. Jaelyn Keene is fourth in the Valley with 3.63 kills per set.

Please join the folks in creative writing today - Friday, September 22 - at 4:00 p.m. in the back room of The Slice for the fall semester’s first reading in our student series.

The #readingseries was designed to create a greater sense of community not only among the creative writers on campus, but with students across departments, so please: come one, come all! Faculty are welcome, too!

This reading will feature creative work by students Victoria Martin, Caitlin Kaleri, and Elizabeth Niedbala. The reading will start promptly at 4:00 p.m. (and be over by 5:00 p.m.), so if you’re looking to enjoy some delicious pizza while you’re there, please arrive early as The Slice can be charmingly slow. And as a reminder: it’s a cash-only establishment.

Hope to see you all there!

Submitted by Lisa Nikolidakis ln43@evansville.edu 

AXONs will present its first annual Brain Olympics tonight - September 22 - from 7:00-9:00 p.m. on the Morton/Neu Chapel lawn. Participation is free and open to all UE students and their families. Come participate with your team in this event that tests your skills.

Submitted by Maegen Kincanon mk266@evansville.edu

The Purple Aces will be conducting an interest meeting for those who would like to try-out for the track and field team. The meeting is today at 6:00 p.m. in Room 100 in Graves Hall. Please contact director of athletics compliance Krystal Collins at kc291@evansville.edu for more info.

Submitted by Krystal Collins kc291@evansville.edu

International Club is going to French Lick, Indiana, on Saturday, September 30, to ride go-karts. The cost is $10, non-refundable. Sign up for the trip at a table in Ridgway University Center on Tuesday, September 26 from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. There are limited spots so you MUST arrive early to get a spot. Questions? Email Sydney Winstead at sw228@evansville.edu.

Submitted by Sydney Winstead sw226@evansville.edu

Family coming into town?

Why not round off Family Weekend by worshiping together as a family? The campus community and their families are invited to worship in Neu Chapel this Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Join us for a meaningful service as we celebrate God's goodness in our lives. Doughnuts and coffee will be served before and after the service! All are welcome!

Submitted by Keith Turner kt160@evansville.edu

Do you want to make a positive difference in the world and want to learn how to do that? Interested in hearing more about all the exciting opportunities available through majoring or minoring in ethics and social change? Do you want to hear about the ways in which it is a perfect double major? Are you just curious and want to learn more? If so, please come join us at noon in Room 100 in the Koch Center for Engineering and Science today. Delicious cookies from Chartwells will be served!

Submitted by Lisa Kretz lk102@evansville.edu 

Scholars for Syria will be holding a giveback event at Honey Moon Coffee Co. today - Tuesday, September 26 - from noon-9:00 p.m. Mention Scholars for Syria at the register and 10 percent of your payment will be donated back to Scholars for Syria. We appreciate your continued support!

Submitted by Kendra Mehling km349@evansville.edu

BiSci Club will be holding its second meeting today - Monday, September 25 - at 5:00 p.m. in Koch Center 101. All majors are welcome to come and participate! 

Family Weekend Concert

September 23, 2:00 p.m., Wheeler Concert Hall

During this year’s Family Weekend, the music department will present a special concert featuring University Choir, UE Symphony Orchestra, and UE Wind Ensemble. The concert will take place this Saturday, September 23, at 2:00 p.m. in Wheeler Concert Hall. Weather permitting, the second half of the concert will take place on the Krannert Lawn.

Directed by Dennis Malfatti, University Choir will kick off the concert with works by Busto and Rheinberger. Chun-Ming Chen will then direct the UE Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Dvorak’s The Noon Witch. The UE Wind Ensemble, directed by Kenneth Steinsultz, will conclude the program with works by Texidor and Zdechlik. The concert is free and open to the public. For complete program information, please visit the music department concert calendar.

Evansville Jazz Society Concert Featuring Tony Monaco
September 24, 4:00 p.m., Wheeler Concert Hall

One of the world’s leading artists of the Hammond B-3 Jazz Organ, Tony Monaco and his Trio will open this year’s Jazz Guest Artist Concert Series. They will appear in Wheeler Concert Hall on Sunday, September 24, at 4:00 p.m.

Performances by this group are always enthusiastically received, and they are returning to the local series for the third time, at the request of many of their local fans. Monaco has been elected to both the Downbeat Magazine critics’ polls and readers’ polls every year since 2003, and has also been voted into the JazzTimes Readers' Poll.

