1. ACADEMIC COUNCIL REPORT
WARREN K. WRAY
PROVOST AND
EXECUTIVE VICE CHANCELLOR
FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
October 18, 2007

2. ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

3. OFFICE OF THE VICE PROVOST FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Eight UMR engineering students selected to participate in the Boeing-St. Louis Engineering Job Shadow Program on Monday, October 22nd.
Mines & Metallurgy Alumni Academy fall meeting – October 19th
In conjunction with University Advancement, a Corporate Relations Team has been formed.

4. GRADUATE STUDIES

5. Office of Graduate Studies
The first Brown Bag Lunch for Graduate Staff was held on Oct. 3.
Vicki Hudgins and Roberta Cox have made presentations on graduate student processes at several department graduate student meetings and to the Council of Graduate Students.

6. Office of Graduate Studies, cont.
Kate Drowne will present the first in a series of Writing Workshops on Oct. 15. Clear Writing, Successful Proposals will begin at 3 PM in the Havener Center.
Vicki Gibbons attended three career fairs resulting in approximately forty new inquiries.

7. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

8. Information Technology
Classroom Foundational Technology
COMPLETE – 89 centrally scheduled classrooms have been outfitted with a standard technology package to support multimedia teaching needs.
(Example image – setup in each room may vary.)

9. Information Technology
Desktop Enhancement
FY2007 complete with 272 machines deployed
FY2008 progressing with 18 machines deployed
Over 375 machines redeployed to graduate students, part-time employees, etc.

10. Information Technology
Voice-Over IP Telephony
Over 1,350 VoIP phones deployed
General Services converted on September 13, 2007
Mechanical Engineering to be converted – November 2007

11. Information Technology
New IT web presence
it.umr.edu
helpdesk.umr.edu
ittraining.umr.edu
itpress.umr.edu

12. RESEARCH

13. Research
Proposal activities through September 2007 (year-over-year comparison)
Proposals awarded: $12.43M (up 26%)
Proposals submitted: $28.89M (up 21.5%)
Research expenditures: $10.6M (up 12.4%)
F&A recovered: $1.5M (up 3.3%)
Technology transfer activities through September 2007
Number of disclosures received: 8
Number of patent applications filed: 11
Number of patents issued: 1
Licensing income: $72,500

14. Research
FY 08 plus-up requests going through the appropriations process
Senator Bond
High performance alloy materials and advanced manufacturing of steel castings for new light weight and robotic weapon systems ($2 million)
Alternative sources of energy to power transit vehicles ($2 million)
Congresswoman Emerson
Center for Detection and Neutralization of Electronically Initiated Improvised Explosive Devices ($3 million)
Congressman Cleaver
Consortium for Bone and Tissue Repair and Regeneration ($1 million with UMKC)

15. SCHOOL OF EXTENDED LEARNING

16. School of Extended Learning
Accent Reduction Program
UMR’s Accent Reduction program for faculty is in full swing this semester. Eleven faculty have volunteered for the program and are receiving individualized instruction. Five of these faculty are in the program for the second time and are receiving Level Two instruction. Faculty wishing to find out more about the program or desiring to join next semester’s group should send their names through their Department Chair to the International Affairs Office. There is no charge for this service but space is limited so early registration is important.

17. School of Extended Learning
Instructional Design
On November 8, CERTI and DCE are sponsoring a program by Margaret Gunderson that will help introduce faculty to the concept of Instructional Design. Assistance with instructional design is a service available to faculty in many leading universities across the country and is intended to help faculty structure their courses in a way that insures a better learning experience.  This service now available on the UMR campus. Dr. Dan Cernusca has joined CERTI and is available to help faculty teaching distance courses design their courses so that learning is optimized for their students.

18. UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

19. Academic Advising Luncheon Series
Using the CAPS Report & Other On-Line Educational Records Laura Stoll and Shevawn Tipton, UMR Registrar’s Office 10/1/07, 12:00 PM, St. Pat’s C Ballroom, UMR Havener Center
The Importance of Prerequisites for Student Success Panel Discussion, 10/15/07, 12:00 PM, Missouri/Ozark Room, UMR Havener Center

20. Freshman Engineering Program
FRESHMAN ENGINEERING PROGRAM The Freshmen Engineering Program is once again working with the UMR Corporate Development Council (CDC) to have alumni come back to campus and give a presentation covering “soft skills” subjects such as Time Management, Ethics, and Professionalism, to the 950 freshmen students enrolled in the 8 sections of the Freshmen Engineering 10 course. The intent of this presentation is to have the students hear from a successful alumni/alumnae that there are important skills they need to develop and refine in addition to the technical courses they are taking at UMR. Dr. Scott Miller, Associate Director of the Freshmen Engineering Program is on the Faculty Partnering Subcommittee of the CDC, and last year arranged for representatives from Brinkmann Constructors in St. Louis and Black & Veatch in Kansas City to speak to the FE 10 classes. Planning will continue at the October meeting of the CDC to increase the number of corporations participating, and explore the possibility of adding additional subjects that the CDC members feel will benefit the students.

21. New Student Honors Seminar
Ultimate Teaching & Learning, Tuesday, October 2, 2007, , 6-7 PM, Havener Center, Carver/Turner Room
Backpacker Magazine Continental Divide Mapping Adventure, Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 6-7 PM, Havener Center St. Pat’s Ballroom A
Honors Academy Etiquette Dinner, Sunday, October 21, 2007, 4:45 PM, Zeno’s Motel & Steak House, 1621 Martin Springs Drive, Rolla MO
Salem Witch Trials Special Lecture, Monday, October 29, 2007, 6-7 PM, UMR Havener Center
2007 National Collegiate Honors Counsel Conference, Wednesday, October 31, 2007— Sunday, November 4, 2007, Denver, Colorado (by application only)

22. Teacher Education Program
UMR Student Teachers in Area Schools The following UMR student teachers are in outlaying schools for the first eight weeks: Jessica Alonso, Elementary Newburg Ariel Campos, Social Studies Salem Nathan Derrickson, Social Studies Newburg Christina Gramlich, Chemistry Newburg Pam Gray, Science Cuba Middle School Jennifer Phillips, Mathematics St. James High School Carla Reinagel, English Newburg High Sherry Rennier, Biology Cuba High School. Tink Sullivan, History Richland High School. This is their last semester at UMR.
SMSTA Hosts SCMSTA Student Missouri State Teacher Association is sponsoring the South Central Missouri State Teacher Association meeting on October 11 on campus. All of our SMSTA members are invited to attend the dinner and meeting.

23. Undergraduate Advising Office
Fall Open House-October 31st Please join the Undergraduate Office and its staff for our Fall Open House on October 31st from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM in 106 Campus Support Facility. Refreshments will be served. Door prizes offered. For more information, contact Melissa Folsom at
On Track Student Success Course The Undergraduate Advising Office has developed an academic recovery program to assist probationary and academically deficient students on the campus. This intervention program incorporates campus resources, academic alerts, success workshops, advising conferences and peer mentors to empower students to return to good academic standing and in turn, increase retention. If instructors and advisors wish to recommend that students take advantage of this new resource to assist in improving their academic performance, they can utilize the Academic Alert system to inform the students. This course began on September 10 and will commence on November 26, Students may join the course at any point during the semester by visiting the Undergraduate Advising Office. There are approximately 50 students participating in the On Track Program this semester.

24. Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
The Office of Undergraduate Studies is seeking nominations from faculty members for undergraduates to serve as Ambassadors to share their university research experiences with state lawmakers in Jefferson City for Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol in April 2008. 
We are seeking students who have been significantly involved in the research enterprise of the university either with their own project or through meaningful involvement with an on-going faculty project. 
Selection of Undergraduate Ambassadors will be based on geographical distribution, relevance of the project to the state, quality of the project, and distribution among the four campuses
To qualify for participation in this event, nominees must meet the following criteria:
Students must be undergraduates at the University of Missouri during the Academic Year.
Students must be residents of the State of Missouri.
Research must have been completed under the guidance of a University of Missouri faculty member.
Research projects must follow the methodology of the appropriate academic discipline.
The research project must be of sufficient quality to be presented at a professional academic meeting.
Nominations from the Rolla Campus are due by December 15, 2007 to:
Dr. Harvest L. Collier, Vice Provost, Office of Undergraduate Studies, c/o Amy Gillman, Assistant to the Vice Provost, - To download the nomination form, visit: