University of Nebraska at Omaha
2012 Chancellor's Strategic Planning Awards
The annual Chancellor’s Strategic Planning Awards at UNO are designed to recognize units, both academic and non-academic, and cross-disciplinary initiatives that exemplify a commitment to furthering UNO’s strategic goals - a focus on helping UNO’s diverse student body reach their potential, a commitment to academic excellence, and an active engagement with the community and region. The awards have been presented by the Chancellor since 2004.
2012 Awardees
Student Focus Category
College of Education Culture Walk Program
In 2009, the College of Education began the culture walk series to provide teacher candidates with the opportunity to experience the culture and history of minority populations locally. Each of the 15 Walk events that have been held to date, exposes students to issues of diversity and allows them to meet community advocates and professionals currently working in diverse school settings. Students come away with an increased awareness of the impact of culture on learning and childhood development as well as skill sets to use in the classroom. COE has partnered with 15 community agencies, allowing over 1500 COE students to benefit from this program. The project has allowed the faculty and students involved to bring their informed knowledge into their often theoretical conversations about teaching and learning in the Omaha area.
Academic Focus Category
Office of STEM Education
The office of STEM Education has facilitated positive academic change here at UNO over the past three years. The changes have included: bringing STEM to the forefront for faculty and students in the UNO community, encouraging collaboration among the UNO colleges, highlighting research in the area of STEM pedagogy and curriculum developments, and provide funding for professorships in the STEM areas including facilitating a greater collaboration with UNL, area community colleges and P-12 schools districts. A number of collaborative grants have been written including the design of a STEM secondary education graduate program currently in the approval process, submitting several NFS grant STEM proposals and authoring research articles, presentations and a book chapter.
Community Engagement Category
Nebraska Business Development Center
Housed within the College of Business Administration, the Nebraska Business Development Center provides consulting assistance to more than 3,000 small businesses across the state of Nebraska every year. For the past 35 years, NBDC provides research based consultants to small businesses and not-for profits as they bring new ideas to the market place. Recently NBDC was accredited for its technology commercialization program, only one of 8 in the country. NBDC assisted businesses add more than $420 million to the Nebraska economy every year, a service that is not available from any other source in Nebraska.
Nebraska Municipal Clerk Institute and AcademyHoused in the Department of Public Administration, the NMCIA hosts an annual continuing education institute for municipal clerks, treasurers, and clerk administrators across Nebraska counties. The institute held since 1976 promotes the continuing education program allowing clerks to expand their professional skills and advance to national certification. As a result of this program, clerks from 350 municipalities and 85 counties have participated in the program and Nebraska boasts a large number of administrators that have received certified and master clerk certification. The week long institute program is enhanced each year and many attend annually as part of their own professional development.
Previous UNO Strategic Planning Awardees
2004-05
Student Focus: School of Social Work
Academic Excellence: Department of Information Systems and Quantitative Analyses
Community Engagement: UNO Center for Economic Education
2005-06
Student Focus: First Year Experience
Academic Excellence: Department of Criminal Justice
Community Engagement: International Studies and Programs
2006-07
Student Focus: Project Achieve
Academic Excellence: School of Communication
Community Engagement: Center for Public Affairs Research
2007-08
Student Focus: Library Science Education
Academic Excellence: School of Public Administration
Community Engagement: Public Relations Student Society of America-UNO Chapter
2008-09
Student Focus: Division of Continuing Studies
Academic Excellence: Department of Economics and Real Estate
Community Engagement: Center for Innovation in Arts Education
2009-10
Student Focus: CBA Maverick Investment Program
Academic Excellence: The Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility
Community Engagement: Neighborhood Center’s Graffiti Scan Program
2010-11
Student Focus: UNO Athletes and Elders: A Community of Interest
Academic Focus: The Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility
Community Engagement: The Physical Activity in Health Promotion Program