CLASS Newsletters January - May 2015 by U-Idaho CLASS

College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences January 2015

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Dear Colleagues, Happy New Year! I hope everyone found a moment to relax and enjoy the holiday season. My family and I had a great break. It afforded us some time to regroup and consider all the experiences of the last few months. Among the most transformative experiences was my trip to China to visit South China University of Technology (SCUT), our partner institution, in Guangzhou and to attend the annual conference of the Confucius Institute in Xiamen. Among those of us that went were, President Staben, Dr. Mary Beth Staben, Dean Chen Jie, and UI Confucius Institute Co-Directors Dr. Matthew Wappett and Dr. Hexian Xue (Snow). China was amazing, and this trip was very productive. We gained insights about expanding the UI Confucius Instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outreach efforts, which are dedicated to sharing Chinese culture and language with the people of Idaho, as well as integrating the UICI more into the business community. At the South China University of Technology, which is a major academic institution in China, we met many faculty, staff, students, and administrators. We agreed to begin faculty and student exchanges. There are reasons to be optimistic that this fall ten undergraduate students from SCUT will join our university and our College for an entire academic year. Exchanges and the addition of students from China is an exciting development and one that fits well within the mission and the strengths of our College. We are leaders in international education on campus, and have been for a long time. Many of our CLASS donors and friends often relate amazing stories of their international travel while they were students here. Today, our students make up half of all UI students that engage in study abroad. Furthermore, half of all Fulbright faculty members are from CLASS. And, many of our academic programs have significant global components. In fact, a few programs center entirely on international education. For me, these are significant points of pride, and we want this part of our College to grow. We are working on new partnerships, such as the one with SCUT, that will result in more study abroad opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, more ways that faculty can engage with colleagues in other countries, and more options for international students who seek to join the Vandal community. This is just one initiative in international education. We will have many more to come.

Finally, a quick note. This semester I will again have open office hours. Beginning February 2, they will be Monday’s from 3:30 – 5 p.m. and Tuesday’s from 11 a.m. – Noon. Please feel free to contact Jennie (jenniej@uidaho.edu) to set up a time to visit. As always, if you can, please send me a note ahead of time. Here’s to a wonderful, productive, and happy 2015! Go Vandals! - Andy

ANNOUNCEMENTS Books by Andrew Kersten Dean Kersten published two books this January. Both are about the famous civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph (1889-1979). You can check out more information at: http://nyupress.org/books/9780814785942/ and https://www.umass.edu/umpress/title/jobs-and-freedom “Understanding China” Fellowship Please pass on this reminder to faculty. The “Understanding China” Fellowship offers long-term and shortterm funding for faculty to visit China to conduct research and create collaborative relationships (see: http://www.uidaho.edu/class/confucius-institute/study-program/Understanding-China-Fellowship ). Per Matt Wappett, Director of the Confucius Institute, “We have just returned from a very productive trip to our partner university, South China University of Technology, in Guangzhou and we were very impressed with their facilities, research capacity, and keenness to collaborate. This fellowship program would be a great opportunity to capitalize on this tremendous resource.” The due date for applications for these fellowship opportunities is January 31, 2015. Applicants who work through the Confucius Institute are given priority in the selection process. FY2016 Seed Grant Request for Proposals The Seed Grant program is sponsored by the UI Office of Research and Economic Development. The program’s objectives are to promote research, outreach, and creative activities in all branches of learning that will improve competitiveness for external funding, and/or which will result in publications, patents, or exhibitions/performances appropriate to the PI’s discipline. The primary purpose of the program is to support early career faculty establishing a scholarly program; early career faculty are those who have been at the UI 5 years or less and/or are still Assistant Professors. Proposals that support a change in direction for established investigators will also be considered, but must be well‐justified. Proposals are due to the Office of Research and Economic Development by 5:00 p.m. Monday, February 2, 2015. Please refer to the FY2016 Seed Grant Proposals page on the U of I website for information on eligibility, restrictions and submission guidelines.

CLASS Undergraduate Collaborative Research Key Grant The CLASS Undergraduate Collaborative Research Key Grant is designed to encourage collaboration between CLASS faculty and students on scholarly or creative projects, which may include articles or books, conferences, performances, productions, workshops, travel, and professional development experiences. Final grant submissions due to the CLASS office February 13th. Applications and more information available here: http://www.uidaho.edu/class/researchandcreativeworks/fundingopportunities

Kurt O. Olsson Early Career Research Grant The Kurt O. Olsson Early Career Research Grant program aims to help recently hired faculty develop scholarly/creative programs that promote research and creative activities in the humanities, arts, and social sciences that will attract outside funding, and/or that will result in publications, patents or exhibitions/performances. Drafts are due to the college office by March 13th for budget and proposal review (see application for details). Applications and more information available here: http://www.uidaho.edu/class/researchandcreativeworks/fundingopportunities

UPCOMING EVENTS Sneak Peeks Presented by the Department of English On January 16, the Department of English will present Sneak Peeks—short readings from the new works of: Kim Barnes, Mary Clearman Blew, Ron McFarland, Daniel Orozco, Joy Passanante, Brandon Schrand, Bret Shepard, Scott Slovic, Alexandra Teague and Robert Wrigley. Author signings, door prizes and light appetizers! This event is in support of the 6th Annual University of Idaho Hemingway Festival “Moveable Feast.” 6th Annual UI Hemingway Festival Moveable Feast The University of Idaho Hemingway Festival will present its 6th annual Moveable feast at the 1912 Center on March 3. A portion of the proceeds from Feast tickets will go to creative work of the annual Hemingway Fellow. Social Hour 5:00 – 6:00 pm Dinner 6:00 – 8:30 pm Moveable Feast tickets are $85 and are available online at the UI Marketplace, or call (208) 885-6156. The early bird discount is $10, if purchased by February 1. A multi-course feast inspired by Hemingway's work will be served, catered by Gnosh.

Auditorium Chamber Music Series Presents: The Jupiter String Quartet On Thursday, January 29, the Auditorium Chamber Music Series will present the Jupiter String Quartet at 7:30 pm in the UI Administration Auditorium. Tickets may be purchased at BookPeople in Moscow or at www.auditoriumseries.org. Ticket prices are: Students $10; Seniors $19; General Admission $22; Youth, age 6-12, FREE with purchase of general admissions ticket (available upon request at the door).

