Dear Members of the UMD Campus Community,
Important events are taking place at UMD throughout February that reflect UMD's rich legacy as well as advance goals of UMD's Strategic Plan and those of the Campus Change Team to help place UMD among the best higher educational institutions of its type in the country. I encourage you to participate. I also encourage you to provide feedback and ideas on UMD's Strategic Plan (http://www.d.umn.edu/chancellor/planning/) and your thoughts to the Campus Change Team (http://www.d.umn.edu/chancellor/climate/contact.html).
Honor Vince Magnuson; Attend Red Balloon Project Presentation: Monday, February 20
It is a privilege to invite you to a ceremony at which Vince Magnuson, former UMD Vice Chancellor for Academic Administration, will be presented the distinguished William Plater Award for Leadership in Civic Engagement from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). The event is being held from 3-5 p.m., Monday, February 20, in Weber Hall.
This prestigious award will be presented by George Mehaffy, AASCU's Vice President for Academic Leadership and Change and leader of the organization's Red Balloon Project. As part of the event, Vice President Mehaffy will make a presentation on the Red Balloon Project, a national initiative to re-imagine and then to redesign undergraduate education for the 21st century. Read more about the Red Balloon Project at http://www.aascu.org/Red_Balloons_Project.aspx?LangType=1033.
Announced in June at the annual meeting of AASCU's American Democracy Project, the Plater Award recognizes the leadership and critical role former Vice Chancellor Magnuson demonstrated during his role as UMD's chief academic officer to advance the civic mission of the campus through curricular reform, public advocacy, accountability for institutional citizenship, faculty development and recruitment, and partnerships with community organizations.
Gain Insight from Tim Wise at UMD's UnFair Campaign Event: Thursday, February 16
One of the most prominent anti-racist writers and educators in the United States and one of "25 Visionaries Who are Changing Your World," by Utne Reader in 2010, Tim Wise will be on our campus on February 16 for a lecture at 6:00 p.m., in Kirby Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public, and all are encouraged to participate. Also during that day, Mr. Wise will interact with students, faculty, and staff at a series of group conversations.
The appearance of Mr. Wise, author of Dear White America: Letter to a New Minority and other books, is part of UMD's commitment to the UnFair Campaign. A major anti-racism effort, the UnFair Campaign raises issues about how hard it is to see racism when one is not subjected to daily acts of discrimination and intolerance. The UnFair Campaign's 14 Duluth community partners, including UMD, understand that problems are ingrained in the fabric of our society, and advancing equity, diversity, and social justice requires persistence and long-term work.
There are many opportunities to participate in the UnFair Campaign, including attending UMD's film series being held throughout Spring Semester. For a complete listing and for other events both on and off campus, visit: http://unfaircampaign.org. For more information about UMD's Campus Climate initiatives, visit: http://www.d.umn.edu/chancellor/climate/.
Support the U with Advocacy and Action
Last week UMD representatives and I attended the inspiring Legislative Briefing event on the Twin Cities campus. Thousands of students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends of the U of M firmly believe in higher education's role in pushing our state forward. These citizens are working across the state and across U of M campuses to actively engage elected officials about the University's initiatives and other key issues, including UMD's American Indian Learning Resource Center project that is now before the 2012 Minnesota Legislature. They write to their elected officials. They write letters to the editor of their paper. They attend events. They share their stories. You can help. Get involved. To find out about actions you can take, visit: http://supporttheu.umn.edu/.
You may be interested in watching two videos. One video answers the question: "What is a Research University?" The second video features President Kaler urging people to advocate for the U of M. Both videos can be found at: http://supporttheu.umn.edu/gallery/index.html.
I look forward to having you join me in the Support the U campaign and seeing you at the events listed in this email as well as other activities throughout Spring Semester.
Sincerely,
Lendley (Lynn) Black
Chancellor
