Doneka Scott has been named vice chancellor and dean of the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, effective February 15, and pending Board of Trustees approval. Scott will also hold a secondary appointment as a professor of the practice in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development in the College of Education. She is currently vice provost for undergraduate education and student success and a clinical faculty member at the University of Oregon.
An open search for the dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences is underway. The nomination committee is chaired by Dean Mark Hoversten of the College of Design. Stay up to date on the search by visiting the search page on the Provost’s Office website or go.ncsu.edu/chass-search.
COVID-19 Updates:
The spring 2021 semester will begin Jan. 19 and classes will conclude April 30. Starting the semester one week later will give more time to implement a robust COVID-19 testing strategy for returning students. There will be four wellness days spread throughout the semester. These days are meant to provide a respite for the NC State community, and faculty will be instructed to avoid any deadlines or tests on days following these breaks. Exams will take place May 3-10 with a Reading Day and two weekend days set aside for breaks. Spring commencement is scheduled for May 15.
NC State Dining is planning to re-open several locations for the spring semester and has made some modifications to its plans to better serve students. Learn more about these changes here.
If students plan to travel home or to another location away from campus, we strongly encourage they get tested for COVID-19 within the week before they leave. Student Health Services will provide free testing for all NC State students. Students can schedule tests ahead of time at Student Health Services (Make an appointment) or another testing site in Wake County (Make an appointment). Getting tested is quick and easy. Visit Student Health Services for more information about on-campus COVID-19 testing.
From DELTA:
TheCourse Quality Program at NC State is accepting applications! This year there are three different professional development programs rooted in Quality Matters (QM) available to help faculty with quality assurance in online education. Apply by Nov. 13.
TheTeaching Online Certificate is being piloted this year and is an entry point for current or emerging online instructors to master QM competencies.
TheOnline Course Improvement Program includes a cohort of faculty peers and OCIP coordinators working together to improve one of their online courses.
Panopto will replace Mediasite as NC State’s enterprise content capture tool in May 2021. DELTA is currently recruiting faculty members to be preliminary test users and provide feedback on the tool.Learn more and apply to the Panopto Early Adopters Program.
The ITLC Lilly Conference, which focuses on enhancing online, onsite and hybrid teaching and learning, is available at no cost to the NC State community from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4.Register now.
NC State Open Textbook Grants are available through the OpenStax Institutional Partnership Program to faculty members interested in adopting free, peer-reviewed textbooks in an effort to create equitable learning environments. Apply by Dec. 10.
Faculty and teaching graduate students are invited to join DELTA, NC State University Libraries and OFD for Faculty Meetups held each Thursday from 12-1 p.m. via Zoom.Registration is required.
Don’t forget to check out DELTA’s upcoming workshops!
Proposals are now being accepted for the 2021 Teaching and Learning Symposium, which will take place virtually Friday, February 26, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This year’s theme is Celebrating Faculty Success and Resilience. The deadline for proposal and poster submissions is December 16. Questions may be directed to faculty-development@ncsu.edu.
Join OFD on November 13 from 10-11:30 a.m. for the Fall Fulbright Informational Session. Fulbright Outreach and Recruitment Specialist, Michelle Bolourchi, will provide an overview of Fulbright programming, answer questions, and offer advice to applicants. This event will be recorded for those unable to attend. You will need to register for the event to receive a link to the recorded session. Please RSVP for this virtual event using the following registration link: https://apply.iie.org/register/NCState. The Zoom link for this event will be shared with those who RSVP in advance of the session. For more information, please contact Director of External Faculty Awards and Recognition, Maria Almanza (maria_almanza@ncsu.edu).
The Office of Faculty Development’s annual Teaching and Learning Symposium will be held on Friday, February 26, 2021, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Zoom. Register now to attend! During this virtual event, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in roundtable discussions led by NC State faculty, watch a keynote lecture, and meet and talk with NC State peers who are interested in teaching and learning. The Teaching and Learning Symposium is free of charge, and you will receive instructions for joining the Zoom event via email after completing your registration. Proposals are being accepted for virtual roundtable discussion and posters until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 — please see the full call for proposals for details. Our 2021 keynote lecture, Increase Faculty Success by Increasing Student Resilience: Metacognition is the Key!, will be delivered by Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire.
From the Office of Global Engagement:
November is International Education Month, and to celebrate our Think and Do Global attitude, the Office of Global Engagement is excited to host a full month of events to recognize our university’s global connections. This year’s celebration will include more than 25 events to recognize NC State’s global diversity.
NC State Passport Services has moved from Witherspoon Student Center to the main floor of Talley Student Union. The new facility includes many improvements, including ADA-compliant accessibility, greater visibility and card access. Passport Services will occupy the space next to the Wolfpack One Card office in the main lobby of Talley on the second floor.
Global 3D: Discuss, Discover, Develop. Did you know that citation rates can more than triple when your publication has at least one international co-author? In November, the new Global 3D series will focus on global research collaboration. Join us for “how-to” conversations with experienced faculty–an opportunity to get questions answered in a casual format. Register for one or both sessions using these links:
From the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity:
This year, the African American Cultural Center invites the campus and surrounding community to join us in the practice of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. From Nov. 4 – 13 we will provide information via social media about the multiple ways you can practice the principles of Kwanzaa and build your own feast of faith. We are looking forward to storytelling, learning more about area Black businesses, discussing the Black futures, and more. For more information, see go.ncsu.edu/kwanzaa to learn about the special programs/events and how to register. Follow us on social media at @aaculturalcenter on Instagram and @ncsuaacc on Twitter and Facebook.
The GLBT Center has launched a new GLBTQ+ in STEM program in partnership with the College of Natural Resources, College of Sciences and the College of Engineering. The program aims to provide students with a social space in the form of virtual discussions in which staff, faculty and alumni share stories and experiences in a welcoming social space to build community for students whose interests align with the STEM disciplines. Diverse voices will come together to learn, grow and make change from various perspectives.
The Sisterhood Celebration committee is seeking students, staff, faculty and alum to speak to the challenges faced since last year’s dinner. Applications will be accepted through Dec. 6 and must include two items: Up to 1,000-word summary write-up; and a 1–2 minute sample video that should highlight either a short segment of your story or give the committee an outline of what your story will encompass. The planning committee anticipates selecting 3-4 story submissions to be fully recorded and presented during the Sisterhood Celebration on February 22, 2021. Contact the planning team at sisterhooddinner@ncsu.edu if you have questions. For more information, visit go.ncsu.edu/sisterhood.
From the Office of Research and Innovation:
The Office of Research and Innovation has released a video about the state of research at NC State. Join Paola Sztajn as she talks with Vice Chancellor Mladen Vouk in October 2020 about the research landscape at NC State to kick off Research Week.
Other Announcements:
NC State’s annual Holiday Energy Savings Initiativewill begin Nov. 25, 2020, and conclude Jan. 18, 2021. When campus is closed for the winter holiday, NC State reduces energy consumption in campus buildings by lowering building temperatures, as well as turning off lights and unused equipment. Since 2005, the Holiday Energy Savings Initiative (HESI) has avoided more than $4.5 million in utility costs. Calendars, exemption requests, frequently asked questions, and more info are available online at go.ncsu.edu/HESI.
