Sigma Bulletin, December 11-17, 2006

A. DEAN'S UPDATES
B. CALENDAR
C. LOOKING AHEAD

A. DEAN'S UPDATES

1. The University has created a website with a set of online FAQs to help units answer common questions regarding Proposal 2. These will be updated as new information is available.
Please see http://www.vpcomm.umich.edu/diversityresources/prop2faq.html

2. Nancy Songer has been elected to the rank of AAAS Fellow. AAAS is the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This society is the preeminent society of the sciences.

Nancy's citation states that she is being honored for "pioneering work in transforming technologies used by expert scientists into resources for precollege students. Your Kids as Global Scientists and BioKIDS programs have improved science learning for students around the world."

This award will be presented at a ceremony in February 2007 at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of the Advancement of Science in San Francisco.

Please see the article in the University of Michigan Record: http://www.umich.edu/~urecord/0607/Dec04_06/01.shtml

This is a very significant honor. Congratulations, Nancy! We are so proud of you.

3. Chris Myers has designed and put up a new webpage as a central location for the School's recruitment efforts. It can be seen at http://www.soe.umich.edu/uncommoneducation. The theme of “uncommon education” was coined initially by Ed Silver and plays on President Angell's claim that the University of Michigan provides “an uncommon education for the common man.” This slogan captures our commitment to high quality education for all. You may see this theme on the new flyers posted around our building and all over campus. Please contact India McHale ( indiamch at umich.edu) for more information or to volunteer your help with our current “full court press” to increase applications to the School of Education, especially in teacher certification programs, but also to our master's programs in CSHPE and Ed Studies.

B. THIS WEEK'S CALENDAR

- December 11: Derek Vaughan dissertation defense, "Planning for Information Technology: A Comparative Case Study of the Factors Affecting the Alignment of Institutional Strategic Plans and Information Technology Plans," 9:00 a.m., Room 2327 (Brownlee).

- December 12: The Center for Proficiency in Teaching Mathematics talk by Mary M. Kennedy, “Where is the Role for Knowledge in Teaching?” 12:00-1:30 p.m., Brownlee Room (2327).

- December 13 and 14: undergraduate elementary teacher education program Partnership Dinner Event focusing on the mentor/novice professional partnership. Information: Sara Constant, 647-6337.

- December 14: Educational Studies Colloquium: Jeffrey Stanzler, “Serious play: Using simulation to create compelling contexts for thinking,” noon-1:00 p.m., Room 2327 (Brownlee).

- December 14: National Center for Institutional Diversity's (NCID) Critical Issues Forum, "Campus Partners Engaged Internationally," 3-4:30 p.m. , Brownlee Room (2327).
- December 16: Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association (MIFA) Fall Middle Level Individual Events Tournament at White Pine Middle School in Saginaw. Information: Linda Martini, lmartini@umich.edu

C. LOOKING AHEAD

- January 3, 2007: Deadline for submitting Susan Lipschutz scholarship applications. Information: www.rackham.umich.edu/Fellowships/guideln/2445.html

- January 8, 2007: Meeting for MLK day volunteers, both teacher leaders and general volunteers, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Room 2327 (Brownlee) in the School of Education.

- January 12, 2007: CSHPE 50th anniversary Inaugural event, “The Emerging Challenges to Higher Education,” hosted by President Mary Sue Coleman and featuring distinguished panel of current and former university presidents. Information and registration: http://soe.umich.edu/cshpe/50th/inauguralevent

- January 12-14, 2007: 4th International Conference on Teacher Education and Social Justice, University of Illinois-Chicago, U.S.A. Information: http://antioppressiveeducation.org/2007conference.html

- January 14, 2007: Winter Reception to be held at Cobblestone Farm, 3:00-6:00 p.m. Details forthcoming.

- January 15, 2007: Martin Luther King Day. The theme is 'Building the Beloved Community!'

- January 25, 2007: Deadline for submitting proposals to the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching for Lecturer's Professional Development Grants. Information: http://www.crlt.umich.edu/grants/grants.html

- February 8, 2007: Deadline for submitting proposals to the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching for the Gilbert Whitaker Fund grants. Information: http://www.crlt.umich.edu/grants/grants.html

- March 16-17, 2007: Educational Studies Campus Visitation Days for newly admitted PhD students.

- March 22-25, 2007: CSHPE 50th anniversary conference, “Understanding and Strengthening Higher Education's Contributions to a Changing Society.” Information: http://soe.umich.edu/cshpe/50th/conference

- April 28, 2007: Commencement, 4-5:30 p.m., Hill Auditorium.

- May 31-June 2, 2007: CSHPE 50th anniversary Alumni Celebration
“The Contributions of the First Half-century and our Commitments to the Second Half.” Information: http://soe.umich.edu/cshpe/50th/celebration

- August 30, 2007: Fall Re/Connection

- October 20, 2007: Graduate Information Day.