Monaco is the undisputed master in the world of the Hammond B-3 jazz organ. When he was 12, he first heard the legendary Jimmy Smith, who later would become his mentor. An enthusiastic student, Monaco began working in Jazz clubs as a teenager in his native Columbus, Ohio. When he was 20, Smith invited him to come and play with him at his club in California - a peak lifetime experience for Monaco.

Monaco and his group have recorded six highly acclaimed CD’s which have been successful nationally and internationally.

Admission to the concert is $15 for adults, $10 for Evansville Jazz Society members and $5 for students with I.D. Tickets can be obtained by contacting the UE Department of Music at 812-479-2754, or may be obtained at the door.

For further information, contact Edwin Lacy, professor of music, at 812-488-2227 or EL2@evansville.edu.

Submitted by James Sullivan js820@evansville.edu

Earn HRA credits! Sign up today for the Fall Healthy Behavior Challenge by emailing ac375@evansville.edu. Challenge begins September 24 and ends November 18.

Submitted by Ashley Chipps ac375@evansville.edu

UE Gives Back on Campus will take place Friday, October 27 (rain date: Monday, October 30).

Please consider volunteering to help make our beautiful campus even better. Last year’s successful event, volunteers helped paint parking lots, did work in UE’s community gardens, and helped clean up in the Native Plant Garden. Stay tuned for more information about this great event! This event is intended for employees only.

A Graduate School Fair is planned for today - Tuesday, September 26 - 1:00-3:00 p.m. in Ridgway University Center. Schools that have registered for the event include:

• Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
• Indiana University School of Law
• Indiana University School of Social Work
• Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus,
• MBA program & MA in Mental Health Counseling
• IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
• Kelley School of Business Graduate Accounting
• Manchester University
• Palmer College of Chiropractic
• Southern Illinois University
• SUNY Binghampton School of Engineering & Applied Science
• University of Evansville College of Education and Health Sciences
• University of Indianapolis, MBA program
• University of Kentucky
• University of Southern Indiana
• Valparaiso University Law School
• Western Kentucky University

Stop by on September 26 from1:00-3:00 p.m. and meet with representatives from these schools! 

Submitted by Alison Morris-McDonald am268@evansville.edu

Former Boston Police commissioner Ed Davis – who was at the forefront of the emergency response to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the arrests that followed – will be the speaker for the upcoming University of Evansville’s Patricia Snyder Lecture. The lecture is Thursday, October 12 at 7:00 p.m., in Eykamp Hall, Ridgway University Center.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. 

The event is free and open to the public but registration is required. The registration form can be found online at www.evansville.edu/EdDavis.

The topic of Davis’s lecture will be “Policing in America: The Changing Landscape of Our Cities & Law Enforcement’s Role in Protecting Our Communities.”

Davis’s experience during the Boston Marathon bombings was depicted in the feature film, Patriots Day, starring John Goodman as Commissioner Davis, which was released in January 2017.

Davis is currently president and CEO of the business strategy and security agency, Edward Davis LLC. He has built a stellar reputation on his experience in interagency collaboration and law enforcement on local, state, national, and international levels. His insight in cyber security and anti-terrorism, as well as his expert knowledge in crisis management and strategic planning translates across industries. Davis’s unique approaches to terrorism, cyber security, and policing have been adopted both nationally and internationally in Singapore, London, Northern Ireland, Jordan, and Israel.

The Patricia H. Snyder Concert and Lecture Series was made possible in 1997 through an endowment from the late Patricia H. Snyder, trustee and longtime friend of University, to bring speakers or performers of renown to Evansville at no cost to the public.

If you have any questions, please e-mail snyder@evansville.edu

UE welcomes Fr. Godfrey Mullen this Sunday for the Parents Weekend Mass at 9:00 a.m. in Neu Chapel. Everyone is welcome!

Submitted by Gabrielle VanBuskirk gv19@evansville.edu

The University of Evansville Homecoming 2017 Reunion Weekend is October 13-15. Special events are planned for parents and alumni, many of which will be open to the public.

Dr. Guy Banta Distinguished Lecture Series – Speaker Zach Cheviron ’00, Environmental and Wildlife Biology
Friday, October 13, 3:00 p.m. Vectren Lecture Hall, Room 100, Koch Center for Engineering and Science.

Reunion Celebrations
Anniversaries to be celebrated at homecoming include the 50th anniversary of the Class of 1967, 65th anniversary of Phi Mu sorority, 60th anniversary of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and the 60th anniversary of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

Homecoming Tailgate
Saturday, October 14, 2:00-5:00 p.m., H-Lot, South Frederick Street
Food, games, live music, and fun. Open to public.