2013-14 KEY FUND GRANTS / KURT O. OLSSON EARLY CAREER RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP AWARDS – HIGHLIGHTS AND SUCCESSES Thoughts and Insights from CLASS Faculty Continued here (as in our October, November and December newsletters) are thoughts and insights expressed by CLASS faculty who are recipients of the 2013-14 Key Fund Grants and Kurt O. Olsson Early Career Research Fellowship awards. CLASS Faculty and students are doing amazing things and we want to share their success with everyone! The Materiality of Masculinity: Archaeological Research at Idaho’s Kooskia Internment Camp, a World War II Japanese Internment Camp Stacey Camp, Associate Professor of Anthropology, 2013-14 Kurt O. Olsson Early Career Research Fellowship Award recipient During the summer of 2013, I received generous funding from the Kurt Olsson Early Career Research Fellowship and the National Park Service’s Japanese American Confinement Sites program to conduct an archaeological field season at the site of Idaho’s Kooskia Internment Camp, a World War II Japanese internment camp. This was the second excavation at the site (the first was held with the help of a 2010 Faculty SEED Grant) and involved locating artifacts associated with the Japanese internees imprisoned at Kooskia. Funds from the Olsson fellowship allowed me to cover housing and dinner expenses for students and volunteers on my project along with car rentals and fuel for a total of 4 weeks. Over the course of those 4 weeks, my Public Archaeology team recovered thousands of artifacts associated with Japanese prisoners, including Day what appears to be an otter carved into stone, Japanese import porcelain fragments, gaming pieces, buttons, and medicine bottles. The 2013 field season ended with a well-attended “Public Archaeology Day,” which students, volunteers, and staff helped organize. The Public Archaeology Day included activities for children, information about the history of Japanese American internment during WWII, and a chance for members of the public to clean, learn about, and examine artifacts found at the Kooskia Internment Camp. I am very grateful to CLASS for supporting this Recovered artifact, research project, as it has furthered my career and enriched my students’ possibly an otter carved educational and research opportunities. in stone

University of Idaho Summer Piano Academy (UISPA) Rajung Yang, Assistant Professor of Piano, 2013-14 Key Fund Grant award recipient I applied for a Key Fund Grant for the first University of Idaho Summer Piano Academy. I took five students to Europe for the concert and classes with world renowned teachers. Key Fund enabled us to travel from Paris to Amsterdam to give a wonderful concert and to connect with the European audience in the heart of Amsterdam. We were well received and it was a May 30, 2013â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Piano Duo Concert in Amsterdam memorable concert. Presented by the University of Idaho The Man Who Sold God: Frank B. Robinson & the Rise of a Self-Help America Brandon Schrand, Assistant Professor of English, 2013-14 Kurt O. Olsson Early Career Research Fellowship award recipient When I began my research on my book, "The Man Who Sold God: Frank B. Robinson, the Cult of Psychiana, and the Rise of a Self-Help America," I knew early on that I would need both financial support and time to complete the project. That is why I applied for the Olsson Fellowship. I was overwhelmed and hugely flattered to have won the grant. Winning the Olsson Fellowship validated, in my mind, the worth and value of my project. The grant not only marked a turning point in both my research and career, it has given me the time and resources to write, and for that I will always be grateful.

News from CLASS Departments and Schools News from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology The Society for Historical Archaeology hosted its annual meeting in Seattle last week. Mark Warner was co-organizer of the conference and there were roughly 950 attendees. Some more specifics on the meeting . . . a) The U of I had at least 30 students, faculty, or alumni at the conference, most of whom are shown here. b) Three undergraduate students presented two papers at the conference; three current graduate students presented their work (as well as several alumni). c) Priscilla Wegars received an Award of Merit. d) Idaho transportation department also received an award of merit for the Sandpoint Archaeology Project. Sociology and Anthropology are a part of the project.

e) Stacey Camp continued to serve as a Committee Chair for the organization, and she was asked to host a roundtable luncheon. f)

Graduate student Molly Swords presented a paper and served as co-coordinator of the conference volunteers.

g) The board officially approved Mark Warner as one of the two candidates to run for president of the organization later on this year. h) Graduate student Mary Petrich-Guy chaired the student subcommittee meeting and was the conference liaison with the Burke Museum for the Public Archaeology Day event co-hosted by the two groups.

IMPORTANT DATES Monday, January 19

Holiday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; campus closed. Martin Luther King Jr. and Idaho Human Rights Day

Thursday, January 22

Deadline to add or change spring classes online

Thursday, January 22

Deadline to submit spring drop for non-attendance requests

Wednesday, January 28

Deadline to change to pass/fail grading for spring

Wednesday, January 28

Deadline to drop or audit spring classes without W

Wednesday, January 28

Deadline to register, add classes, or adjust credits for spring

College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences February 2015 _________________________

Dear Colleagues, A few weeks ago, I was in Boise, visiting with donors, making some new friends, and attending a few events including my first CLASS Advisory Council meeting, the closing of the capital campaign and my first Meet the Vandals. It was quite a week! First, I want to thank everyone who helped in the capital campaign. It was truly a grassroots effort. Second, I wanted to relate a little bit of my experience at MTV. It was wildly popular. Over 700 people attended, more than anyone can remember. These prospective students and their families were so excited to become Vandals. I spoke with many of them. I noticed some interesting things. First, there were so many people who are University of Idaho graduates with their sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews. They told me great stories about their favorite professors and the lives and careers that their education helped to foster. And, their younger relatives were not merely carrying on the legacies. Rather, they have their own interests in a University of Idaho education. They had great questions about the Vandal Marching Band, about our many majors, and about study abroad. Almost to a person— and this is the second thing I noticed—they had questions about undergraduate research opportunities. We do have excellent research opportunities for students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. When asked, I spoke about our faculty, indicating the exciting, meaningful, and innovative work that they do. As a College, if we are to develop and possibly grow our undergraduate research profile, we will need to be sure that we have the proper support for faculty and for students. Over the next few months, we will be focusing on this question of support for research. Recently, I selected a group of faculty to investigate the ways in which the College could increase the number of grants, provide more undergraduate research experiences, and establish new structures for community partnerships. These faculty members—Stacey Camp (Director of the Bowers Anthropology Laboratory, Sociology & Anthropology), Brian Dyre (Psychology & Communication Studies), and Alexandra Teague (English)—are the College’s Humanities Fellows for the next 18 months. We will keep you posted on their progress. Not only will they help us broaden our research, grant, scholarship, and creative reach, but also as we engage more intentionally in this work, our students and our potential students will be among those who benefit the most. Go Vandals! - Andy

