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Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Twin Cities (May 2016 updates)

Staffing for vacancies
Congratulations to Ingrid Nuttall, director, Office of the Registrar, on her new position of IT Manager of Enterprise Systems in the Office of Information Technology (OIT). Her last day in ASR will be Friday, May 27. Ingrid, no doubt, will bring to OIT her high energy presence, professionalism, improv talents, and project management skills. She has been instrumental in many directives across the University over the years and will be missed by many. Her infectious personality has allowed partnerships to be built across many units, paving the way for helping faculty, staff, and students at the University.

Jeremy Todd, Office of Classroom Management, will step in as the interim director. He has been very involved in the various projects and process that occur in OTR the past few years. He assisted in the Office of Student Finance transition of directors. Jeremy is well versed in the workings of Academic Support Resources units. The staff in ASR are competent and dedicated which allows for Jeremy to take on this role. Please feel free to contact him with any of your questions at toddx012@umn.edu. We will begin a search for a permanent director shortly.

Student Degree Progress: spring numbers
The Regents Progress Card established graduation rate goals of 65% for our four-year cohort (i.e., the fall 2017 entering freshman class) and 82% for the six-year cohort (i.e., the fall 2015 entering freshman class) by 2021. Currently, our four-, five- and six-year cohorts are on the right track trending slightly higher than last year's rates that locked at 63.3%, 75.7% and 77.69% respectively. Our potential graduation rates are based on the number of students whose degrees have been awarded plus the number of students who have applied for degree, and reaching those rates depend on every student who applied to graduate through summer 2016 actually receiving their degree.

To assist UMTC students financially in completing their degree, ASR currently has money available in the form of "Completion Funds". While an ASR committee reviews each student on a case-by-case basis, priority is given to students who could benefit from registering for summer in order to get back on track for four-year degree completion or who are ready to graduate this summer. Preference is also given to students who are struggling to pay off their spring 2016 balance and need to register for summer or fall.

One Stop Student Services: St. Paul location
One Stop Student Services St. Paul location will be moving for the summer in preparation for the new integrated One Stop/CFANS Advising Center (opening fall 2016). The St. Paul location of One Stop will be closed on Thursday May 26 and Friday May 27 to move from 130 Coffey to 101 Coffey. In mid-August, the new center will open for students, staff, faculty, and all to see and enjoy.  Any questions about this move and the new center can be directed to Nate Peterson, Assistant Director of One Stop Student Services at pete2787@umn.edu.

ASR Comings and goings 

  • Domini Brown joined ASR Continuity and Compliance on May 3, in a one-year temporary position of Writer/Editor. She will be reporting to Stacey Tidball and is located in 160 Williamson.
  • Erica Friedman joins University Veterans Services as a Veterans Coordinator. Erica has worked in One Stop as a One Stop Counselor for over three years.  
  • Jeff Idle joins ASR-IT as Student Data and Analytics Team Lead (BA4). He reports to Kristy Davis and his office is in 160 Williamson. Jeff was most recently employed with Cargill.
  • Jessica McCarty transitions today from student to full-time employee in OCM in the position of Project Coordinator. In her new role she reports to Toni Pangborn; her office is in 160 Williamson.
  • Steve Miller has joined OSF in Student Account Assistance, in the Finance Professional 2 position vacated when Linda Olson retired. Steve will be working with student A/R, and comes to us with experience in collections and student loans. He reports to Lydia Self and is in 211 Bruininks Hall.
  • Cindy Salyers joins ASR-IT as a Data Analyst. Her office is in 160 Williamson and will work with Jeff and the rest of the Student Data and Analytics team.
  • Chelsea Weber joins OTR as Executive Office & Admin Specialist. She replaces Pat Rickard and reports to Amber Cellotti. Her office is in 20 Fraser Hall.
  • Christina Wilson joins OSF this week in the temporary part-time position of Finance Prof 1 reporting to VIrginia Lim Stembridge. Her office is in Fraser. Christina last worked at Northern Arizona University in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.
  • Jason Holscher left ASR on Friday, May 6. Jason worked in ASR for 21 years. 
  • Tony Mogelson, formerly of SF IT, moved to OIT as a business analyst on the Research team. Tony’s last day was May 13.
  • Sarah Naranjo's last day in One Stop was Friday, May 6. Sarah joined ASR in 2011 and worked at the University prior to that time. 