The Ace Race
Saturday, October 14, 9:00 a.m., UE campus.  Open to public.
This 5K run benefits Ace CARE, UE’s pro bono physical therapy clinic run by doctor of physical therapy and physical therapy assistant students for the uninsured, underinsured, and homeless. Participation fee for the public is $25 before October 1 or $30 after October 1. Those registering before October 1 will receive a long sleeve T-shirt. To register, go to www.uealumnionline.com/acerace2017.

UE Women’s Soccer versus Drake
Saturday, October 14, 2:00 p.m., Arad McCutchan Stadium. Open to public.

UE Men’s Soccer versus Loyola (followed by fireworks display)
Saturday, October 14, 5:00 p.m., Arad McCutchan Stadium. Open to public.

For the full schedule of events or more information, visit www.evansville.edu/alumni or contact alumni@evansville.edu or 812-488-2586. 

The Ace Race, a 5K run benefiting Ace CARE, UE's pro bono physical therapy clinic, is planned for Saturday, October 14, 9:00 a.m., on campus. This event is part of UE's Homecoming. The participation fee for students is $15. The fee for the general public is $25 before October 1 or $30 after October 1. Those registering before October 1 will receive a long sleeve T-shirt. To register, go to www.uealumnionline.com/acerace2017.

For more information, contact Michaela Bortle at mb315@evansville.edu.

Students will have noticed the Coin Wars buckets in their residence halls and a strategically located table in Ridgway University Center. Take part in this friendly competition between residence halls.

The competition begins on September 25 and ends on September 29. Get your change ready!

How to Play
Put coins in your hall's bucket:
• Pennies = +1 point (Put these in your hall’s bucket)
• Silver coins = -1 point (Put these in other halls’ buckets)
The residence hall with the most points on September 29 is the winner!

Prizes
• Pizza party with President Kazee.
• Eternal glory all across campus.

All proceeds will be donated to the United Way of Southwestern Indiana as part of UE’s United Way Campaign. United Way serves the community by funding programs focusing on education, income, and health.

Robert Griffith, chair of the creative writing program at UE, will be the speaker for the Coffee Hour Lecture on Thursday, October 26, 4:00 p.m., in the Vectren Lecture Hall (Room 100), Koch Center for Engineering and Science. These lectures are free and open to the public.

His most recent book is The Devil in the Milk. Griffith’s book, The Moon from Every Window, was nominated for the 2013 Poets’ Prize, and his book A Matinee in Plato's Cave won the 2009 Best Book of Indiana Award. His work has appeared in PN Review, Poetry, The North American Review, Poems & Plays, The Oxford American, and other publications. He is editor of the journal Measure and director of the University of Evansville Press.

Other lectures in the series include:

Senior Reading
4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 11
Eykamp Hall, Room 252, Ridgway University Center
Graduating creative writing majors read their poetry and prose.

For more information, call 812-488-2963.

Did you know that for many years student and faculty have partnered with Mission Guatemala, a non-profit organization that supports the needs of the poor and indigenous peoples of Guatemala in the service areas of health, education, and housing? The collaboration and efforts of these teams have impacted the lives of an estimated 1000 Guatemalan people.

Submitted by Geoff Edwards ge21@evansville.edu 

Did you know that in the fall of 2014, four senior nursing students traveled to China to research how Chinese college students feel about tobacco-free campus initiatives? Their work provided an international perspective for a proposed tobacco-free plan for the University of Evansville, which was successfully implemented on campus.

Submitted by Geoff Edwards ge21@evansville.edu 

The University of Evansville, in pursuit of excellence in service, wishes to recognize a non-faculty employee displaying records of achievement as a leader. Leadership may be demonstrated in any of the following areas: service to the University, service to students, job performance and attitude towards fellow employees.  To be eligible, an employee must be a full-time member of administration or staff. Nominations for the October 2017 Employee of the Month are due no later than Wednesday, September 27.  To nominate someone, please go to http://acelink.evansville.edu/tools/employeeaward.

You can now read all about UE student Melinda Hopf's experiences studying abroad in Trinidad and Tobago! Melinda is an elementary education major and took part in our two-week faculty-led trip over the summer. She had a chance to immerse herself in the local culture, work in a school with first years, and make countless life-long memories.

Head on over to the UE Stories Abroad website to learn more about her trip.

Submitted by Greta Becker gb91@evansville.edu

The University of Evansville men's and women's soccer teams are teaming up to raise awareness and to help an Evansville great.

