Dear UE Community,

I am pleased to announce that we have chosen a new Chief Diversity Officer. Beginning August 1, Robert Shelby, PhD, will lead and coordinate the University’s efforts in all aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Of course, Dr. Shelby is already part of the UE family and has been teaching sociology courses at the University since 2015 as an assistant professor.

In his new role, Dr. Shelby will have a direct reporting line to the president, will serve as an integral member of the president’s leadership team, and will lead the newly created Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  Dr. Shelby will work closely with the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Human Resources with responsibilities in multicultural affairs, institutional equity/Title IX, and university religious life.

Dr. Shelby earned his PhD from the University of Louisville in 2016 in applied sociology. He earned graduate degrees in sociology from Western Illinois University and communications from Trinity International University, and an undergraduate degree in youth ministry and biblical studies from Trinity International University. In addition to his higher education experience, Dr. Shelby worked as an engineering technician and served in the U.S. Army. 

Dr. Shelby has been married to Tricia for 26 years, and they have three adult daughters and one grandson.

During his time at UE, Dr. Shelby has served as a student and faculty mentor, as a member of the taskforce on race, and as a Title IX investigator.

“I’m most excited to work with students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni in this more actionable capacity,” said Dr. Shelby. “Being entrusted to educate our students in the classroom has been my honor and privilege. Now, I hope to extend my concern for diversity, equity, and inclusion to our entire learning community.”

Among his many duties, Dr. Shelby will manage the Diversity Resource Center, develop the annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, coordinate the Let’s Talk Diversity at UE events, serve as a mentor and advisor for multicultural and diversity-related student organizations, and work closely with internal and external constituencies to advance overall diversity and equity on campus.

“I am deeply humbled by the show of support from the UE community as I become the next Chief Diversity Officer,” Dr. Shelby said. “I firmly believe that if we can agree that every human being has inherent value, we owe it to one another to think deeply, plan effectively, and act empathetically about matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion at UE.”  

I cannot think of a better person to lead our diversity initiatives and I invite you to join me in welcoming him into his new role.

Please send a note of congratulations to Dr. Shelby at rs262@evansville.edu.

With my best,
Prez P

The TIAA-CREF representative will be on the UE campus for individual counseling sessions on Wednesday, August 14, 2019. To schedule an appointment, call TIAA-CREF at 1-800-732-8353.

Please note that the meeting location has been changed to SOBA room 153, Eades Music Room.

Submitted by Lori LeDuc LL138@evansville.edu.

The United Way Day of Caring will be Friday, September 13. This year, UE will be partnering again with the local council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Buffalo Trace Council. This location is located just down the road off the Lloyd Expressway (behind the State Hospital).

Join us on this exciting day by signing up for one of the listed volunteer opportunities. Employees who choose to participate in the Day of Caring do not need to use a vacation day, but do need to get approval from your supervisor.

To sign up, fill out this online form - https://form.jotform.com/91645777131159.

The deadline to sign up is Friday, August 16.

Please let Brian Conner, bc32@evansville.edu, in residence life know if you have any questions.

Books for the Fall semester are now available for purchases in the Bookstore or online at the Bookstore website at bookstore.evansville.edu . You can reserve your books online and either have them shipped or put as a pick up in store to save you the shipping cost. We advise not to ship any books to your home address as it gets closer to the start of classes so that they don't arrive after you have left. It just as easy to use "pick up in store" so that this doesn't happen. You will see all the options available - new, used, rental, and ebooks if available. Order now and avoid the rush!

Submitted by Doug Gustwiller dg57@evansville.edu.

We are changing things up a bit! Parking Permits are now available online. No need to walk to the Office of Safety and Security, fill out any paperwork, or wait in line for your permit!

How do I register for a Parking Permit?
You can register for your Parking Permit through the UE Self-Service portal using your UE username and password. The Parking Permits link is under “UE Forms.”  Click on the menu icon (upper left hand corner)  >  UE Forms >  Employee > Parking Permits. If you need assistance with accessing self-service, please contact OTS help desk at 812-488-2077.   

How much does a Parking Permit cost and how do I pay for it?
Parking Permits are $50 and can be paid through a quick and easy online payroll deduction of $10 installments over five pay periods or by cash/check at the cashier window in Student Financial Services, Olmsted 105.

What is the process for applying and paying for a Parking Permit?
Employees will go to the appropriate link on UE Self-Service (see instructions above) and follow the processes for registering a vehicle. Once you have registered your vehicle and enrolled for payroll deduction, stop by the cashier window in Student Financial Services and pick up your Parking Permit. That’s all there is to it!  

