This is a workshop for faculty in the arts and humanities who are looking for creative ways to find funding for research and other scholarly activity. The workshop is open and free to all faculty in the arts and humanities on Friday, January 29, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., in the Information Technology and Engineering building, Room 456. For more details, contact Julie Rosenthal at julier@umbc.edu or ext. 5-6798. RSVP by Thursday, January 21.
The Faculty Development Center and the Faculty ADVANCEment Workshop Series presents How to Write a Proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF) on Friday, December 4, 1-5 p.m., in The Commons, Room 331.
This workshop is for faculty who are planning to submit a proposal to the NSF. Topics to be covered include how to make sure that your idea is fundable, the NSF review process, the review criteria and the critical questions that must be addressed for a proposal to be funded. A detailed description of how to write each part of the proposal will be given.
RSVP by Thursday, December 3, to advance@umbc.edu or contact ADVANCE staff at ext. 5-8169 with questions.
The Honors College announces its call for applications to teach Honors Seminars in 2010-2012. All UMBC instructional faculty are eligible to apply for the Honors College Faculty Fellows program, to teach an Honors Seminar one semester for two years (2010-12). New this year is an opportunity for post-doctoral appointees at UMBC to apply to teach as an Honors College Post-doctoral Teaching Fellow, to teach an Honors Seminar for one semester during one academic year (2010-11).
We seek to appoint four faculty fellows and up to two post-doctoral teaching fellows. For more information about Honors Seminars, visit the Honors course offerings in the schedule of classes. For an application or to inquire further about the program, visit the Honors College Web site or contact the director, Anna Shields, at ext. 5-2164 or ashields@umbc.edu.
From: Elliot Hirshman, Provost and Senior Vice President, and Tim Topoleski, Faculty Senate President
Dear Colleague,
As you know, we have a new University System of Maryland (USM) policy and new state law on the subject of textbook affordability. The USM Textbook Affordability policy was effective with the fall 2009 semester and the new state law was effective on July 1, 2009.
Below are highlights of the major components of both the policy and state law. The policy and law are not intended to restrict your academic freedom in textbook selection in any way; rather they are intended to increase awareness of important options in selecting textbooks, as well as provide students with sufficient time and information to obtain their course materials at the lowest possible cost.
Textbook Adoption Deadline: For the spring 2010 semester, the new state law indicates all textbook adoptions must be “posted” on the Bookstore Web site by Tuesday, December 1. In order to give the Bookstore time to finalize the order and post the information, our due date is November 24. This deadline does not apply to situations in which a faculty member has not yet been assigned to a course by that time. The textbook adoption form is available on the Bookstore’s Web site.
Textbook Adoption Form: The Bookstore has revised this form to provide space for faculty members to
consider items as required in the USM policy and state law as follows:
– Multiple Semesters: Faculty members teaching the same course for multiple semesters can produce cost savings for students by using the same textbook and course materials. The revised textbook adoption form provides space in the 6th column in which one can indicate if a book will be used for another semester, if this is known (yes/no, spring/fall, or don’t know).
– Textbook Editions: Faculty are encouraged to order new editions of textbooks only if pedagogically necessary and advise the Bookstore if previous editions are also acceptable. The revised form provides space to indicate in column #3 a listing of all acceptable editions.
In addition, space is provided for situations in which the previous edition is selected by the faculty member and the Bookstore finds that sufficient copies are not available; in column #7, space is provided for a faculty member to provide the Bookstore with pre-approval to order the latest edition as either (i) the only edition to be used or (ii) to allow both the latest and previous editions to be used.
– Faculty acknowledgement: The state law requires faculty to acknowledge that he/she has considered a number of cost issues in his/her textbook selection. The form provides applicable links regarding these issues and the faculty members’ signature on the textbook adoption form constitutes these acknowledgements.
– Bundled Versions: Faculty should order bundled versions of textbooks (plus supplemental materials such as CDs or workbooks) only if necessary to the curriculum and instruction. If a bundled version is selected, the Bookstore will advise you of the option to request unbundled versions and the price differential.
– E-books: Use of electronic versions of textbooks by students should be permitted. The Bookstore currently stocks e-books, if available.
The Bookstore is also working with student representatives from SGA on a “Guide for Students in Buying Course Materials” with an anticipated release in December 2009. Further informational sessions on these issues will be conducted at the faculty senate meeting on November 10.
Lisa Kakavas, our campus bookstore textbook manager, is your primary contact person for textbook questions; so should you have any questions or need additional information, contact her directly at ext. 5-2699 or kakavas@umbc.edu.
We greatly appreciate your support of our students.
The Retired Faculty Reading Club will be discussing Terry Bouton’s “Taming Democracy: The People, the Founders and The Troubled Ending of the American Revolution,” on Monday, December 7, 4 p.m., in The Commons, Fireside Lounge. Bouton has written a major work revising commonplace notions that the American War for Independence was consistently a peoples’ movement because of the backlash staged by the contemporary gentry who were eager to preserve social and economic standing in the years immediately following the Revolution itself. Bouton will host the discussion and refreshments will be served. Come and bring guests.
This event is sponsored by the Faculty Development Center. Contact Barry Casey at ext. 5-1829 or bcasey@umbc.edu for more information.
This seminar will provide you with the content and resources to implement the study of East Asia in your curriculum. No previous background in Asia is assumed. Teams of teachers are strongly encouraged to apply. This is a “no-cost” professional development opportunity.
Topics covered include:
* Introduction to the Geography, Early Civilizations and Philosophical Underpinnings of East Asia (1/30)
* Western Expansion into East Asia: Qing Dynasty, Opium War and Territoriality (2/6)
* Japan’s History through Meji (2/13)
* Art in East Asia (2/27 at Walters Art Museum, Baltimore)
* East Asia, World Wars and Aftermath (3/6)
* Growth of Mao and Post-Mao China (3/27)
* Recent History of Korea (4/10)
* East Asia and the Global Economy (4/24)
Teachers will receive instructional resources, seminar materials and a stipend. Participants will attend 30 hours of seminars in winter and spring 2010 and two follow-up workshops in fall 2010. They will then develop an implementation plan. Other benefits include a free one-year subscription to Education About Asia magazine and eligibility for NCTA East Asia Study Tours in Summer 2011.
The deadline for application is December 19. All seminars will take place on campus Saturday mornings from January 30-April 24 on campus. For more information and an application, click here or contact che@umbc.edu.
* This national program is funded by the Freeman Foundation in association with the Asian Studies Center, University Center for International Studies of the University of Pittsburgh and the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA). The UMBC Department of History and Center for History Education present the Maryland NCTA Seminar Program.
From: Elliot Hirshman, Provost
Applications are invited for the position of interim vice provost for faculty affairs.
The interim vice provost will work collaboratively with the provost, vice presidents, deans, vice provosts, department chairs, Faculty Senate and administrative staff and will be responsible for development and administration of policies and programs affecting faculty members. The interim vice provost will be a member of the Council of Deans and the President’s Council.
The interim vice president’s responsibilities will include actively participating in the recruitment and orientation of full-time instructional faculty members; assisting the provost in efforts to increase the diversity of the faculty; reviewing appointments, reappointments, changes in status and several types of leave for instructional and research faculty in all academic departments and research centers; assisting the provost review of faculty members for promotion and tenure; overseeing the faculty annual report process; monitoring implementation of post-tenure review; serving as a liaison to the Faculty Senate; maintaining the faculty handbook; reviewing and ensuring accuracy of faculty data in the human resources database; preparing and coordinating faculty nominations for campus, University System of Maryland and national awards, fellowships and other honors; and overseeing the operation of the Faculty Development Center and the ADVANCE program. The vice provost supervises the ADVANCE program and Faculty Development, works closely with the Office of Institutional Research in the preparation and review of several external reports to the University System, prepares MHEC’s triennial Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Report, as well as reports that concern minority achievement and assists the provost in administration of UMBC’s Assessment Plan.
Candidates for the position must be tenured faculty members and should have a strong record of teaching, research, service and academic leadership that demonstrates excellence as a faculty member. The successful candidate should have strong written and oral communication skills; evidence of organizational and time management skills; understanding of methods for advancing faculty members’ professional development; commitment to UMBC’s traditions of shared governance; an ability to work cooperatively with faculty members, other senior administrators and staff members in all disciplines and at all levels across the campus; and significant experience in faculty affairs (for example as department chair, assistant/associate dean or leadership in faculty shared governance.)
Applications should include: a letter of interest that will include a brief discussion (some 2-3 pages) of the candidate’s understanding of the responsibilities of and issues facing the interim vice provost for Faculty Affairs and the approaches and priorities, as the candidate now sees them, of addressing those responsibilities and issues; a curriculum vitae; and three letters of recommendation. The search committee will be chaired by John W. Jeffries, dean of arts, humanities and social sciences. Applications should be submitted electronically to Terry Aylsworth in the Dean’s Office at aylswort@umbc.edu no later than noon on October 26, 2009.
We anticipate that the appointment will begin on January 1, 2010.
This introductory workshop is for faculty who either are new to the art of proposal preparation or wish to increase their probabilities of success. It is appropriate for those in all research areas including the sciences, social sciences and humanities. Faculty who are planning to submit proposals in the areas of teaching and training are also invited to
attend.
This workshop is Friday, October 23, 1-4 p.m., at The Commons, Room 331. It is presented by the Faculty Development Center and the Faculty ADVANCEment Workshop Series.
RSVP by Friday, October 16, to advance@umbc.edu or contact the ADVANCE staff at ext. 5-8169 with questions.
The Board of Regents Faculty Awards recognize distinguished performance by faculty, within the past three years, in the categories of teaching, scholarship/research/creative activity, public service, mentoring, and Inter-USM-campus collaboration. The Honors and Awards Committee of the Faculty Senate will select up to three individuals in each category for nomination to the Regents’ Faculty Award Committee.
To nominate yourself or a faculty colleague for one of these awards, prepare a packet of no more than five pages including a summary resumé, a one-page essay by the nominee describing his or her contribution to excellence, a letter of recommendation from the department chair or dean and brief documentation of exemplary achievement.
Submit the packet to the Honors and Awards Committee, c/o Marilyn E. Demorest, Office of the Provost, by Friday, October 2. Nominations submitted to the Honors and Awards Committee within the past two years are still on file and may be re-activated by contacting Demorest. Additional detailed information concerning eligibility, criteria and documentation for these awards can be found here.
New and junior Faculty are invited to a luncheon with Ralph Pollack, associate vice president for research and former chair of the chemistry department, on “Building a Winning Research Proposal.” Pollack has obtained close to $5 million in outside funding for research and enjoys mentoring new faculty on the research and funding process.
The luncheon will be Friday, September 25, noon-1:30 p.m., in The Commons, Room 331.
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