Prior to this year's Homecoming matches, the UE Men's and Women's Soccer teams will be hosting a fundraiser to benefit UE Athletics Hall of Fame member Mick Lyon with expenses associated with his fight against multiple sclerosis. This fundraiser will coincide with the Aces' Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Night during homecoming on October 14.

"We have the opportunity to step up and help support the man that started our program," said UE women's soccer head coach Krista McKendree. "I encourage and hope all Aces (past, present, and future) will do what they can to show Mick the values he was taught and helped teach here at UE are still going strong. As an athlete and coach he never gave up and I know the out pouring of support is helping him continue to fight MS. Thank you to everyone for your support of positive messages."

Lyon was inducted in the UE Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2015, following highly-decorated careers as both a player and coach for the Purple Aces.  As a member of the men's soccer team, he was a three-time team MVP and was named a Second Team All-American by the NSCAA in 1987, before becoming an assistant coach for the men's program in 1991 and being named the first head coach of the UE women's program in 1993.  In his nine seasons as head coach, Lyon guided the Aces to five regular-season conference championships, five conference tournament titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

To show your support for Mick and to contribute to this fundraiser, you can purchase a t-shirt for $12 through an online order form prior to October 5. T-shirts may be purchased at the game on October 14 for $15. To preorder your shirt, simply fill out the online order form and join the Aces in the fight against MS.

This is a reminder that the UE Bookstore will be starting the return process of all unsold books very soon, beginning with used stock first. If you still need a textbook for the fall term please stop in the UE Bookstore and secure your copy. If you're unable to purchase your book, please see store staff and they will be happy to hold a copy of you for a period of time so that it is available. If you have any questions please ask store staff.

Submitted by Doug Gustwiller dg57@evansville.edu

The September Pcard cycle - which began August 22 - ended on September 21. As of September 23, cardholders may schedule and run the September cycle report. September transactions may be reconciled in SDG2 until September 28. On September 28, the general ledger Pcard file will be uploaded and cardholders will be locked out of (unable to make changes) posted transactions for the September cycle.

Submitted by Kim Winsett kw83@evansville.edu

There will be no open swim this Friday evening, September 22 (7:00-9:00 p.m. only) and Saturday, September 23 (3:00-5:00 p.m.) due to the UE swim meet. Open swim hours resume on Sunday.

Submitted by Lori Adams la87@evansville.edu

Men's Basketball is looking for a manager to help with practice, games, and behind the scene duties. It is now a paid work study position with up to 20 hours per week. This job is for the fall and spring semesters! Please contact Chad Harmon at ch121@evansville.edu to inquire.

Submitted by Chad Harmon ch121@evansville.edu

Earlier this week, it was announced that Mass would be held in Memorial Plaza this Thursday evening. This outdoor Mass will actually occur on Thursday, October 26. 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Outdoor Mass
Thursday, October 26
8:00 p.m.
Memorial Plaza
In case of rain, Mass will be held at the Newman Center. 

All are welcome - for questions, contact Jenny at je46@evansville.edu.

For those covered on the Meritain Health Plan: Free Flu Shot Blitz will be offered in the Employee Health Clinic on October 3 from 7:00-11:00 a.m. and October 4 from 2:00-6:00 p.m. Those not insured can still receive the vaccine for $20. Please sign up though AceLink.

Submitted by Ashley Chipps ac375@evansville.edu

Those students who rented books in the UE Bookstore for the fall term still have the option to purchase them if so desired. If you'd to purchase your rental book the UE Bookstore will apply your rental fee to the purchase price of the textbook. This must be done by September 30. If you have any questions please contact the UE Bookstore.

Submitted by Doug Gustwiller dg57@evansville.edu

The College of Engineering and Computer Science is offering a UExplore engineering program for high school students. The program is designed to give participants a better understanding of the fields of civil, mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering and computer science through activities, hands-on projects, and tours of local industry.

The sessions in the program are October 16, November 6, November 27, January 22, February 19, March 12, April 2, and April 23. All sessions will be from 6:00-7:00 p.m. in Room 100 in the Koch Center for Engineering and Science on UE’s campus.

James Allen, UE associate professor of mechanical and civil engineering, is the advisor for the program. A registered professional engineer in the states of Indiana and Ohio, Allen has extensive work experience in industry. Allen will be assisted with the program by UE engineering students.

The registration fee for the program is $50. Register online at www.evansville.edu/uexploreengineering or contact Kimberly Higgins for more information at 812-488-2661 or kh209@evansville.edu.