What if I don’t want to do payroll deduction?
If you opt to pay cash/check at Student Accounts, you will still need to register your vehicle on self-service. Then you will need to print out the registration confirmation sheet and take it to the cashier window in Student Financial Services. The cashier will take your payment, mark your confirmation sheet as paid, and issue your permit. Be advised: If you choose to pay cash/check, the process will take a little longer to prepare the transactions. 

What if I am a President’s Club member or have a UE license plate - does that make a difference?
President’s Club members are asked to register their vehicles online simply for the purposes of being able to provide timely information in the event of an emergency (ie.  Someone has damaged your vehicle and we need to notify you).  President’s Club stickers will be distributed via the Office of Development upon confirmation of the donation.

Discounts for UE license plates are only valid if the plate is active at the time of permit registration.  There are no discounts or refunds once the permit is assigned. The discounted fee for employees who have UE license plates is $25. 

Where do I pick up my Permit? 
Parking Permits will be distributed at Student Financial Services. We strongly encourage all employees to apply and pick up their Parking Permits beginning today (August 1) thru Wednesday, August 14, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. to avoid the rush of the distribution of Student Parking Permits. 

If you have any questions concerning the application process, please contact the Office of Safety & Security at 812-488-2051.

Chartwells recently announced the hiring of a new UE dining director. Michael Kotarski. Mr. Kotarski comes to the University from IUPUI. His first day on campus will be Monday, August 5. Please join us in welcoming him to the UE community.

Submitted by Michele Adams ma72@evansville.edu.

Distribution Services/Central Receiving is accepting the newest version of the in-house office supply order form (dated 7/2019). The updated form reflects updated pricing and the changes that came into effect on June 1, which includes the reduction of UE generic letterhead and generic window/addressable/BRE envelopes, notepads, shipping labels and name tags.

The updated In-House Office Supply Order form and instructions are available on the Distribution Services/Central Receiving and Purchasing websites in AceLink. Please note that previous versions of the in-house form will no longer be accepted as of September 1, 2019. Please email your questions to centralreceiving@evansville.edu or call ext. 1067.

Please be aware that there is an active credit card scam using deceptive email in our area. From a UE Pcard perspective, the basic scam involves a SCAM email from a “UE supervisor” requesting the purchase of gift cards (Amazon, CVS, etc.) Please do not respond, do not share your phone information, and delete these emails! Usually the email address of the “UE supervisor” shows up on the initial email and it does not follow the UE email format.

When in doubt, call the “UE supervisor” and ask them for verification. Also, remember that UE’s Pcard Policy, does not allow the use of Pcards to obtain gifts, gift cards and certificates. There is a separate process used to acquire these items.

For additional information on the process for “Gifts, Gift Cards and Certificates”, or additional information on ways to avoid fraud (“Simple Ways to Avoid Credit Card Fraud” and “How to Recognized a Credit Card Telephone Scam”) visit the Pcard website on AceLink at https://acelink.evansville.edu/Areas/Pcard/

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Submitted by Kim Winsett kw83@evansville.edu.

Beginning Monday, July 29, 2019 Johnson Controls will be on campus conducting the annual fire alarm system testing. The testing will be conducted Monday - Saturday, 7:30AM-5PM. As each building is tested the alarm will go off intermittently. Physical Plant and Security will know on a daily basis the buildings being tested. As the technicians move from building to building they will notify Security. Testing will be completed by Saturday, August 10th. Any concerns or schedule conflicts please contact the Facilities Dept at ext. 2775.

Submitted by Jayne Schnacke js607@evansville.edu.

A new email address has been created for all affiliation agreements, clinical agreements, service agreements, Harlaxton agreements, and all contracts normally submitted for review by the Vice President of Fiscal Affairs and Administration, Donna Teague. The address is: contracts@evansville.edu. Please send all contracts to this email. This email is being monitored and is specifically for contracts and agreements. This will assist in speeding up the review process and required signatures.

Please direct any questions to Michele Adams at ma72@evansville.edu or ext. 2183.

Dr. Suresh Immanuel, an associate professor of civil engineering, assumes the role of chair of the Department of Mechanical & Civil Engineering. Dr. Immanuel came to the University of Evansville in 2009.

Dr. Anthony Richardson, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science, assumes the role of chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Dr. Richardson came to the University of Evansville in 2000.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science is much appreciative of the years of dedication of service of the former department chairs, Dr. Dick Blandford and Dr. Brian Swenty.