ANNOUNCEMENTS New Comp Time Policy With the activation of the new Comp Time policy, changes to time sheets have been implemented to accurately record and use current compensatory time for each employee. Please refer to the following link and read carefully for comp time entry instructions, as there will be no reversals if time is entered or used incorrectly: Attachment: Comp Time Entry Instructions. CLASS Ambassador Program: Applications Available Please encourage students to apply to our CLASS Ambassador Program. Applications are due April 10 and selected students enroll in a one-credit course to enhance their communication and leadership skills. Outside of the course, students help with recruitment and retention efforts by sharing information about units within the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences with prospective students through various activities and events, such as Envision Idaho and Vandal Friday. Applications can be found on the “Apply to be an Ambassador!” link. For questions about the program, please contact Lisa Hill. Sociological Initiatives Foundation Awards Grant The Sociological Initiatives Foundation gives awards to organizations and researchers who collaborate together to collect data that can be used to help transform communities. Leontina Hormel, of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, has been collaborating with the organization Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment to design a research project using the photovoice method, a method that enables participants to show meaningful places and experiences through images and creative works. This project seeks to understand how Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) people attach meaning and lifeways to the Clearwater Watershed ecosystem, thereby recording members’ stories through visual and oral media that can be shared with Nimiipuu community members to encourage dialog about the value of place in their community and to also provide a tool for communicating across different communities representing the broader public. Per Leontina, the award amount is $18,730 for this project. This was a national competition, and this project was among the eight out of sixty-eight proposals to earn an award.Other examples of awarded projects from SIF may be found on this link: http://www.sifoundation.org/pastgrants/. Alternative Service Break -- Nicaragua Justin Barnes, School of Journalism and Mass Media, accompanied twelve students on a 2014-2015 University of Idaho alternative service break trip to Santa Julia, Nicaragua. Ten of the twelve students were from CLASS, and Justin’s video link sums up the experience. Justin plans to use this video material along with other videos during his high school visits in spring.

Humanities Fellows Launch Survey The 2015 Humanities Fellows (mentioned above in the Dean’s remarks) recently sent out a survey to faculty regarding research needs and support. Please take a moment to complete the short survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3896F6V Adam Sowards’ Essay Featured in High Country News High Country News, a western environmental weekly out of Colorado, featured Adam Sowards’ essay “Should nature have standing to sue?” in its January 19, 2015, issue. Within a day, a Pulitizer prize-winning columnist at the LA Times picked it up and expanded on the ideas. Per Adam, “This sort of audience and attention is new for me, but I think it is something that we can all be working toward.” Christmas for Kids a Success Christmas for kids was a success! Thank you to all CLASS departments and individuals who contributed. We look forward to next year!

UPCOMING EVENTS The Majors Fair Brought to the University by CLASS The Majors Fair will be held on Thursday, February 12, 10 am – 3:00 pm, in the Idaho Commons Summit, 4th floor. The Majors Fair is a great opportunity to explore 130 undergraduate and 126 graduate degrees offered by the University of Idaho. Book Launch: Ron McFarland’s Appropriating Hemingway Ron McFarland will launch his new book, Appropriating Hemingway, at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 25, in the reference area on the first floor of the library. Brandon Schrand will speak and congratulate Ron at the event. Confucius Institute: Upcoming Events Please learn more about upcoming February events presented by the Confucius Institute:    

Chinese Movie Night at the Kenworthy performing Arts Centre Chinese Food Club 2015 Chinese New Year Gala China on the Palouse

IMPORTANT DATES Monday, February 16

President’s Day – University Holiday, Campus Closed

Tuesday, February 17

Spring early warning grades due

College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences March 2015

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Dear Colleagues, Last week was my first Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. What a brilliant event that is! It also has me thinking about the great work we do collectively. As you know, the Festival itself is the product of hundreds of hours of work. Steve Remington, John Clayton, and the Festival staff are joined by an army of volunteers and others who make it all possible. Let’s not forget the faculty in the Lionel Hampton School of Music and their students who rocked the stages every night. Further, faculty members, many from our College, led incredible workshops. I had the pleasure of attending several of them. The end result of these collective labors is excellent and awesome. It’s amazing that we do this every year! During this spring semester, there have been other moments of collective excellence, too. Recently, I learned of a history student whose professors worked together to help advance the student to graduate school at an exceptional university. And, then, there was the news last week about our tremendous Theatre Arts program. Several students won awards at the Region 7 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Ellensburg, Washington, and are headed to the next stage of the competition in Washington, D.C. You can read more about the students and the awards below. The point here, what makes CLASS great, is exactly this collective work. Like a big jazz band, we all have our role to play. But, at the end of the day—and in the case of these jazz concerts quite literally at the end of the day—the outcomes are so much greater than any one of us could ever accomplish. Go Vandals! - Andy

ANNOUNCEMENTS Spring Office Hours for the Dean Dean Kersten is holding regular office hours again for spring semester. They are generally: Monday’s from 3:30 – 5:00 pm and Tuesday’s from 11:00 am – Noon. If you would like to schedule time with the Dean, please email Jennie Hall jenniej@uidaho.edu .

Vandal Friday(s) Please remember that our two Vandal Friday sessions are fast approaching: March 27 and April 3. Both dates are important in our recruitment efforts for the college. Every one of us plays a role in these events, and your participation in these two days is appreciated. Commencement News Spring Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2015. The ceremony begins at 9:30 am. (line-up at 8:15 am). General seating in the Kibbie Dome is free and on a first come basis, no ticket required. For information on reserved seating, please call (208) 885-6466. 

Gradfest takes place March 23 and March 24: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm in the Pitman Center. Students can purchase gowns, caps and tassels, or rent PhD and JD regalia at early-bird prices and learn about all Commencement needs.

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Commencement regalia is available at the CLASS Dean’s Office, Admin 112 For those faculty members wishing to borrow (at no cost) regalia for the ceremony, please stop by the CLASS Dean’s office, Admin 112. A limited supply of robes, hoods and caps is available, so stop by soon to reserve your size. Please call (or email) Jean Planagan at 885-6426 if you have questions regarding regalia.

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Commencement regalia is also available for purchase and rental 

Custom-ordered gowns and hoods are available for purchase. For more information, contact Ginger Dennis at 208-885-6154 or email vdennis@uidaho.edu .

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Regalia rentals are also available online—prices are listed on the site. Faculty must submit their rental order by March 22, 2015, in order to receive regalia on time.

CLASS Ambassador Program: Applications Available While advising this month, please encourage your students to apply to our CLASS Ambassador Program. Applications are due April 10. Applications are found on the “Apply to be an Ambassador!” link at http://www.uidaho.edu/class/meet-our-people/college-ambassadors. For additional questions about the program, please contact Lisa Hill at lmhill@uidaho.edu. Majors Fair

CLASS hosted the first annual Majors Fair event on February 12 in the Commons. Representatives from all academic departments in CLASS and all undergraduate colleges on campus attended the event to discuss academic options with current and prospective students. Approximately sixtyfive current UI students and ten prospective high school students attended, and it is hoped that the event will become an annual part of UI’s recruitment and retention efforts.

