College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Unit Head Mailing 07-01-08

1) Fall 2008 Unit Head Meeting Dates

2) Sophomore Year Success Audio Conference – Nancy Giardina

3) Science Café – Grand Rapids – From Shaily Menon

4) Your website and your strategic plan – Fred Antczak

1) Fall 2008 Unit Head Meeting Dates (attachment)

2) Sophomore Year Success Audio Conference –Nancy Giardina

Please see the attached information regarding this upcoming conference. Registration information for this audio conference is noted at the bottom of the flyer. Contact Cherilyn Denomme in the Early Alert and Student Success Program at ext. 12379 for additional information.

3) SCIENCE CAFE-GRAND RAPIDS – From Shaily Menon

The first meeting of Science Café-Grand Rapids will take place at 7 pm, Tuesday, July 1, 2008 in the meeting room at Schuler Books, 3165 Alpine Ave NW, Walker (first strip mall on the west side of Alpine Avenue just north of I-96 expressway).

July 1, 2008 is the 150th anniversary of the first public presentation of the Darwin-Wallace scientific theory concerning adaptive evolution by selection at the Linnaean Society in London, England. The topic for the first presentation and discussion meeting of the Science Café-Grand Rapids is

DARWIN THEN AND NOW: WHAT MAKES SELECTION A POWERFUL NATURAL PROCESS?

The presenter for this inaugural event is Dr. Carl Bajema who has just retired from Grand Valley State University where he taught evolutionary biology for more than 40 years. He has conducted scientific research involving the measurement of the direction and intensity of selection in human populations. Professor Bajema also has been very active as a science educator helping students, teachers and others gain a better understanding of the natural processes involved in evolution.

What is a science cafe?

A science cafe is a place where "anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology." The format usually will involve a speaker who will briefly introduce the subject (15-20 minutes) followed by discussion (30-45 minutes or even longer). It is an opportunity for citizens to become better informed about advances in science and technology and the numerous issues these advances raise for society. Citizens expect to listen and participate in a conversation while in a cafe. The aim of the science cafe is to bring science into conversation and make the conversation more meaningful for our culture. There are more than 200 science cafes/cafe scientifiques throughout the world including one in Muskegon and one in Lansing. More information concerning science cafes can be found at www.sciencecafes.org.

Please help us make colleagues aware of this Science Café-Grand Rapids by forwarding this announcement to any friend who might be interested. Email mailto:bajemacj@gvsu.edu if you wish to receive emails announcing the topics and times of future meetings of the Grand Rapids chapter of Science Cafe

4) Your website and your strategic plan – Fred Antczak

All units are to have accessible on their websites their strategic plan. This has been explicitly required by the NCA accreditors in addition to the CLAS website providing the College and unit plans. Recent spot checking shows that while some departments do have their plan available from their site, not all do, and in some cases the link is now broken. Thanks for your cooperation.

5) CLAS Important Dates

Important Dates	Event	Location
Aug. 19	Unit Head Retreat	TBA – 9:00-4:00
Aug. 20	FTLC Teaching Conference	8:30 A.M. Atrium of Padnos Hall
Aug. 21	CLAS Faculty and Staff Meeting	TBA – A.M. followed by lunch
Aug. 22	Convocation	11:00 A.M. Field House

Page last modified October 27, 2010