The End of the School Year!
Wolverine Welcome Week 2024 – Faculty Events
Dear faculty,
As we complete another academic year, I am sure you are already preparing for fall, when we will welcome thousands of new students to UVU.
As you know, the transition to higher education can be both exciting and overwhelming for students. As faculty, your presence and support play a pivotal role in helping them feel a connection with UVU from day one, which helps them be more successful.
The UVU Wolverine Welcome Week events provide an opportunity for new students to familiarize themselves with campus resources and services and also provide a platform for them to connect with faculty members. Since you have a big influence on students, I encourage you to participate in these events.
The faculty events are being held on Tuesday, August 20. More information is below. Please add these to your calendar and welcome new students to UVU.
New Student Welcome
Join us in welcoming students to campus as they check in to participate in their school/college events. Faculty will assist in a welcome tunnel, check-in, picture organization, and escorting students to school and college events. Don’t forget to wear the green shirt that you will receive before the event.
· Time: 8:45 a.m.
· Location: Meet outside Fulton Library.
School/College Welcome Orientation Event
Join us for an orientation session introducing new students to academic expectations and the keys to becoming successful scholars.
· Time: 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
· Location: College/School location(s) – more information coming soon.
New Student Welcome Lunch
Join our new students for lunch! Faculty can mingle and chat informally with new students.
· Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
· Location: Student Center Patio.
Policy News
Policy Update
On March 14, 2024, the President’s Council approved two policies to enter Stage 2. You can send any comments to your elected representative in the Faculty Senate, PACE, or UVUSA until May 2:
· Policy 113 University Awards of Excellence, and
· Policy 335 Staff Grievance.
Three policies were approved to enter Stage 3 for deletion because their content is addressed elsewhere. The window to submit comments to the policy owners ended on March 22:
· Policy 111 Academic Calendar,
· Policy 135 Copyright, and
· Policy 647 Faculty Grievance.
One policy was approved to enter Stage 3. The window to submit comments to the policy owners ended on March 22:
· Policy 654 Faculty Merit Awards.
One policy was approved to enter Stage 4 for deletion because its content is addressed elsewhere:
· Policy 450 Processing and Control of Distributed Administrative Data.
Four policies were approved to enter Stage 4:
· Policy 136 Intellectual Property,
· Policy 445 Institutional Data Governance and Management,
· Policy 632 Academic Rank Advancement, and
· Policy 649 Faculty Sanction and Dismissal for Cause.
On March 28, President’s Council approved two policies to enter Stage 1:
· Policy 611 Credit for Prior Learning, and
· Policy 633 Faculty Performance Evaluation and Feedback.
Two policies were approved to enter Stage 2. You can send any comments to your elected representative in Faculty Senate, PACE, or UVUSA until September 27:
· Policy 116 Student Communications, and
· Policy 606 Adoption of Course Materials and Textbooks.
One policy was approved to enter Stage 3. The window to submit comments to the policy owners ended on April 5:
· Policy 371 Corrective Action.
And one policy was approved to enter Stage 4:
· Policy 654 Faculty Merit Awards.
Finally, on March 28, 2024, the Board of Trustees approved six new policies, which will be added to or revised in the Policy Manual:
· Policy 136 Intellectual Property,
· Policy 445 Institutional Data Governance,
· Policy 450 Processing and control of Distributed Administrative Data (Deletion),
· Policy 648 Faculty Personnel Reduction (Temporary),
· Policy 649 Faculty Sanction and Dismissal for Cause, and
· Policy 654 Faculty Merit Awards.
Policy Note – Policy 637 Faculty Tenure
It’s that time of year when many faculty are getting ready to apply for midterm or tenure review and diligently working on their portfolios. For those getting ready please do not overlook the importance of section 5.6 of Policy 637 Faculty Tenure. Please note that there may be a discrepancy between department/school/college criteria and the minimum requirements of the University found in Policy 637 Faculty Tenure. While we are currently working on revising criteria to resolve such discrepancies, it is important to remember that department/school/college criteria do not supersede university policy. Portfolios must contain the minimum requirements found in Policy 637 Faculty Tenure section 5.6.
