UNO Receives New, Higher Ranking from Carnegie Foundation

UNO is now one of 88 institutions of higher education nationally classified as doctoral/research universities, according to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

The Carnegie Foundation is the leading, nationally recognized policy and research center that systematically evaluates and classifies colleges and universities based on empirical data. Universities are reclassified approximately every five years. 

"This new ranking accurately reflects the progress that the university has made," said UNO Chancellor John Christensen.  "People who come to campus are always amazed at the depth and breadth of what we do.  I've said it before—this isn't the UNO you remember."  Read more.

UNO/Higher Education Research Institute National Faculty Survey Launches Today

Faculty are invited to participate in the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) National Faculty Survey that officially launches today, Feb. 8. Faculty should have received an invitation e-mail with an embedded URL from the Higher Education Research Institute. The survey is voluntary and includes questions about employment, workload, goals for undergraduate students, campus culture and climate, scholarly work, engagement with students and instructional and evaluation methods. Survey findings appear in a national report, and are used by the UNO campus, colleges and departments for accreditation purposes, peer institution comparisons and planning. 

Local UNO survey questions will be linked to the HERI survey that ask about faculty annual review, research activity, mentoring and technology support.

Please plan to participate in both the 2011 HERI National Faculty Survey and the UNO Faculty Local Survey.

Questions? Contact the Office of Institutional Research at (402) 554.2367.

MavRide Event for Students in MBSC Today

UNO has partnered with Omaha's Metro to provide 400 UNO students with free public transit transportation during the spring 2011 semester. The MavRide prepaid cards will be distributed to UNO students on a first come, first serve basis at the kick-off event rescheduled for today, Feb. 8, at 11 a.m., in the fireplace lounge on the first floor of the Milo Bail Student Center.

Representatives from UNO Student Government and Metro will offer brief remarks about the new partnership at 11 a.m. UNO students must present a MavCard student I.D. to receive a free MavRide bus pass.

For more information, contact Megan Schmitz, UNO Student Government – (402) 554.2620 or mschmitz@unomaha.edu – or Linda Barritt, Metro – (402) 341.7560, ext. 2300 or lbarritt@ometro.com.

The GreenUNO Task Force supports this MAVRide initiative. For more information, visit http://www.unomaha.edu/green/.

Academic Advising Survey Reminder

Several faculty and staff reported issues in completing the recent Academic Advising survey sent out on Jan. 7. Survey staff apologizes for the confusion and appreciates your patience and continued participation. Questions? Contact Rita Henry at rhenry@unomaha.edu.

Campus Budget Forum Audio Available Online

An online audio recording of the most recent UNO Campus Budget Forum is now available. The audio is linked to the PowerPoint slides shown at the Jan. 27 event.

Chancellor John Christensen, Senior Vice Chancellor Terry Hynes and Vice Chancellor Bill Conley provided the latest state and NU system budget information at the forum. Earlier in January, Gov. Dave Heineman presented his budget strategy to the Unicameral. 

The recording is hosted at Strategic Budget Advisory Committee website at http://www.unomaha.edu/plan/sbac/inside/sbacinfo.php. Along with the new audio, the presentation slides and other previous budget forum presentation materials are available on the same web page.

'UNO College Night at Maverick Hockey' This Friday

The UNO Athletic Department is inviting every college on campus to "UNO College Night at Maverick Hockey." Every Friday night of each weekend hockey series, UNO will recognize a specific college during the game, although members of all colleges are invited to attend.

On Feb. 11, International Studies and Programs and the College of Public Affairs and Community Service will be recognized at the Mavericks' game against University of Wisconsin. Every college is invited to take part in this special offer, which includes a ticket to the game and one buffet meal at Rick's Café Boatyard for just $22. The buffet runs from 5 to 7 p.m. at Rick's located at 345 Riverfront Drive in Downtown Omaha.

To take advantage of this special offer, contact Pam Schwarting by end of the business Thursday, Feb. 10, at (402) 554.3689 or pschwarting@unomaha.edu.