KUDOS AND CONGRATULATIONS! Key Fund Grant Supports Article to be Published in Pacific Northwest Quarterly Associate Professor Adam Sowards and student Rebecca Stunz have co-authored an article which has been accepted by Pacific Northwest Quarterly. This collaboration was accomplished with the support of a Key Fund Grant, and the article will appear in an upcoming issue. Idaho Theater Students Advance to National Theater More than 60 University of Idaho Theatre Arts students participated in the Region 7 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Ellensburg, Washington, in February, earning numerous awards, including two students winning top honors and invited to participate in the national festival in Washington, D.C., April 13-18. Read more.

Idaho Humanities Council Grant Awarded in Support of a Public Film Forum A $3,000 IHC Grant has been awarded to help support a public film forum featuring two documentaries on grassroots social change. The director of the project is Sarah Nelson, and the forum is tentatively scheduled for August 29 at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Center. University of Idaho’s MAS (Movimiento Activista Social) produced one of the films to be presented at the forum, subject of which is the immigrant farmworker communities in Idaho where those in the group grew up. The second film to be presented, produced by a French filmmaker, is about the Senegalese rap group Keur Gui (meaning “our house” or “the family”) and the social movement they helped found, called Y’en a Marre (a French expression meaning “fed up.”) Discussion with members of MAS and the audience will follow the film presentations.

UPCOMING EVENTS Musical Comedy & Audience Interaction Spell a Good Time Opening in April, the warm and funny musical comedy, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, celebrates individuality and language at a turning point in the lives of several young people. And, with an audienceinteractive script, each performance is all the more unique. Presented by UI Theatre Arts director, Chris Will approaches the gently risqué script as a complex, cerebral sporting event. “It’s not your regular theatre musical,” he says. “It’s an event and we’re inviting our audience to participate, too.”

Joining the cast (Nick Pratt, Sarah Marth, Hunter Price, Ryan Reed, Danielle Santisteven, Lauren Walters, Maggie Miller, Kadin McGreevy and Michael Smith) each night will be several UI and community members and participants randomly selected from the audience before the show. UI representatives include President Chuck Staben, CLASS Dean Andrew Kersten, and UI Athletic Director Rob Spear. Community participants include Latah County Councilman Tom Lamar, ZFUN DJ Kimberly Dawn, Moscow Pullman Daily News Editor Lee Rozen and theatre patron Jan Peavy.

Performances will be held at the Hartung Theater at 7:30 p.m. on April 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11; and at 2:00 pm on April 4. Admission: $15 adults, $10 UI faculty, staff and seniors (55 and over) and $5 for children (12 and under). UI students with ID are free. Tickets will be available in March at BookPeople of Moscow, at Theatre Arts in Shoup Hall, room 201, by phone at 208-885-6465 or at the door. (Show contains some adult language and situations.)

March Faculty Interdisciplinary Research Reception – hosted by CLASS – March 13 The College of Letters, Arts & Social Sciences is pleased to host the spring faculty interdisciplinary research reception on Friday, March 13, 2015 at 4 p.m. in the Brink Staff & Faculty Lounge (a great way to celebrate the beginning of Spring Break)! Please join us for food and drinks. First 50 people get a free drink ticket! Questions: jenniej@uidaho.edu

Confucius Institute: Upcoming Events Please learn more about upcoming March events presented by the Confucius Institute.

2015 Innovation Showcase The University of Idaho Innovation Showcase is a student-based competition designed to highlight the research and creative successes of graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Idaho. The event will be held April 22, with the competition 8:00 am to 4:00 pm and the Awards Reception and Social 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Presented by COGS, the event relies on UI faculty to be judges for this student competition. Please see the 2015 Innovative Showcase web page or email the College of Graduate Studies for more information about judging and registering for the competition.

Idaho Archaeology Month: Two Events Coming In May 

Ask an Expert "Ask an Expert" will take place at the 1912 Center in the Art Workshop Room on May 1 from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm. “Ask an Expert” is a brief workshop where the public can bring and learn more about their family heirlooms. Archaeologists and historians will be on hand at the event.

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Public Archaeology Day The Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology will host its annual Public Archaeology Day on May 2 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm at the Bowers Lab. The theme of the event is "Mystery at the Bowers' Lab," and it will involve an archaeology-themed scavenger hunt.

IMPORTANT DATES

March 9 – March 13

Spring midterm exams

March 16

Spring midterm exams due

March 16 – March 20

Spring recess

March 30

Fall academic advising begins

March 30

Summer registration opens

April 3

Deadline to withdraw or audit for spring

News from CLASS Departments and Schools Journalism and Mass Media News McClure Intern covers Idaho Legislature. Jeff Myers, a senior in the School of Journalism and Mass Media, is the 2015 legislative intern for the McClure Center for Public Policy Research. Myers is covering the governor’s office, House, Senate and legislative committees. His news stories and features will appear in the Bonner County Daily Bee, Idaho County Free Press (Grangeville), Owyhee Avalanche (Homedale) and Power County Press (American Falls). He also is posting stories and photos on Idaho Public Radio’s Facebook page and blog. Myers’ work is being overseen by Glenn Mosley, JAMM faculty member, and Priscilla Salant, director of the McClure Center. Myers has been a reporter for the Argonaut and an intern for the Snake River Alliance in Boise. JAMM receives gift for summer workshop. The School of Journalism and Mass Media will use a $10,000 gift from the Howard and Ursula Dubin Foundation of Chicago to support its annual summer workshop for high school students. This year’s workshop will be held June 24-27. It is open to high school students at least 16 years old and their journalism teachers or advisers. Students will learn reporting, writing and editing from JAMM faculty and media professionals. For more information, contact the workshop director, Rebecca Tallent, rtallent@uidaho.edu. For application information, please refer to: http://www.uidaho.edu/class/jamm/news/jamm-workshop.

