A Message from the President
President Mary A. Papazian
Dear Colleagues, Thanks to all of you who attended our recent town hall meeting and other forums to discuss Board of Regents President Gregory Gray’s strategic objectives for the four Connecticut State universities. The discussion was informed and insightful, and I have used many of the general themes to help shape Southern’s response to this document. It is important to emphasize that this proposed plan is a starting point for discussion, and this period of review offers us an excellent opportunity to have our collective voice heard and align our own planning with a broader ConnSCU vision. No one should lose sight of the fact that we are and will remain a comprehensive university, with many areas of academic strength, built upon the bedrock of a liberal arts education. As I have stated several times, effective workforce development cannot take place
Elves abound at the recent Faculty and Staff Campaign for Student Success in the Michael J. Adanti Student Center.
without the liberal education that provides the critical thinking, the analytical reasoning and the communication skills that are all so vital in our continually evolving economic climate. But as we seek to win legislative and gubernatorial support for a plan that would potentially see an injection of major public funding into Southern and our sister campuses, it is also important to identify areas of strength that resonate with the state’s current and future demands for a knowledge-based workforce. In the long run, this public support would enhance our university as a whole, advancing our mission as a comprehensive, public university providing affordable access to higher education. Dr. Gray is expected to release a more fullydeveloped plan for the system around the start of the new year, and I will keep you informed as developments unfold. In exciting news regarding the Buley Library renovation, we received legislative approval to use reserves and other funds to cover the $8 million cost of finishing the second, third and fourth floors. This means that the complete project will now be finished by January 2015, offering our students the latest in media technology in a modern and attractive facility. The sciences also received welcome news with the designation of the ConnSCU Center for Nanotechnology at Southern by the Board of Regents. This move opens the door for students and faculty members from the 16 other institutions in our system to pursue collaborative research and partner with representatives from business and industry. The newly designated center arrives at an opportune time, as our new science building and related equipment will offer myriad possibilities for our program to grow in new directions, such as nano-medicine.
As this publication goes to print, we are nearing the conclusion of our remaining senior leadership searches. Finalists have been interviewed for the provost position, and we have named a new dean of the School of Education, Stephen J. Hegedus. Stephen is a professor of mathematics and mathematics education at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he has taught since 2000. Previously, he held appointments as research fellow, educational consultant and lecturer at the University of Oxford in England. At his present institution, he is also the founding Director of the Kaput Center for Research and Innovation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education. Stephen is the principal or co-principal investigator of various projects funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education and his present work involves the study and development of dynamic software environments. This project includes the professional development of pre- and inservice teachers and the large-scale integration of innovative technologies into K-12 curriculum. I believe that Stephen’s range of experience, talent for innovation and deep commitment to student success will serve our School of Education well. Please take the opportunity to welcome him personally to campus when he joins us Aug. 1. In closing, I thank you for all of your accomplishments during the fall semester, and I wish you a have and relaxing Holiday Season with friends and family. Sincerely,
Mary Papazian, Ph.D. President
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ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Nominations for the state Board of Regents for Higher Education Teaching and Research awards must be submitted by Jan. 15 to Linda Robinson in the Office of the Provost. Any faculty or staff member, as well as any student, may nominate full-time, tenure-track faculty members who are either assistant or associate professors, according to Marianne Kennedy, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. The teaching awards recognize faculty members who have distinguished themselves as outstanding teachers for at least five years and have a track record of at least two years of promoting instructional improvements for their programs and/or departments. The research awards are given to faculty members from the state universities who are doing exceptional research/creative work. Awards will be distributed during the spring honoring the winners at both the campus and ConnSCU levels. “I would encourage members of the campus community to nominate noteworthy faculty members for these awards,” Kennedy said. Letters of nomination may be sent to Robinson in paper copy or via email at: robinsonl4@southernct.edu . The letters should be no more than two typed pages and relate the nominee’s teaching or research to the criteria for the awards.
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
A committee will soon be appointed by President Mary A. Papazian to develop a new Master Plan for campus facilities, Executive Vice President James E. Blake has announced. The current 10-year plan is set to expire in 2014. A series of construction and renovation projects took place during that decade,
SouthernLife • december 2013
including the opening of the Michael J. Adanti Student Center; completion of the renovation and expansion of Engleman Hall; an addition of a wing to Buley Library and the start of a new academic and laboratory science building. “The campus was really transformed during the last 10 years and we anticipate some exciting projects in the coming decade,” Blake said. “One of the goals of the new Master Plan will be to support the new Strategic Plan,” Blake said. The university has begun work to develop a 10-year Strategic Plan, as well. Blake also reported that a steering committee has started meeting for the establishment of a new Recreation Center on campus. The center will be designed to expand student recreation and wellness opportunities.
INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
The Celebration of Philanthropy was held Nov. 10 in recognition of Southern’s donors and the students who have benefited from their generosity. About 220 members of the Southern community attended the festivities, which took place in the Michael J. Adanti Student Center Grand Ballroom and included brunch. Speakers included President Mary A. Papazian; Teresa Sirico, president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors; and Robert L. Stamp, vice president for institutional advancement, who thanked donors for their generosity. Deans from the various schools also provided updates on their areas and expressed their gratitude for the support given to Southern and its students. On Nov. 25, the Senior Giving Campaign kicked off with a theme of “Thanks for Giving.” Throughout the campaign, members of the graduating Class of 2014 are invited to make a symbolic gift of $20.14, with funds earmarked for the Senior Class Fund for student scholar-
ships and initiatives. About 50 students pledged their support at the inaugural event, which was held in conjunction with the Senior Executive Board in the Engleman Hall rotunda. The participating seniors received many gifts, including a Class of 2014 T-shirt and mug, and will have their names included on a recognition banner at commencement. Additional Senior Giving events will be held throughout the year. For more information contact Jaime Toth at (203) 392-6514 or TothJ4@SouthernCT.edu.
STUDENT AFFAIRS
Planning for Winter Welcome Week is under way, said Tracy Tyree, vice president for student affairs. Inspired by the success of Welcome Week at the beginning of the fall semester, a series of events is now being developed to welcome students back to campus in January, as well as to embrace and engage transfer students who will be starting their studies at Southern then. Tyree said that among the plans are welcome stations set up at indoor locations around campus and a Winter Fest with outdoor winterthemed activities. “We have between 300 and 350 new students – mostly transfers – starting in January, and it can be a hard time to start school because most students are in the middle of their year.” She said the goal of Winter Welcome Week is to help new students become integrated into the university community as quickly as possible, as well as to welcome back returning students and elevate the energy on campus. Ultimately, Tyree would like to see Welcome Week, at the start of both the fall and spring terms, become “a community experience,” with students, staff and faculty from around campus sharing ideas and contributing to the process.