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 opening session of the University of Evansville Fall Conference is Tuesday, August 13 at 1:30 p.m. in Shanklin Theatre. All faculty, staff, and administrators are welcome and encouraged to attend. Gather for the dessert reception as we come together to start the new year at 12:30 p.m. in the Matt Williams Lobby and Toyota Lounge, Hyde Hall. At the conclusion of the opening session, Hyde Hall will be open for all to tour.

Fall Conference will continue on Wednesday, August 14 with Concurrent Sessions in the Schroeder School of Business Building from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All faculty, staff, and administrators are welcome to attend the Concurrent Sessions. Please see below for available sessions.

Please address questions to Tracey Folden at ext. 2509 or tf91@evansville.edu or Paula Heldt at ext. 2479 or ph28@evansville.edu.

Submitted by Paula Heldt ph28@evansville.edu.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

9:00 - 9:50 A.M. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Enrollment & Admission Update
Shane Davidson & Kenton Hargis
SB 170
This session will give a fall 2019 new student enrollment headcount update followed by initiatives and strategies for recruiting the fall 2020 class. In addition, we will include an update on strategic plan strategies and a look at the profile of students that were deposit drops.

Academic Support, Retention Initiatives & the Registrar
Stacey Shanks, Cherie Leonhardt, and Jennifer Briggs
SB 162
Academic Advising, Retention, and Registrar offices are all working together to provide new and continued academic supports for our students. Join us to re- familiarize yourself with what we do and hear our plans for new services. As always, we are interested in your feedback and any ideas related to our area.

Improve Student Outcomes through Career Development Resources
Dianna Cundiff, Linda Wulf, Kelly Bargeloh, and Gene Wells
SB 172
Get a quick overview of services and potential student funding for internships and professional outcomes from the staff at the Center for Career Development.

-----

10:00 - 10:50 A.M. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

University Archives
Robb Waltner
SB 271
For this session, anyone who is interested in preserving university history is invited to have a discussion about the challenges. There has been no official university “archivist” since 1987. A partial university archives exists in the library, but with no staffing or budget, maintaining and expanding such a service is highly problematic. Therefore, I am interested in having a conversation with others on campus to discuss the direction we should take. Or should we rollback an effort that we are now challenged to support? How do we deal with the issues raised by new technology? Most “archival” products now are stored in email messages and on network drives (or OneDrive). In the future, will researchers be able to access that content? Or will university archives cease to be relevant over time? Over the course of the next year, I hope to gather feedback from the campus community and generate some ideas to provide a new direction for the operation.

Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Rob Shelby and Jill Griffin
SB 273
Learn about the findings and recommendations of the Equity Design Lab. Hear about the new Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the role it will play in creating a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all at UE. Learn about procedures for addressing discrimination of all forms on campus and resources available to you and your students.

Content is King! But only if it sits on a worthy throne: How to give your best presentation without
sacrificing your content.
Bethany Huebner
SB172
This course will focus on specifically how educators can apply ideas of design and aesthetics to engage students in learning, improve retention, and overall satisfaction of course work. The course will introduce the why behind quality design, how it enhances student learning, and easy steps to incorporate design in the classroom. Primary mode of delivery will be lecture with visual aids both in presentation and handouts. A clear step-by-step implementation plan will be discussed and demonstrated for the participants.

-----

11:00 - 11:50 A.M. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

The State of Higher Education
Michael Austin
SB 170
Colleges and Universities are profoundly affected by demographic shifts, technological developments, regulatory environments, and long-term trends in the industry. As we begin a new strategic planning process, it will be important for us to understand these external forces and how they will affect the University of Evansville in the mid- to long-term. Dr. Austin will describe the current national environment for higher education, focus especially on the impact of federal policies, demographics, and accrediting bodies on an industry that is going through a challenging series of gradual changes and abrupt disruptions.

UE’s New Branding
Amanda Campbell and Kim McDonald
SB 172
It’s more than just a logo! Join members of the marketing department to learn about services and resources for using the University’s new brand. Get answers to FAQs about marketing processes and get a sneak peek at materials using the new style, voice, and design. Also, learn how you can help identify stories of positive change among members of our campus. 

Study Abroad Opportunities
Holly Carter
SB 162
Students wishing for an experience beyond Harlaxton have great choices within the ISEP (International Student Exchange Network) or during the summer. In this session we will review how the ISEP exchange program works and how to help students wishing to study abroad. We will also review the summer options for students wishing to go abroad, which is a very popular option.

-----

NOON - 1:00 P.M. BREAK FOR LUNCH

-----

1:10 - 2:00 P.M. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

General Education
Mark Valenzuela and Kristina Hochwender
SB 170
When said (and done) thoughtfully, those three little words can make a lot of difference in the life of a university! In the wake of changes to the Enduring Foundations requirements and assessment, join Dr. Kristina Hochwender, Director of General Education, and Dr. Mark Valenzuela, Director of Accreditation and Assessment, in a discussion of results from previous cycles of assessment and plans for assessing general education in the future, including student outcomes in the areas of diversity, social responsibility, and writing across the curriculum. We will also reflect on how the data can be used to improve how well we help students develop the characteristics of a liberally educated citizen.

Utilizing University Technology
OTS Staff
Hyde 14
Join OTS as they walk you through the new equipment in Hyde Hall. They will be demonstrating how to use the dual projectors, touchscreen, and Elmo-like device in Hyde Hall classroom 14 as well as answering any questions. 

UEngage
Geoff Edwards
SB 172
Have you heard of it? It is not just for Student Organizations. Offices hosting events that want to students to see and be invited to can use the system as well. This system produces information for the web calendar so come learn how your event can become better attended.

-----

2:10 - 3:00 P.M. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

An Informal Conversation with Prez P
President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz
Dunigan Lounge

Harlaxton: Past, Present and Future
Holly Carter, Wes Milner, and Jill Griffin
SB 271
Come learn about the Harlaxton Impact Study and provide ideas on how best to measure the tremendous impact Harlaxton has had over the years on students and the community. Share your thoughts and ideas for the upcoming 50th Year Anniversary. Get information and provide input on potential developments at Harlaxton including internships, change making, calendar modifications, and other possibilities for the future.

Stop the Bleed
Jerrilee LaMar
SB 272
Stop the Bleed is a national awareness campaign and call-to-action and is intended to cultivate grassroots efforts that encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives. A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes, therefore it is important to quickly stop the bleeding. No matter how rapid the arrival of professional emergency responders, bystanders will always be first on the scene. In this session you will learn how to save someone’s life in the event of a traumatic injury.

The regular AceNotes publication schedule of every Monday through Friday resumes today, Monday, August 5. As usual, AceNotes Extras will be published whenever needed.

A reminder that summer hours are ending! We return to regular hours today, Monday, August 5.