College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences April 2015

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Colleagues: In just a few weeks, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) will visit the campus (April 20-22). This is only the second time in this millennium that the University has hosted an NWCCU accreditation visit. To prepare for our guests, I would like you to keep three things in mind. First, these accreditation visits are incredibly important to us and to our students (present, past, and future). Without the NWCCU stamp of approval, students simply will not be able to attend here. But, that situation would never happen at the University of Idaho. Rather, think of this visit as a check up on how we are doing as we live out the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision and mission. And, so you have them in an easy to find form: The University of Idaho Vision: We will be a leader among land-grant and flagship institutions in the 21st century by promoting an entrepreneurial spirit; embracing the contributions of multiple cultures, identities, and perspectives; and bringing together the talents and enthusiasm of faculty, staff, and students. We will be widely recognized as a creative university that is both environmentally and fiscally sustainable and is an engaged partner in addressing the changing needs of our stakeholders in Idaho, the nation, and the world. The University of Idaho Mission: The University of Idaho is the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land-grant research university. From this distinctive origin and identity comes our commitment to enhance the scientific, economic, social, legal, and cultural assets of our state, and to develop solutions for complex problems facing society. We deliver on this commitment through focused excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and engagement in a collaborative environment at our residential main campus, regional centers, extension offices, and research facilities throughout the state. Consistent with the land-grant ideal, our outreach activities serve the state at the same time they strengthen our teaching as well as scholarly and creative capacities. Our teaching and learning includes undergraduate, graduate, professional, and continuing education offered through both resident instruction and extended delivery. Our educational programs are enriched by the knowledge, collaboration, diversity, and creativity of our faculty, students, and staff. Our scholarly and creative activities promote human and economic development, global understanding, and progress in professional practice by expanding knowledge and its applications in the natural and applied sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, and the professions.

More substantially, the NWCCU’s visit will have three shared purposes for them and us: • • •

They will examine how we engage in Continuous Improvement of our University. They will check to make sure that we are an institution that demonstrates Academic Integrity, which is demonstrated by Mission Fulfillment. And, they will ensure that we uphold our Collective Responsibility to our Constituents.

Second, I would like you to be mindful of our strategic directions and enduring core themes. Again, so that you have them handy, they are: Core Theme 1: Teaching and Learning Core Theme 2: Scholarly and Creative Activity with National and International Impact Core Theme 3: Outreach and Engagement Core Theme 4: Purposeful, Ethnical, Vibrant, and Open Community. Third and finally, I want to re-emphasize that our NWCCU visitors are guests—ones that might wander into your office or workspace to chat or perhaps to receive directions. If and when that happens, let’s give them the same Vandal welcome that you have given me. Please engage them as appropriate, answering their questions and responding to their comments. And, if you get the chance, please relate the good work that you do and the positive directions that our College and the University are headed. Thanks! And, Go Vandals! - Andy

A Note from Associate Dean Traci Craig Let me begin by thanking you all for getting your midterm grades entered. Midterm grades are just one component of our retention efforts in the college. Entering these grades helps students who are on track feel assured that they are doing well and provides advisers an opportunity to congratulate our students on their academic progress. For students who are experiencing academic challenges, we can use the midterm grade as a moment to provide support and help them find resources that can aid their success. Also, please make use of the Degree Audit Notes tool. As students switch majors or consult with new advisers in their double majors it is useful to have a common understanding of the recommendations from each department. This is an excellent way for students to track and revisit the important information you share during your advising sessions. For all of you who participated in Moscow Thursday and Vandal Friday, your efforts are appreciated. Enrollment continues to be a key component of the work we do and your efforts to recruit and retain our students are very much appreciated. As we prepare for the end of the semester, please schedule sufficient time to have your final grades entered by the deadline and encourage your teaching assistants to also plan their work so that finals week wraps up on time. - Traci

KUDOS AND CONGRATULATIONS! Fulbright Enrichment Program Offered by Eastern Washington/Northern Idaho Chapter of the Fulbright Association Faculty members from the University of Idaho Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, Department of Conservation Social Sciences, Department of English, and Department of History, along with colleagues in the field of outdoor leadership and environmental education based at MOSS, have created a unique program called Semester in the Wild, which takes place at MOSS, the Taylor Wilderness Research Station in Idaho’s Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, and on the UI campus in Moscow. This enrichment program will bring 10 current or former Fulbright scholars (including students, teachers, and/or researchers) from the Eastern Washington/Northern Idaho (E. WA/N. ID) Fulbright Association (FA) chapter area (and perhaps from other regions, including western Washington, Montana, and Oregon) for a threeday immersion in experiential pedagogy and American environmental thought and practices—an abbreviated approximation of Semester in the Wild. Participants will have the chance to experience the special landscapes of the Palouse region of eastern Washington and Idaho’s wild mountains; to learn about the intersections of contemporary environmental sciences, humanities, and policy studies; and to develop an appreciation for interdisciplinary, experiential teaching practices.

Leah Evans-Janke Receives BLM Funding for Archaeological Project The Bureau of Land Management has awarded $31,364 in funding for Leah EvansJanke’s project “Idaho Rehousing Silver City Archaeological Collections.” Leah’s project was one of nine chosen for funding by BLM for FY2015. Congratulations, Leah!

Rebecca Tallent Collaborates on Book to Promote High School Journalism Rebecca Tallent, University of Idaho Associate Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Media, has collaborated with 13 other college and university professors in authoring a new book by the Society of Professional Journalists Journalism Education Committee: Still Captive? History, Law and the Teaching of High School Journalism. To learn more about the book, please visit New Forums Press.

Jovanni-Rey de Pedro to Present and Perform at the 2015 Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference Jovanni-Rey de Pedro, Assistant Professor of piano and Piano Pedagogy, recently received the good news that his proposals to both present and perform at the 2015 Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference in Melbourne, Australia in July have been accepted. The presentation, “Piano Pedagogy Education in America” is a study of: 1) the development of the piano pedagogy degree program (University of Idaho offers an MM); 2) current curricula in different university programs to find out what exactly is being taught/learned; 3) the numerous resources being used to further this field; and 4) the future of piano pedagogy in both higher education and independent study. The recital, “Children¹s Songs: A Portrait of the World Through a Child’s Eyes,” will feature four premieres of newly commissioned works by Christopher Norton, Josephine Kotchie, Sonny Chua, and Daniel McFarlane.

Sandra Reineke Awarded Grant from the Idaho Humanities Council The Idaho Humanities Council has awarded a $1,500 in grant to Sandra Reineke, Associate Professor of Political Science, for her project “One Is Not Born a Woman: The Legacy of Simone de Beauvoir.” This grant is awarded with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Congratulations, Sandra!

Theater Student Wins National Stage Craft Award Michael Brandt, a University of Idaho Theatre Arts student, has received national recognition for his stage craft work. A master’s degree candidate with an emphasis in design and technology, Michael received the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas award for outstanding achievement in allied theater technology, crafts and design at the 2015 United States Institute of Theatre Technology conference held March 18-21 in Cincinnati. Brandt helped to design the puppets used in the 2014 UI and Idaho Repertory Theatre production of “A Christmas Carol.” On February 21, Michael received a Kennedy Center American Colleges and Theatre Festival Region 7 award for his puppet engineering for the show.

UPCOMING EVENTS India Night 2015 The Indian Students' Association at the University of Idaho invites you to its flagship event of the year on April 4, "India Night 2015.” India Night is the largest Indian cultural extravaganza organized at the University of Idaho campus—and it is open to the public. About 500 people savor the treat every year. Get ready to have delicious authentic Indian food, Indian classical and folk dance, a fashion show (which will cover an expanse of Indian traditional attire) and short presentations which explain the culture, heritage, tradition and diversity in India.

India Night April 04 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm Bruce M. Pitman Center, International Ballroom For tickets, see: http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/isa. Ticket Prices are $12 ($10 for students). For more details, please contact: Mahalingam Dhamodharan (208) 596-9762 or Alaap Anujan (208) 874-7125.

The Borah Symposium For more than 60 years, the University of Idaho’s Borah Foundation has focused attention on the causes of war and the conditions for peace. Its annual symposia bring together world leaders, diplomats, scholars and activists to discuss current problems facing our global community and to offer solutions. This year’s topic is “Troubled Borders: Sovereignty, Disease, War, and Refugees.” The Borah Symposium April 6 – 8 Please see the 2015 Borah Symposium website for detailed information on presentation topics, as well as specific dates and locations. The Borah Symposium is free to the public, and presentations are held at sites both on campus and off campus.

Mexico Week Sponsored by Modern Languages and Cultures, Mexico Week will take place April 6 – 10: 

“De Peregrina a Peregrina” Art Project April 6-10 The Reflections Gallery, located in The Commons “De Peregrina a Peregrina” is a photography exhibit, created by Mónica Guerrero Mouret, which tells the story of the annual pilgrimage taken by thousands of people to the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City (Mexico City’s oldest and most prominent Cathedral).

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FILM: “Espiral” 2008 / Jorge Perez Solano April 7 – 6:00 pm Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre Mexico’s Consul Guillermo Ordorica will speak about the University of Idaho’s “Mexico Week” and introduce the film. Refreshments will be served.

College of Science Faculty Gathering/Interdisciplinary Research Reception All faculty members are invited to attend! College of Science Faculty Gathering/Interdisciplinary Research Reception April 10 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Bring Faculty Staff Lounge First 50 people to arrive will receive a drink ticket!

Confucius Institute: Upcoming Events Please learn more about upcoming April events presented by the Confucius Institute.

Book Launch: Alexandra Teague’s New Book On April 29, the English Department will host a book launch for Alexandra Teague’s new book of poems, The Wise and Foolish Builders. Alexandra is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English. Book Launch: The Wise and Foolish Builders, by Alexander Teague April 29 11:00 am – 11:30 am University of Idaho Library All are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served.

Idaho Archaeology Month: Two Events Coming In May 

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Reminders 

Commencement Regalia is available at the CLASS Dean’s Office for faculty (no cost to borrow). Stop by the CLASS Dean’s office, Admin 112, to reserve regalia as we have a limited supply. Please email Jean Planagan or call Jean at 885-6426 if you have questions regarding regalia.

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Performances of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will be held at the Hartung Theater at 7:30 pm on April 2, 3, 4, 8 9, 10, 10; and at 2:00 pm on April 4. Tickets are available at BookPeople of Moscow; at Theatre Arts in Shoup Hall, room 201; by phone at 208-885-6465; or at the door. (Show contains some adult language and situations.) Joining the cast each night will be several UI and community members and participants randomly selected from the audience before the show. UI representatives include President Chuck Staben, CLASS Dean Andrew Kersten, and UI Athletic Director Rob Spear.

IMPORTANT DATES April 3

Deadline to withdraw or audit for spring

April 20 April 21 April 22 April 23 April 24

Fall registration opens for seniors, graduate, and law students, 7:00 pm Fall registration opens for juniors, 7:00 pm Fall registration opens for sophomores, 7:00 pm Fall registration opens for first-year students, 7:00 pm Fall registration opens for non-degree seeking students, 7:00 pm

College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences May 2015

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Colleagues: I vividly remember this month last year. We were furiously packing up our lives in Wisconsin, finalizing work and school, and getting into our Vandal frame of mind. Frequently people ask if we are all settled and if we miss Green Bay. With the exception of a certain NFL team, I rarely think about that old life. In part, my dis-remembering is directly connected to the great work done by staff, faculty, and students at the University of Idaho. Every week I hear amazing stories about the transformative experiences our students have, or about how staff members have changed a life of a co-worker or a student, or about how faculty research is making a difference in our community or in fact the nation. I encourage you to flip through this year's newsletters and remind ourselves of the good that we all do. Leaning forward to the next academic year, we will continue to engage our students in the vitally important work of degree attainment. We will also begin this fall to entertain strategic planning. Please take a moment this summer to ponder how you want your department, school, or program to develop in the future. What do you want CLASS to look like seven years from now? Also, please take a moment to review our CLASS strategic plans which are expiring. University of Idaho Strategic Plan http://www.uidaho.edu/president/leadingidaho CLASS Strategic Plan http://www.uidaho.edu/class/about/strategicplan We will take a break from the monthly Newsletter in June and July. You’ll see a refreshed look to the newsletter in mid-August as we welcome the Fall 2015 semester. Finally, I wish all of you an enjoyable and productive summer. - Andy

A Note from Associate Dean Traci Craig As our pre-registration advising weeks have come to a close, I want to thank each of you for your dedication to our students’ success. In these last two weeks of the semester, we will have ample opportunity to celebrate our students’ accomplishments, but also must continue to support our students’ future endeavors by entering final grades by 12 noon on Tuesday, May 19, 2015. Remember to enter a date of last attendance in the correct format for any student who fails a course. Also, be sure to enter grades for your graduate students, directed study sections, and other courses for which you are listed as the primary instructor. If you give an incomplete grade, be sure that you put your agreement about work to be done and by what date in writing so that both you and the student have a timeline of expectations. For some of our students, internships and employment are dependent upon showing proof of degree