Research Institute at the Women’s Success Center
RI@WSC Research Spotlight: Empowering Disabled Workers through Care Orchestration by Dr. Angela Owens-Schill
The Research Institute at the Women's Success Center is thrilled to shine a spotlight on groundbreaking research that delves into the often-overlooked realm of disability in the workplace. The research by Dr. Angela Owens-Schill, assistant professor of organizational leadership, and colleagues includes a forthcoming paper that sheds light on how disabled workers navigate and shape care dynamics within their professional environments.
Titled "Orchestrating Care: Disabled Workers' Active Role in Workplace Support," the
study challenges prevailing notions that portray disabled individuals as passive care
recipients. Instead, the research uncovers a compelling narrative of agency and empowerment
through meticulous analysis of experiences among workers with hearing impairments
in the United Kingdom.
At its core, the study explores the concept of care orchestration – the deliberate crafting of socio-material arrangements that facilitate collective support for disabled workers. Far from being passive recipients, these individuals actively engage in practices such as coaching and resource allocation, showcasing their competence, responsiveness, and commitment to fostering inclusive workplace environments.
The research not only strengthens our understanding of disability in the workplace but also underscores the ethical imperative of acknowledging and amplifying the agency of disabled individuals. By shedding light on the proactive strategies employed by these workers, the study paves the way for organizations to foster more inclusive, supportive, and empowering environments for all employees. Stay tuned for the full manuscript, which is expected to be published in the Journal of Business Ethics soon. The research promises to provoke thought, inspire action, and drive meaningful change in the realm of workplace inclusivity and ethics.
In another recent study, Dr. Angela Owens-Schill delved into the life history of a mother-worker caring for two neurodiverse children, surfacing how the burdensome mental load of balancing domestic and professional responsibilities has permeated and shaped her identity. The project, which reveals how the mother-worker has navigated the logistical and emotional complexities in both roles, will be presented at the 84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management taking place in August 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
We are delighted to celebrate Angela’s accomplishments and look forward to the continued impact of her work!
Angela Owens-Schill’s research centers on the inclusion of marginalized groups, including people with disabilities, in terms of navigating the workplace via self- and other-compassion, engaging with allies, and advocacy. She has published in thte Journal of Business Diversity, International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, International Journal of World Peace, and the Journal of Intercultural Management.
The Research Institute is always looking to amplify the faculty work being done by, for, and about women at UVU. Please use this form to tell us about your or your colleagues’ impactful work!
April 2024 Faculty Article
Upcoming Changes to Fulton Library Databases
To support student scholarship and faculty teaching, Fulton Library offers access
to hundreds of research databases across a range of disciplines. This summer, academic
libraries in Utah will transition to a new, statewide database vendor, which will
cause some turnover in Fulton Library’s database subscriptions. While the new database
holdings will offer robust and relevant resources that are comparable to the library’s
current offerings, you may notice changes to database access in July.
This transition will offer the same level of service, resources, and ease of use to
which you’re accustomed; similar databases will replace those leaving our catalog.
Librarians will be available to help locate the articles, journals, and databases
needed for your courses or research,
including providing updated article links for Canvas courses and syllabi. As these
changes take effect, librarian liaisons will be in touch with more information regarding
what to expect.
Our librarians are here to provide support, whether it’s updating article links, exploring alternative databases, or addressing questions or concerns. In the meantime, if you have questions about how this transition will impact your courses or research, please contact your subject librarian.
Attention UVU Students!
The UVU SIMLab is hosting an ethics expo to provide YOU the opportunity to engage critically with corporate social responsibility, advocacy, and nonprofit impact.
