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Mondays Message October 24, 2011 Good afternoon Im back in the
studio, but I want to thank those of you that wrote in regarding
last weeks video. It was nice to set up shop at a different location,
and we will look at some additional venues down the line. When you
have one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, there are
plenty of options. Today I want to look ahead to the next couple of
weeks, since I wont return to your monitors until Monday, November 7.
Throughout the course of the year, I will provide you with updates
about our work on the Graduation Initiative. I have repeatedly noted
that this must be our highest priority. The committee, under the
leadership of Victor Okhuysen, is addressing how we might enhance
student success. For example, we know that students time to degree is
delayed if they are required to repeat a course multiple times to get
the necessary grade. This is compounded in bottleneck courses, where
access is limited. The solution is not simply to award the grade
needed, but to boost students performance so they achieve the desired
learning outcomes in their first attempt.The Graduation Initiative
received a Kellogg Legacy Endowment Grant this year to
support a variety of endeavors. One of these is the Enriching Courses
Project,designed to enhance high-enrollment courses, particularly
bottleneck courses, where a significant percentage of students are not
meeting the expected learning outcomes. Through funding from the
grant, a request for proposals has been developed. Departments are now
invited to identify a team of at least three faculty members to study
a courses design, learning environment and other aspects so as to
identify ways to enrich the students experience. The outcome
will allow teams to share their projects with other faculty, so they
may consider adopting the successful approach.If you are interested in
furthering this study, I invite you to visit the website on your
screen, or contact Dr. Okhuysen.This committee, in partnership with
faculty and staff, will serve to help elevate the quality and quantity
of our graduates.Always one of the most popular items on students
calendars is Pizza with the Presidents. On Tuesday, November 1 at
noon, ASI President Johnathan Jianu will join me in the University
Quad. We will provide students the pizza, drinks and a place to sit
and,hopefully, answer any and all questions they might have about
their campus experience. We have been doing this for
over 12 years and our students have consistently helped us identify
and resolve issues. I hope to see you then.On the research front, the
CSUs Agricultural Research Institute, or ARI, brings
together the collective expertise of the systems four agriculture
programs, as well as the associated business community.
Through ARI, our students and faculty experience an applied
agricultural and environmental research program. This important
initiative will present its 11th annual Research Showcase from 3 to 6
p.m. at AGRIscapes. The event will include an overview of the ARI
projects and a poster session by ARI researchers and students. For
more information, visit the site on your screen.Im really excited by
the cadre of speakers from diverse disciplines that are
visiting the university this quarter. On October 28, former NASA
astronaut Barbara Morgan will share the joys of spaceflight through
pictures and personal stories from her shuttle mission. Her message,
sponsored by the NSF Advance Grant, is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Ursa
Major AB. We expect a big crowd, so please RSVP to advance@csupomona.
edu.On Halloween night, the Ahimsa Center will host a public lecture,
Hunger in an Age of Plenty: Sustainable Solutions Through
Nonviolence, by internationally acclaimed author and physicist Vandana
Shiva. The event is scheduled for October 31 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the
Music Recital Hall.And finally, author and educator Beverly Macy will
speak on Social Media in Business" at the first Executive Speaker
Series event of the year on Thursday,November 3. The kickoff event,
which is open to the university community as well
as alumni and business leaders, will be held at 6 p.m. at Kellogg
West.The 2011 Charles Lindsley Memorial Vocal Scholarship Fundraiser
will be a special affair with a dual purpose. We will not only
celebrate the life of Professor Emeritus Charles Lindsley, but also
the extraordinary contributions of Susan Burns. After 32 years of
service to our students,Professor Burns has announced her retirement
from the music department.In 1994, a year after Lindsley's death,
Burns and current department chair Iris Levine founded an annual
fundraising concert in his honor. Each year, one outstanding student
is selected to receive a scholarship for his or her achievements
within the department.The show, scheduled for Friday, October 28 at 8
p.m. in the Music Recital Hall.,will feature performances from
faculty, alumni and students. For more ticket information,
visit the website on your screen.As I mentioned earlier, Im going to
need to skip next week because I will be off campus, but Ill be back
on November 7. Until then, take care of yourselves and
each other.