completion, which cannot be processed until all final grades are entered. In some cases, scholarship awards for the fall are contingent upon successful completion of spring coursework and GPA increases. Our students and their families are often waiting for those outcomes in order to make decisions about their summer endeavors, so please enter your final grades by the deadline. And, as you plan your summer and fall syllabi, make sure that your finals week grading can be reasonably completed in time to allow you to enter grades by the deadlines. Please remember to refer all of your first and second year students who are on academic probation to Kristi Overfelt in the CLASS office. Kristi has worked over the last few years to develop a successful and robust program of advising and curriculum that can help students who experience academic challenges find ways to be successful. If you have a student in their first or second year with a probation hold, they will need to meet with Kristi to work on a plan for success in the next semester. For students beyond the second year, please be sure that you work with them on a plan to improve their academic outcomes and connect them with campus resources that will help them succeed. Please remind your students who are waitlisted for courses that the waitlist process will require them to take action within 24 hours should a seat open up for them in a course. Faculty with courses with particularly long wait lists might consider emailing students before they leave for summer to remind them to check their vandal mail routinely so that should a seat come available they would be able to take action within 24 hours. Finally, I want to encourage you to make use of degree audit notes. As you have phone conversations, email exchanges or in person meetings with new and current students, please note in the degree audit any course suggestions, changes of curriculum, resource referrals, or other information that might help another adviser assist the student if you are not available. Should you have questions about any of these processes or features, please let me know. I am always happy to answer questions or provide information you might need. In the fall semester, Kristi Overfelt and I will be providing training for faculty advisersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; dates and times will be announced in early fall. - Traci

ANNOUNCEMENTS Faculty Research Surveyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Promoting Your Work! In order to advance the research agendas of CLASS faculty, as well as to help relate our scholarly activities to others, we would like you to complete a short survey about your work. Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey. The results will help us build a new CLASS research web page which will highlight faculty interests and accomplishments. Additionally, we will use some of this information to build a research view book that we can use with donors and friends of the College. To see what this view book might look like, please take a look at this one: http://www.uidaho.edu/research/about-research/2014-research-report Thanks very much for your participation, as we know this is a busy time of the year. Take the survey: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1939544/CLASS-Faculty-Research-Survey

ENACT: Educators Networking About College-composition Transitions Diane Kelly-Riley, University of Idaho and Heidi Estrem, Boise State University October 24, 2014 Context Public two- and four-year universities in Idaho have responded to the Idaho Legislature’s mandate to eliminate remedial writing courses with an updated first-year writing structure that provides concurrent writing support for students transitioning to college. Additionally, primary and secondary schools in Idaho are implementing the Common Core State Standards and the Smarter Balanced Assessments, all of which contribute to a changing educational landscape in Idaho. Also, according to the National Information Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis, Idaho is in the bottom ten states for people going on and finishing a four-year degree. Efforts are needed to ensure that Idaho educators are working on the same page to assist students in a successful transition from high school to college-level work. First-year writing is a common portal to higher education for these students. Fortunately for Idaho, expectations for first-year writing courses have a great deal of coherency around the state and are supported by a strong and active network for first-year writing programs at two- and four-year institutions. Proposal Because sustained professional conversations are vital, this proposal encompasses three integrated projects that will provide different kinds of opportunities for Idaho English educators to focus on transitions between high school and college writing instruction. We propose an ENACT Statewide Institute to kick off the collaboration to familiarize participants with the changing educational landscape. Since statewide travel to meetings is difficult, we propose two additional structures to sustain this ongoing effort: ENACT Regional Advisory Boards and ENACT District Partnerships. Both of these structures would leverage connections between geographically located high schools and two-and four-year college writing programs in Idaho. For more information, contact Dr. Diane Kelly-Riley at dianek@uidaho.edu or Dr. Heidi Estrem at heidiestrem@boisestate.edu.

University of Idaho’s Supervisory Excellence Program This summer’s Supervisory Excellence Program (SEP) will be available in Moscow and for statewide locations via Skype for Business. All sessions will be held in Administration 217. Locations outside Moscow may join the training via Skype for Business. Workshops begin May 19 and conclude June 18, and sessions are scheduled for 1:00 pm – 3:00 p.m. PST (2:00 – 4:00 MST). University of Idaho’s Supervisory Excellence Program (SEP) was designed by Professional Development and Learning to enhance supervisory excellence at the university by:   

Providing supervisors and administrators with tools and skills to hire and develop an effective team, manage optimal performance and maintain a positive work culture Increasing supervisor and administrator knowledge in critical areas of legal and ethical compliance Refining supervisory skills and facilitating a communication network

Workshop schedule and information on registration can be found at the PDL Training Portal for the Supervisory Excellence Program. You will be directed to GoSignMeUp, the University’s new Employee Learning Management System to register for workshops and will need to sign in with your University of

Idaho Network ID and password to complete the registration process. Call (208) 885-2323 if you have questions. Please Note: To receive a Supervisory Excellence Program Certificate of Completion, you must attend all Supervisor Core Skill Workshops and three of the Supervisor Skill Workshops.

Formal Salutations in Our University of Idaho Data System How would you like your formal salutation (Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr.) to be stated in future University of Idaho communications that use salutations? UI Advancement Services makes every effort to keep data current and accurate and invites faculty and staff to contact them if updates or corrections are needed in their system. Please email advserv@uidaho.edu if you would like to change or update your formal salutation in the Advancement Services system (or let them know you would like no salutation on record). Feel free to also make an update for a spouse. Note: Not all UI campus modules access the Advancement Services database; communications from other units (such as Human Resources) may not retrieve the updates received by Advancement Services. Therefore, a modification sent to Advancement Services may not extend to other unit systems.

KUDOS AND CONGRATULATIONS! Professor Rob Caisley Named Featured Playwright at Seven Devils Playwrights Conference Professor Rob Caisley, head of Dramatic Writing at UI Theatre Arts, has been named the Featured Playwright at the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference in McCall, Idaho, this summer—June 8 - 20. In addition, Rob was selected as one of five playwrights from across the country to develop and present a play. The conference has developed more than 140 new plays by some of the most exciting voices in American Theater, and plays developed at Seven Devils have gone on to Broadway and to theaters all over the country. Rob Caisley

Two University of Idaho Theatre Students Receive National Awards Two Theatre Arts students received national awards at the Kennedy Center American College Festival in Washington, D.C., on April 18. Kadin McGreevy of Moscow won first place in directing, receiving the Stage Directing and Choreographers National Directing Fellowship, a $500 cash prize and a residency, yet to be determined. Courtney Smith of Ferndale, Washington, and a master’s candidate in scene design and technology, took home second place in The Kennedy Center Award for Excellence in Scenic Design. “The ability for our students to represent their UI training on the national stage and gain more knowledge and connections is the perfect place to be as a department,” said Dean Panttaja, chair of UI Theatre Arts. “We revel in their success and accomplishments. We are proud for them.”