ASR spring graduates
We have several staff members who have been working away on degrees and have completed them this spring. Congratulations, and way to go graduates!

  • Barb Yungers of OTR, and Mara Schneider of OSF both completed a bachelor's degrees this spring.
  • Lori Frase of SF-IT, completed her master’s degree.
  • Julie Selander of OSSS completed her PhD (We all wish her good luck defending her dissertation this summer!)

Rochester (May 2016 updates)

Rochester Milestone
Dr. Molly Dingel has become the University of Minnesota Rochester's first tenured faculty member. Dr. Dingel has a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Kansas and was part of the first cohort of faculty at UMR's new campus that constructed the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences curriculum and established faculty governance.

Commencement
On May 15, 109 students from UMR's two undergraduate degree programs -- Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS) and Bachelor of Science in Health Professions (BSHP) -- stepped across the stage at the Mayo Civic Center Auditorium and into their next stage of life.
The ceremony also included 10 graduates from the Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology (BICB) doctorate and master's programs.

Morris (May 2016 update)

Chancellor update
Rodney S. Hanley, Ph.D., has withdrawn his candidacy for the position of chancellor. President Kaler will appoint interim leadership and determine the next steps regarding a search.

Commencement
On May 14, 2016, more than 360 University of Minnesota, Morris students received their degrees. This was the 53rd graduating class from Morris. Former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak served as the 2016 Commencement speaker.

Summer Session
May session is underway, and summer session I begins on May 23, 2016.

Kudos
Judy Korn, Office of the Registrar, received the 2016  Academic Staff Award, and Marie Hagen, Office of Student Financial Aid, received  the 2016 UMM Outstanding Support Staff Award at the annual Faculty and Staff Recognition Dinner on April 28, 2016.

Duluth (May 2016 updates)

Executive Vice Chancellor update
Fernando P. Delgado has accepted the position of executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. His first day on campus will be July 5, 2016. Delgado is currently the vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Wisconsin River Falls. His previous experience include Hamline University and Minnesota State University Mankato.

Commencement
On Saturday, May 7, 2016, UMD's bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree commencement  ceremony was held at the AMSOIL Arena at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.
A total of 1,975 students graduated this year. UMD conferred 1,814 bachelor's degrees, 158 master's degrees, and 3 doctoral degrees. Senator Al Franken was the  commencement speaker.

Comings and goings
The Office of Financial Aid has a position opening  for a full-time Scholarship Administrator.
The positions is responsible for providing programmatic and operational oversight for centralized undergraduate scholarship activities and will serve as the subject matter expert on the awarding of University scholarships to new and continuing students.  The administrator will act as an expert resource to staff within Admissions and One Stop Student Services and work closely with other campus offices to ensure accurate, optimal utilization of scholarship funds.

For more information and to apply online please visit www.myu.umn.edu/employment, search for Job Opening ID 309958.

Crookston (May 2016 udpates)

Admissions Director Named
Michelle Christopherson is new Director of Admissions. Michelle has worked at UMC for the past 16 years in various roles including working at the Center of Agriculture and Natural Resources, serving as the Director of the Center for Adult Learning, interim Director of Admissions, and most recently as Director of Online Recruitment. Michelle is strongly rooted in NW Minnesota and has established many important relationships throughout the region, including strong connections to regional high schools and community colleges. Michelle began her service as Director on May 9, 2016.

Commencement
Crookston celebrated the academic achievements of this year's graduating class at the Commencement ceremony on campus May 7, 2016. The 2016 commencement exercises mark the 108th graduating class

Summer
May session began on May 9, and summer session starts June 6.