Ethical Reflections:
Silent Exploration of Corporate Social Responsibility and Advocacy Impact
Hosted by the UVU SIMLab
Organized by Amanda Flinders, UVU Student
Faculty Mentor Dr. Stevie Munz
Date: Monday, April 15th
Time: 10 AM - 2 PM
Location: UVU Campus, Student Center Commons (In Front of the Grand Ballroom)
Why: Engage critically with corporate social responsibility, advocacy, and nonprofit impact. Learn about ethics within corporate social activities with interactive content. Walk through at your own pace!
***Ask your professors about extra credit!***
Call to Faculty for 2025 Study Abroad Proposals
UVU’s Office of Education Abroad has officially opened the 2025 Study Abroad faculty program proposal process. The first step toward leading a group of students abroad next year for academic credit is to simply let us know that you intend to propose a program by filling out the Intent to Propose a Study Abroad Program form (found on our website) by May 6, 2024. This form doesn’t require any in-depth planning. It is meant to help start the conversation between you and your chair/program coordinator about leading a study abroad program and to give the Office of Education Abroad and college deans a heads-up on programs for next year.
The Comprehensive Program Proposal form (instructions found on our website) does require a bit more planning but isn’t due until September 4, 2024. I am available throughout the rest of the Spring and Summer semesters to answer any questions and to provide resources/guidance as you develop your proposal. I highly encourage you to meet with me well before the proposal deadline, especially if this is your first study abroad program.
Our website also has an application for a Study Abroad Program Development Grant (up to $1500) that can be used to help defray travel costs for faculty travel without students related to the development of new study abroad programs.
Please don’t hesitate to contact Brent Spencer ([email protected]) if you have any questions or concerns about your proposal.
Distinguished Service-Learning Faculty
We are pleased to announce Dr. Mykin Higbee as the April Service-Learning Superstar!
Dr. Mykin Higbee is an Assistant Professor in the Nursing Department at Utah Valley University. She earned her BSN at Brigham Young University, her MSN at Utah Valley University, and her PhD at the University of Texas at Tyler. Mykin teaches Nursing Lab and SIM courses for first-semester students and fourth-semester students, Global Health Nursing, and Nursing Care of the Aging Population. Her research interests include caffeine and energy drink consumption habits of nurses and nursing students and attitudes and experiences of nursing students related to the care of older adults.
Mykin says this about her service-learning work:
I teach a nursing course about caring for older adults and have noticed that several nursing students do not have a particular interest in caring for this population. To better engage students, I have created several service-learning opportunities. First, students interview an older adult about their life and write up the story. This activity helps students to better see older adults as individuals, recognizing commonalities between them. Students turn in the paper but also give a copy to the individual.
Next, students visit a local community senior center and perform a health screening where they check senior’s vital signs and provide basic education. This is a great opportunity for the students to interact with healthy seniors in the community and provide a useful service while learning more about community resources available to older adults.
In a final project, students come up with a service project they can provide for a senior or a group of older adults. The plan should include evidence-based information related to activities that are beneficial for seniors including exercise, technology help, gardening, meal planning, games, etc. These projects encourage students to look for needs and then find creative ways to improve the quality of life and connection for older adults in the community.
At the end of the course, students have expressed feeling less apathetic and more connected to older adults. This new attitude is important as the population of seniors is growing and nurses have the obligation and privilege of caring for them.
Please join us in congratulating Mykin for her incredible service-learning efforts!
Dr. Jonathan Westover
Academic Director, Center for Social Impact
Dr. Ezgi Sertler
Associate Academic Director, Center for Social Impact
Help us highlight you and your students! Share your story using the CSI Success Stories form.
We welcome nominations for future Service-Learning Superstars on a rolling basis, and self-nominations are encouraged. To nominate, please send an email to Dr. Jon Westover ([email protected]) and Dr. Ezgi Sertler ([email protected]) with a 250-word description of the nominee, department affiliation, and service-learning course activities.
First Region (Section 3)
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