History Department Instructors to Initiate Film Series This Friday

World Civilizations instructors in the UNO Department of History will screen a series of four films on Friday evenings during the spring semester. Each will begin at 6 p.m. in Eppley Auditorium. The first in the series is "Black Robe," the 1991 film about a 16th century Jesuit priest's journey among Quebec's Algonquin Indians. 

After each film, a History Department faculty member will lead an audience discussion of the movie. Other films are scheduled for Feb. 25, March 11 and April 22.  They include "Strawberries and Chocolate," "Europa, Europa" and the 1934 version of "Cleopatra." 

For more information, contact Jo Behrens at (402) 554.2584.

Deadline Feb. 15 for Student Employee of the Year

Nominations are due soon for the UNO Student Employee of the Year award.  Student employees working on campus are eligible. Graduate assistants, resident advisors and teaching assistants are not eligible.  To nominate a student, contact Tim Rochford, manager of Student Employment, at (402) 554.2465. Nominations are due to the Human Resources office by Tuesday, Feb. 15.

The Student Employment ceremony will be held on Monday, April 18, capping off National Student Employment Week. The campus winner will receive a check for $75.

Eligible Terms of Employment:
Students must have been employed for a minimum of six months between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011 (anticipated). 

Selection Criteria
Students will be evaluated on the following qualities:

1. Reliability

2. Quality of Work

3. Initiative

4. Professionalism

5. Uniqueness of Contribution
(In case of a tie, uniqueness of contribution should be the deciding factor.)

To obtain the nomination form, call Tim Rochford at (402) 554.2465, or email your request to trochford@unomaha.edu.

COE and LWV to Host 'Evening with Gloria Ladson-Billings' Feb. 24 at Alumni

Professor Gloria Ladson-Billings will present a lecture on "Pushing Past the Achievement Gap" at the Thompson Alumni Center Thursday, Feb. 24, at 5:30 p.m. Her research examines the pedagogical practices of teachers who are successful with African-American students.

Ladson-Billings is a Kellner Family Professor of urban education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Tickets, which include dinner and her talk, are $35. Tables of 10 may also be purchased. To reserve a seat, visit

http://www.unomaha.edu/enotes/2011/img/billingsrsvp.pdf.

This event is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha and the UNO College of Education.

R.S.V.P. by Thursday, Feb. 17. For more information, contact Carol Lloyd Rozansky at (402) 554.3471 or crozansky@unomaha.edu.

mavlink/PeopleSoft Training/Overview Sessions Offered

The UNO Nebraska Student Information System (NeSIS) team has added several records and registration training/overview sessions for faculty and staff through February.

Please visit the training calendar at https://unebapps01.nebraska.edu/uwide/trnreg.nsf/unoclass?OpenForm&Start=1&Count=50&Expand=2&Seq= to register. Registration is limited to 10 people.

Anyone who has questions or comments about NeSIS can e-mail them to nesisquestions@enroll.unomaha.edu.

February UNO Apparel Sale Under Way at Bookstore

The UNO Bookstore is currently having a UNO apparel sale. Buy any regular priced hoodie and get a T-shirt for only $1 (selected T-shirts only). Also, all regular priced jackets are 30 percent off.

The sale runs for the month of February, while supplies last.

UNO Bookstore hours are:
7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday,
7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.   

Questions? Contact Jacinda Brooks at jbrooks@mail.unomaha.edu.

Student-Selected Faculty Speaker Series Kicks Off This Month

New this year, the UNOrthodox speaker series features student-nominated faculty who are dedicated to advancing an intellectual, cultural, physical and social learning environment. The dynamic faculty will complement and enhance UNO's educational opportunities by sharing their passion and knowledge about various topics affecting the world today.

The new speaker series is a unique approach to generate honest and thought-provoking conversations at UNO. Developed through a partnership between Student Organizations and Leadership Programs, Student Government and other campus partners, the UNOrthodox speaker series is designed to spark new ideas for the campus and metropolitan community.

Although the spring semester's two speakers have been selected, students are encouraged to nominate faculty for the fall 2011 semester. Nominations will be accepted online at http://studentorgs.unomaha.edu/unorthodox/ from today, Feb. 1, to Tuesday, March 1, with two faculty selected to speak in September and October.

The inaugural UNOrthodox speaker series events are happening in February and March.

Noon Tuesday, Feb. 22
College of Public Affairs and Community Service Collaborating Commons
• Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, Department of Political Science and Office of Latino/Latin American Studies
"Which Way to Your Amerika?" – Benjamin-Alvarado asks the question, and searches for the place where Latinos sit within the combative and often hostile milieu of contemporary American life. The topics covered include racism, immigration, the toxic political discourse, social marginalization, redemption and unity.

For more information, call Student Organizations and Leadership Programs at (402) 554.2711.

Campus Recreation to Offer Sport Development Camp

This event has been designated a UNO Mav-Rec Wellness event.

Campus Recreation will offer a new youth sports development program starting in February. The Mini Mav-Kids Sports Development program will be offered Saturdays, Feb. 12, through March 19, in the newly renovated Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Building.

The program is for children ages 3-5 years old and parent/guardian is aimed to prepare these children for organized sports in a fun non-threatening environment. It prepares children and their parents for organized sports without the threat of competition or the fear of getting hurt. Age appropriate equipment is used to teaching throwing, catching, batting and kicking.

Questions? Contact Lisa Medina (402) 554.2859 or lmmedia@unomaha.edu. Registration forms can be found online at http://www.unomaha.edu/wwwocr/youth.

The mission of Mav-Rec Wellness, UNO's health promotion program, is to create a culture of health and wellness among all faculty, staff and students. Health goals are encouraged through programming and initiatives that celebrate healthier lifestyle practices within the UNO community. For more information, visit http://www.unomaha.edu/wwwocr/health/wellness.php.

Beatles Tribute Show Coming to UNO

The Strauss Performing Arts Center will host the critically-acclaimed, and widely enjoyed, Beatles tribute show "Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience" on Saturday, Feb. 19.  The concert will benefit Omaha's Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra.  Read more.

Speech Center Consulting Room Spring Hours Announced

The UNO Speech Center Consulting Room, located in 185 Arts and Sciences Hall, begins its spring hours. Hours are generally 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  To make an appointment, call (402) 554.3201 or stop by 185 ASH.

The UNO Speech Center assists all UNO students, faculty, and staff at any point in preparing oral presentations and/or incorporating them into their courses. Visit http://www.unomaha.edu/speechcenter/ to find out more information. Call (402) 554.3201 to schedule an appointment.

Anyone with questions or faculty members interested in scheduling a consultant to come to your classroom to introduce your students to the center and to talk about presentation skills can call the Speech Center at (402) 554.3201 or send an e-mail to unospeechcenter@unomaha.edu.

UNO UFO Study Group Weekly Schedule Reminder

During the spring semester, the UNO UFO Study Group will meet every Wednesday in the Milo Bail Student Center (MBSC) Jenkins Room from noon to 1 p.m. and every Saturday in 285 Durham Science Center (DSC) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anyone with an interest in the UFO phenomenon is encouraged to attend.

Can't make it to a meeting? If not, try and catch UNO's streaming audio program -- 'Spooky Action at a Distance' -- on Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. at http://www.unomavradio.com/.

For more information, call John Powers at (402) 319.2721.

People

- Metropolitan Community College (MCC) recently saluted Theresa Barron-McKeagney, director and professor of UNO's Grace Abbott School of Social Work, at their annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on Jan. 18. MCC thanked Dr. Barron-McKeagney for her many contributions to the community that helped others live Dr. King's dream.

Have you done something noteworthy in your profession? E-mail "People" items to rbrown@unomaha.edu. "People" appears in the Tuesday edition of eNotes.