Comings and goings
Saterah Mostofi Campion is working as an intern for the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships  She is currently a student at the University of North Dakota earning her masters in higher education. She will be assisting the office while Kayla Pahlen is out on maternity leave.

Kudos
Val Uttermark of the Registrar’s Office receives a Years of Service award. Celebrating excellence and service by faculty and staff, UMC Faculty and Staff Day was held May 10, in Bede Ballroom.  Val has been working on campus for 40 years. Congratulations and thank you, Val!

Ad Astra - classroom scheduling at 2016 Midwestern Summit

The 2016 Midwestern Summit occurred April 20-21, 2016 at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, IL. Christine Mounts presented on Astra Schedule security role settings and configurations to an audience that included staff from 13 different institutions across 4 states. She was invited to conduct an encore of this presentation at the Ad Astra national user conference “Aspire 2016”  this coming October in Kansas City, MO.

Minnesota Association of Financial Aid Administrators (MAFAA)

MAFAA financial aid spring training “Continuing with Excellence” was held May 4-6 in Brainerd, MN. Twin Cities sent several financial aid professionals representing the loan, fiscal, scholarship, and undergraduate units.

This conference is an opportunity to get the latest federal and state updates and learn best practices from our colleagues. The U.S. Department of Education Training Officer Kimberly Wells presented on future changes in Federal Aid and provided more information about the upcoming Prior Prior Year.

Several UMNTC staff were recognized at the conference

  • The PPY Task Force was selected for this year’s Special Achievement Award. Larry Bloom from TC, and Kayla Pahlen from our Crookston Financial Aid offices were both members of the award winning PPY Task Force. The Special Achievement Award is presented to a person, committee, task force or other entity that has made a significant contribution to the financial aid profession in Minnesota. 
  • Cathy Schuster graduated from the Leadership Symposium program, a year-long program which is designed to take financial aid professionals to the next level in their leadership skills. 

Mn Statute 135A.15 Sexual Harassment and Violence Training

As of July 1, students who attend a course on campus or will participate in on ­campus activities
must be provided sexual assault training (by the 10th class day) according to MN Statute
135A.15. Students who enrolled at more than one institution within the same system at the
same time are only required to complete the training once. The Aurora Center will be managing
this process, including documenting students who have completed the training and placing
holds on students records of those who don’t. The System Registrar Council group is following up with their respective Student Affairs contacts and will share what each campus is doing to meet the training requirements.

Part of the training is to be sure that students who enrolled at more than one institution within the same system at the same time are only required to complete the training once. The University will support this is by providing all the Sexual Assault information website links on one page. Here are the links to the Sexual Assault information for all five campuses:

Crookston: http://www1.crk.umn.edu/services/healthservices/emergencyinfo/

Duluth: http://www.d.umn.edu/umdoeo/saprotocol/

Morris: http://www.morris.umn.edu/wellness/violenceprevention/

Rochester: http://r.umn.edu/student-life/health-and-wellness/student-health/sexual-violence-resources/get-help-sexual-violence

Twin Cities: http://aurora.umn.edu/

iSEEK has been replaced by DEED

DEED, Minnesota Department of Employee and Economic Development, will be required to create a “one stop” for displaced workers. They are requesting a feed of approved programs which we will work on for them. We are still in discussions regarding the academic course and non-credit course information.The University will continue participation in the program.

Education Advisory Board Student Success Collaborative (EAB SSC) - Predictive Analytics University of Minnesota Pilot Project wrapping up

The University of Minnesota has completed its pilot of the Education Advisory Board Student Success Collaborative (EAB SSC). Between March 7 and May 6, 2016, 29 advisors representing 8 colleges and programs on the Twin Cities campus used the SSC platform during their regular advising appointments and provided feedback through survey submission and checkpoint meetings. The project team is preparing a recommendation that will be reviewed by Provost Hanson to determine next steps.