Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

ACADEMIC & STUDENT AFFAIRS NEWSLETTER

An Electronic Communication

OCTOBER 2003

 http://www.academicaffairs.mnscu.edu/

 

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to Tom Eland (MCTC) and Larry Kellerman (Central Lakes) who were recently elected Co-Chairs of the MnSCU Library Advisory Council Executive Committee for the 2003-04 Academic Year.

 

Welcome Sister Therese Gutting, as the Chief Academic Officer at Fond du Lac Community and Tribal College. 

 

GUARD ONLINE UPDATE

A student services team composed of advisors from participating institutions and staff members from the Office of the Chancellor have been assisting soldiers in selecting online courses that can help them progress toward their program or degree goals. Staff are assisting solders being deployed to Kosovo at Camp Ripley from October 4-9, 2003. Improvements have been underway to make textbooks and materials available more easily from campus bookstores and also to increase the range of course offerings, including more upper division and graduate courses.  Registration for the second semester of soldiers deployed to Bosnia, Italy, Belgium, Turkey, and England will begin in November.  Visit the website at www.guardonline.mnscu.edu for other information.

 

ART, MUSIC AND THEATRE DEPARTMENT/DISCIPLINE MEETING

A meeting for the art, music and theater disciplines will be held on October 10, 2003 at the University of Minnesota Earle Brown Center. This meeting will involve addressing a draft department/discipline curricular issue work plan and other agenda items that have been identified by a faculty facilitator and a planning group meeting on August 13, 2003 (music and theater) and September 24, 2003 (art). Information on these three disciplines may be found at http://www.mntransfer.org/Councils/Councils.html

A faculty representative from each Minnesota State College and University art, music and theater department/discipline is encouraged to attend the October 10, 2003 meeting. The selection of the representative was previously conducted last spring by IFO and MSCF appointment procedures. Any other faculty who wish to represent their college at this meeting (limit of one per college and university), need to obtain designation through the normal IFO and MSCF procedures.

The Program Collaboration and Transfer team has developed a listserve for each department/discipline so meeting attendees and others may articulate their issues, suggested resolutions, etc. Faculty are encouraged to subscribe to the listserve in their department/discipline as the lead faculty facilitators wish to use this as a means to communicate with their peers. To subscribe to the listserve of interest to you, point your web browser to http://www.mntransfer.org/MnTC/listserveinfo.html. The listserves are open so anyone may visit them as appropriate.

Please assist in distributing this information to your colleagues through regular communication channels. If you have any questions, please contact: Jerry Johnson at 651-649-5987, jerry.johnson@so.mnscu.edu or Linda Lade at 651-649-5743, linda.lade@so.mnscu.edu

WHAT’S NEW WITH TRANSFER

 

For additional and complete information, go to:   http://www.mntransfer.org/whatsnew.html

 

Fall 2003 Transfer Specialists’ Conference – Thursday, November 6, University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus, St. Paul Student Center, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.  The speakers and the breakout sessions promise to be informative and enjoyable.  You can access the agenda, registration form, list of hotels and parking lots at http://www.mntransfer.org/TSInfo/falltsindex.html.


Registrar Position Open at
Century College
Century College
www.century.mnscu.edu in White Bear Lake currently has an opening for Registrar, MMA, Supervisor 1, Unclassified. For job description and application Information, contact Betsy Bauer, 651-779-3914. Submit letter of application and resume to: Betsy Bauer, Human Resources, Century College, 3300 Century Ave N, White Bear Lake, MN

Augsburg College offers Transfer Regent's Scholarship
Augsburg College
will be offering the Transfer Regent's Scholarship for students applying for their 2nd semester beginning this academic year. The Regent's Scholarship is $3000 - $9000 based on grade point average. Classes for 2nd semester begin on January 12. Go to the Augsburg web site for more information. http://www.augsburg.edu/enroll/vhfaq/gifts.html

North Dakota Transfer Registration/Orientation Day
UND has scheduled a one-day registration/orientation event for admitted transfer students entering fall of 2004. The event, called Getting Started, will be held on Saturday, April 3, 2004. One exciting feature of the program is that attending transfer students will be registering for courses prior to all other current UND students. Transfer students must apply by February, 2004 to participate. Call 1-800 CALL UND, Ext 2117, or (701) 777-2117.

University of North Dakota Changes Transfer Policy
The way UND accepts and records transfer credits changed for students who matriculated to UND beginning fall of 2003. The new policy is as follows: "In general, all college-level credit attempted, excluding withdrawals, at a regionally accredited institution of higher education, will be posted in transfer by UND." Courses that have been rejected in the past due to their technical nature or due to their lack of applicability to UND programs will l now be accepted as general elective credits, regardless of grade earned. Grades of "D" or "F," therefore, will become a part of each transfer student's permanent academic record at UND. However, UND will continue to NOT accept remedial or preparatory courses, credit for life experiences, other institutions' credit by examination, or non-degree continuing education courses.

UND has also elected to begin accepting some forms of military credit in transfer. All credits from the Community College of the Air Force will be accepted. Current ACE guidelines will be used in evaluating credit earned through Army, Navy and Marine programs. Students must provide official copies of the military transcript.

Minnesota Transfer Curriculum accepted at University of North Dakota
UND recently approved to accept the MnTransfer Curriculum as equivalent to UND's general education requirements. Students currently taking coursework from a MnSCU institution or a student who completed the MnTC during or after the fall of 2001 will fulfill UND's general education requirement. For UND's purposes, the posting of the BA, BS or AA degree on a transcript or a letter from the MnSCU institution's Office of the Registrar will suffice for proof of program completion.

Saint Paul College has new MnTC courses and Course Equivalency Tables
Saint Paul College
developed several new MnTC courses last spring. Go to their web site to view their Minnesota Transfer Curriculum. http://students.saintpaul.edu/academics/transfer/ or to MnTransfer.org at http://www.mntransfer.org/MnTC/MnTC.html

New course equivalency tables can be viewed by going to the Saint Paul College web site http://students.saintpaul.edu/academics/transfer/equivalency.asp or by going to MnTransfer.org web site at http://www.mntransfer.org/Tables/CourseEquivalency.html

Course Equivalency Tables added to MnTransfer.org
Anoka-Ramsey Community College
- credits from Advanced Placement Exams, CLEP Tests, and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests. http://www.mntransfer.org/Tables/AnokaRamsey/AnokaRamseyIndex.html

Century College - credits from Bethel College and Minnesota SU-Akita. http://www.mntransfer.org/Tables/Century/century.html

Hibbing Community College - credits from Bemidji SU, Central Lakes College, and Ridgewater College. http://www.mntransfer.org/Tables/Ridgewater/RidgewaterIndex.html

Normandale College - credits from Dakota CTC, Hennepin TC and St. Cloud TC.
http://www.mntransfer.org/Tables/Normandale/NormandaleIndex.html

University of North Dakota - credits from Anoka-Ramsey CC, Century College, Fergus Falls CC, Inver Hills CC, Normandale College, and North Hennepin CC. http://www.mntransfer.org/Tables/und/und.html

University of St. Thomas - credits from Anoka Ramsey CC, Central Lakes College, Century College, Fond du Lac TCC, Hibbing CC, Inver Hills CC, Itasca CC, Minneapolis CTC, Minnesota State CTC- Fergus Falls, Lake Superior College, Mesabi Range CTC, MSU, Mankato, Normandale CC, North Hennepin CC, Northland CTC, Rainy River CC, Ridgewater College, Riverland CC, Rochester CTC, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Southwest Minnesota SU and St. Cloud SU, and Vermilion CC.
http://www.mntransfer.org/Tables/StThomas/StThomas.html

Transfer Guides added to MnTransfer.org
Bethel College
- for Anoka-Ramsey CC, Fergus Falls CC, Inver Hills CC, Itasca CC, and Normandale CC.

Normandale College - for Northwestern College, University of Minnesota - Institute of Technology, Medial Technology, Music, Music Therapy, Pre-Occupational Therapy, Pre-Physical Therapy. http://www.mntransfer.org/Tables/Normandale/guides/guideindex.html

Northwestern College - for Anoka-Ramsey CC, Central Lakes College, Century College, Fergus Falls CC, Fond du Lac TCC, Inver Hills CC, Lake Superior College, Minneapolis CTC, Minnesota West CTC, Normandale CC, North Hennepin CC, Northland CTC, Rainy River CC, Ridgewater College, Riverland CC, Rochester CTC, Saint Paul College, and Vermilion CC. http://www.mntransfer.org/Tables/northwestern/guideindex.html

New Questions and Answers in FAQs for Transfer Specialists on MnTransfer.org
Accrediting agencies
http://www.mntransfer.org/TSInfo/faqs_a.html#accreditingagencies
Excelsior College (NY) Credit by Exam http://www.mntransfer.org/TSInfo/faqs_a.html#excelsiorcollege
False Transcripts http://www.mntransfer.org/TSInfo/faqs_a.html#falsetranscript

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Prior Learning Assessment Survey added to MnTransfer.org:
http://www.mntransfer.org/PriorLearning/mnscu_pla.html

Please give us your feedback on this publication. Send questions/comments to kathy.deshane@so.mnscu.edu (651-643-3603) or gina.boeckermann@so.mnscu.edu (651-649-5742). Thanks!

 

UPCOMING PROPOSAL DEADLINES

As you know, the Center for Teaching and Learning in the Office of the Chancellor offers opportunities for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities faculty and staff to apply for funds to continually improve teaching and student learning. We'd like faculty at all institutions to be aware of upcoming proposal deadlines.

 

CTL GRANTS -- CTL Grants of up to $15,000 are available through the Learning That Lasts program with support from The Bush Foundation and the Office of the Chancellor. Applicants may choose to apply electronically or via the mail. Proposals are due by January 22, 2004, for projects beginning in July 2004.

 

DISCIPLINE/PROGRAM WORKSHOPS -- In addition, faculty and administrators may apply for funds to organize statewide professional development workshops for faculty in specific programs or disciplines. Discipline workshops are planned for Fall 2003 in developmental education, sociology, English composition, computer applications, and economics. CTL is especially interested in supporting professional development workshops in technical fields. Applications for Discipline or Program Workshops funds up to $10,000 are accepted throughout the year. However, applications received by October 1, 2003 will receive priority for Spring 2004. March 1, 2004 is the priority date for Fall 2004 events.

 

Proposal guidelines for CTL Grants and Discipline/Program Workshops are attached. They are also available online at www.ctl.mnscu.edu, or by calling 651-649-5740.

 

INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE REQUEST

The success of Minnesota Online to provide a collaborative framework for serving online learners of the Minnesota Sate Colleges and Universities System is being driven by stakeholder expectations.  Standards-based assurances are desired and targeted by Minnesota Online.  The Minnesota Online institutions recognize that accreditation provides an assurance of institutional quality through a process of external and internal review and can serve as a tool to define what structures are currently in place and a process which will strengthen a cycle for continuous improvement.

 

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is facilitating a project to extend and sustain accreditation status to include all online programs of study offered via Minnesota Online, in accord with current and future Higher Learning Commission’s policies and procedures.  The authority to award the degree or credits is retained by the institutions.   An institutional change request report will be completed and sent to the Higher Learning Commission in October, 2003.  A focus visit is scheduled to be held November 16th – 18th, 2003 at the Energy Technology Center.  The Minnesota Online Council is looking forward to hosting a team of Consultants/Evaluators from the Higher Learning Commission, NCA.

 

For more information, please contact:   Lynette Olson, E-Learning Accreditation Project Director, Phone:  651-649-5957 E-Mail Address: lynettte.olson@so.mnscu.edu           

 

NEWS FROM LAKE SUPERIOR COLLEGE

 

In the September Academic Communicator for Lake Superior College, information can be found on:

- Sabbatical Leave Application Process for Leave During the 2004-2005 Academic Year

- Calendar Highlights

- Link to Academic Affairs Meeting Calendar Chat

- And much more.  Go to:

http://www.lsc.mnscu.edu/admin/acadaffairs/Academic_Communicator_September2003.htm

 

THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE SOURCE

The latest issue of The SOURCE, an ITS publication, is now available on the ITS web site.

http://www.its.mnscu.edu/newsletters

This issue contains information on:

> the IMS of the Future Decision

> planning for an ISRS Conference

> NOVELL Software Solution Training Broadcasts

> the New ISRS Report Parameter: Suppress Header Page

 

NOMINATION PACKAGE FOR THE
2004 DAVID R. PIERCE FCULTY TECHNOLOGY AWARD

THE NOMINATION PACKAGE FOR THE 2004 DAVID R. PIERCE Faculty Technology Award is now posted on the AACC Web site (http://www.aacc.nche.edu/techaward).  This program to recognize outstanding faculty who promote the use of information technology in education is now in its fourth year and is sponsored by Microsoft and the American Association of Community Colleges.  The 2004 award will spotlight two outstanding faculty members, each of whom will receive a $5,000 honorarium and be recognized nationally.

 

Nominees for the award should be full-time or part-time faculty from AACC member colleges. Nomination information will be sent to all AACC member college presidents this week.  Complete information will also be mailed to all member presidents early next week. Deadline for nominating is October 24, 2003.  For additional information contact Margaret Rivera at mrivera@aacc.nche.edu or Zimika Wade at zwade@aacc.nche.edu.

-Margaret Rivera, AACC ext. 234, mrivera@aacc.nche.edu

 

iSEEK SOLUTIONS NEW INTERFACE AND NAVIGATION

iSeek Solutions recently launched the new interface and navigation for ISEEK, one of its web products.  ISEEK is the state's premier resource for employment, education and business information.  You will see a new homepage and user friendly design, allowing users to easily access ISEEK's rich content.  You can view the site at: www.iseek.org

 

 

UPCOMING MEETINGS CONFERENCES

OCTOBER
October 1, 2003, Seamless Education TF
October 3, 2003, CTL Campus Leaders Conference and ALA
October 7, 2003, Leadership Council
October 10, 2003, Discipline Conference
October 20, 2003, Statewide Disability Conference
October 21-22, 2003, Board of Trustees
October 28-30, 2003, Joint Chief Academic and Student Affairs Officers/Deans
October 30, 2003 E-Student Services WG

NOVEMBER
November 4, 2003 Leadership Council
November 5, 2003 Seamless Education TF
November 6, 2003,
Statewide Transfer Specialist Meeting (U of M, MnSCU, Private Colleges)
November 13, 2003 Minnesota Online
November 16-18, 2002 Higher Learning Commission Visit
November 20, 2003 E-Student Services WG

 

DECEMBER
December 2, 2003 Leadership Council
December 12, 2003 Minnesota Online
December 16-17, 2003 Board of Trustees
December 18, 2003 E-Student Services WG


DIVISION OF

ACADEMIC & STUDENT AFFAIRS

 

Sr. Vice Chancellor for Academic & Student Affairs, Linda L. Baer

651-282-5515, linda.baer@so.mnscu.edu

 

Academic Programs, Gary Langer

651-649-5772, gary.langer@so.mnscu.edu

 

Academic Resources, Deena Allen

651-296-8113, deena.allen@so.mnscu.edu

 

Research and Planning, Leslie Mercer

651-282-2547, leslie.mercer@so.mnscu.edu

 

Strategic Partnerships, Michael Murphy

651-282-5516, michael.murphy@so.mnscu.edu

 

Student Affairs, Mike López

651-296-0447, mike.lopez@so.mnscu.edu