Courtney Smith

Kadin McGreevy

Professor Matt Foss Receives Multiple Nominations for Prestigious Theater Awards On April 23, Theatre Arts Assistant Professor Matt Foss received multiple nominations for the prestigious Jeff Awards, honoring excellence in Chicago theatres. Foss's adaptation and direction of "The Jungle" at Oracle Productions, in Chicago, earned five nominations in the Non-Equity categories:     

Production Ensemble Direction New Adaptation Original Music in a Play

Matt Foss

Foss’ production of “The Jungle” debuted in 2014 at Oracle Productions and was called “the hottest ticket in town” by the Chicago Tribune. The production received an honorable mention in the end-of-the-year “Best Theatre of 2014” by the Chicago Sun-Times’ Hedy Weiss. The production was invited back to Oracle in March and April 2015 to meet audience demand.

Professor Javier Rodriguez’ IDRS Proposal Accepted for Tokyo Performance Lionel Hampton School of Music Assistant Professor of Bassoon Javier Rodriguez has been invited to perform at the International Double Reed Society 2015 Conference in Tokyo, Japan, August 15-19. Javier's IDRS proposal included a collaboration with fellow LHSOM faculty members Professors Shawn Copeland and Jovanni-Rey De Pedro. The three have formed a new bassoon, clarinet, and piano trio called "Hammers & Reeds" and will perform two works by composers Theresa Martin and Nansi Carroll at the August IDRS event. Nansi Carroll's work will be a world premiere commission funded through a University of Idaho Seed Grant awarded to the members of Hammers & Reeds in April 2015.

Shawn Copeland

Javier Rodriguez

Jovanni-Rey De Pedro

Kurt O. Olsson Early Career Research Fellowship Recipients Please congratulate this year’s Kurt O. Olsson Early Career Research Fellowship recipients: Professor Roger McVey and Professor Somaditya Banerjee.

Professor McVey will be working to conduct research, perform and support the creation of modern American piano music by working directly with living composers to share their music and also to create and perform new music.

Roger McVey

Professor Banerjee will be spending six weeks in Kolkata, India, to begin field research to examine the life of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, a physicist in the 1920s and founder of the Indian Statistical Institute.

Somaditya Banerjee

Bert Baumgaertner to Participate in Research Project Supported by Grant From the National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health has awarded the University of Idaho a significant grant in support of the university’s new Center for Modeling Complex Interactions, which will build UI’s research capabilities and expertise in the area of collaborative modeling. A portion of the grant will support three initial research projects funded through the center, each focusing on viral co-infection — when an organism is infected by two or more viruses at the same time. Bert Baumgaertner’s research will serve as one of the three projects, for which he will adapt his models for studying the communication of philosophical questions to study the spread of viral infections through changed behavior of infected individuals.

Bert Baumgaertner

Graham Hubbs Publishes in the Journal of the American Philosophical Association Graham Hubbs, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, has published his work “On Humean Explanation and Practical Normativity” in the first edition of the Journal of the American Philosophical Association, the premier academic philosophical society in the U.S. Congratulations, Graham! Graham Hubbs

UI Mind Class promotes mindfulness Dr. Jamie Derrick, a certified mindfulness instructor through the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, offers ‘UI Mind’; a weekly opportunity for faculty, staff and students to meditate. Jamie’s class has filled each week since she launched the program this spring. Dr. Derrick plans to offer drop-in meditation sessions during finals week to assist students in preparation for final exams. Congratulations to Dr. Derrick in her successful endeavor.

Jamie Derrick

CLASS Summer Research Grants This summer ten faculty will be working on projects funded by CLASS Summer Research Grants. We are excited to see how these projects unfold and hope you will join us to hear about their results on September 30 at the CLASS Human Communities Research Consortium Research Expo in the Whitewater/Clearwater from 11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. 

Soma Banerjee, Department of History

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Denise Bennett, School of Journalism and Mass Media

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Stacey Camp, Department of Sociology & Anthropology

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Denise Carlisle, Martin School, Political Science

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Rajal Cohen, Department of Psychology and Communication Studies

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Leonard Garrison, Lionel Hampton School of Music

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Leontina Hormel, Department of Sociology & Anthropology

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Sandra Reineke, Martin School, Political Science

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Manoj Shrestha, Martin School, Political Science

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Vanessa Sielert, Lionel Hampton School of Music

University Research Office Seed Grant Program CLASS is proud of our six faculty members who received funding for their scholarly endeavors through the University Research Office Seed Grant program. 

Denise Bennett, School of Journalism and Mass Media

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Juliet Carlisle, Department of Political Science, Martin School

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Matt Foss, Department of Theatre

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Leontina Hormel, Department of Sociology & Anthropology

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Diane Kelly-Riley, Department of English

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Javier Rodriguez, Shawn Copeland, and Jovanni Rey de Pedro, Lionel Hampton School of Music

Nick Gier Publishes in the International Encyclopedia of Ethics and Presents at Marylhurst University Nick Gier, professor emeritus of philosophy, published the entry “Mohandas K. Gandhi” in the new edition of International Encyclopedia of Ethics. He also presented a paper at the Pacific Northwest Region of the American Academy of Religion at Marylhurst University. The title was “The Hazaras of Afghanistan: Their Origin, Their History, and Religious Persecution.” This was also the keynote address for the American Mongol Association Annual Meeting at the Marriott Hotel in Princeton, New Jersey, last November.

UPCOMING EVENTS Confucius Institute: Upcoming Events Please learn more about upcoming events presented by the Confucius Institute.

Theatre Arts “Cymbeline” William Shakespeare’s hidden gem, “Cymbeline,” runs through May 10 at the Hartung Theater. Directed by the award-winning Matt Foss, this UI Theatre Arts production presents “Cymbeline” in a fresh, contemporary and ultimately accessible way. Tickets are free for UI students and only $10 for UI faculty at staff. Learn more and see the trailer!

Matt Foss Director

Reminder Commencement Regalia is available at the CLASS Dean’s Office for faculty (no cost to borrow). Stop by the CLASS Dean’s office, Admin 112, to reserve regalia as we have a limited supply. Please email Jean Planagan or call Jean at 885-6426 if you have questions regarding regalia.

IMPORTANT DATES May 11-15

Final exams

May 16

Commencement! Plan to join your colleagues and students to celebrate this important next step in their lives. Join us for the reception in the Memorial Gym following the ceremony to congratulate this year’s Lindley Award Winner, Karlee E. Kirking.

May 19

FINAL GRADES DUE—12:00 noon

May 26

Memorial Day. Campus closed

CLASS Internal Newsletter We will take a break from sending this newsletter for the months of June and July. We will send a special edition in mid-August prior to the start of the semester and then resume the regular monthly schedule in September. Your feedback of this newsletter is encouraged. Please email jenniej@uidaho.edu with comments and suggestions.