Submitted by Kimberly Higgins kh209@evansville.edu.

Dr. Jill Griffin partnered with IBM Switzerland and the University of Konstanz to conduct a Design Thinking workshop to help refugees in Germany. The 2-day workshop trained students in innovation techniques while developing solutions for the German non-profit organization 83 Konstanz Integriert. This organization hopes to break down stereotypes and foster tolerance and understanding by developing person-to-person connections between refugees and Germans through shared housing.

Griffin holds a regular guest professorship at the University of Konstanz where she has taught consumer behavior, brand management, and social entrepreneurship since 2007.

Submitted by Cindy Kelley ck116@evansville.edu.

Johnna Denning-Smith partnered with Purdue Online to conduct a one-day Design Thinking process for over 100 employees. Those in attendance came from various areas including Purdue Online: Program Management & Student Experience, College Administrative Online Leads, Instructional Experience Corporate Partnerships, and the Center for Instructional Excellence. The employees had an opportunity to work through a rapid cycle design in the morning session and complete a Deep Dive on specific areas in the afternoon, followed up with presentations to the group.

Submitted by Cindy Kelley ck116@evansville.edu.

Nicholas Harmon, Assistant Professor of Physics, presented a poster at the ICDS in Seattle, WA on July 23. The title of the poster was "Near-zero field spin-dependent recombination as a tool for defect analysis and identification". The research presents a new method by which defects can be studied in circuits. A conventional method is through magnetic resonance (similar to MRI) while the new method described in the poster is simpler and not subject to some limitations that magnetic resonance is.

Submitted by Nicholas Harmon nh140@evansville.edu.

Following two seasons playing for the University of Evansville men’s basketball team, Marty Hill has inked a deal with BK Levicki Patrioti in Slovakia.

Hill’s contract was officially signed on July 19.  His squad plays in the SBL League and won the championship in 2017-18 while advancing to the Slovak Cup in 2019.

“I am very excited to start my pro basketball career.  It’s always been a goal of mine,” Hill stated.  “I have been through a lot over the last four years and I am very blessed to have this opportunity.  I thank God for everything he has done for me.  I would like to send my thanks to my family and friends for being there every step of the way with me, my new organization – the BK Levicki Partotis for the opportunity and the University of Evansville and the community for embracing me in my time there.”

“I would not take back anything because it helped me grow into the person that I am today.  I am nothing without God, my family and friends,” Hill added.

As a senior in 2018-19, Hill started all 32 games and enjoyed a great season, averaging 11.5 points and 3.95 rebounds per game.  He was the Aces’ top long range shooter, hitting 41.7% of his tries from outside, sixth in the MVC.  His top contest was a 24-point effort in the home win over Drake where he totaled 24 points and five out of seven 3-pointers.  Hill added a 21-point game in the road win at Valparaiso.

“Marty is very excited excited. We spoke to him and he was just elated.  He has been preparing and is ready to go,” UE head coach Walter McCarty said.  “We are very excited for him that he gets to continue on his journey and achieve his dream of playing professional basketball. It is a good thing for him and we will be rooting for them from here.”

Submitted by Bob Pristash rp113@evansville.edu.

University of Evansville head men’s basketball coach Walter McCarty has announced changes in his coaching staff that are effective immediately.

After serving as an assistant coach for the Purple Aces last season, Todd Lickliter has announced his retirement.  The 2007 NABC National Coach of the Year will step back from the coaching ranks in order to focus on spending time with his family.

“I am extremely thankful to Todd for his work with our program,” McCarty said.  “His knowledge of the game of basketball really made a difference with our guys while his experience as a head coach helped me immensely in my first season.  We will miss his presence, but wish him nothing but the best in the future.”

Logan Baumann, who worked as the Associate Athletic Director for Basketball Operations last season, has been elevated to an assistant coach.  The graduate of Louisville was in charge of all off-court operations for the program last season.  Isaac McGlone, who was a graduate assistant for the program last year, will move into Baumann’s operations position.

“We are very fortunate to have someone with Logan’s experience and knowledge on our staff.  He impacted our program in so many ways off the court last season and we are excited to have him transition to working on the court this season,” McCarty added.  “It is also a great benefit to have Isaac move into our operations position.  He had the opportunity to work closely with Logan over the last 12 months and is ready to make that next step.”

Submitted by Bob Pristash rp113@evansville.edu.