|
|
Updates from Provost Pallavicini
Dear Members of the Academic Division,
Commencement 2012 marks the end of my first full academic year at Pacific. Without reservation, I can say that Pacific is all that I hoped it would be. A dedicated superb faculty and a wonderful community committed to student learning and faculty success. Like many of you, I feel so very fortunate to be at Pacific!
This year has brought many changes to the University academic community.
- We completed and survived our WASC site team visit! So many contributed to the work leading up to and during the visit. Particular thanks to Brian Klunk for his superb leadership in this effort. Our meeting with the WASC Commission is scheduled for June and we expect to hear the decision and recommendations in July. Importantly we have grown together to realize the importance and value of evidence-based assessment to improve the quality of our programs, academic, co-curricular and administrative. This commitment to improve and provide the best student experience is integral to Pacific's core mission.
- The WASC site visit team recognized the integral role of the University Wide Institutional Effectiveness Committee (IEC) in revising the program review process. IEC has been instrumental in revising guidelines for self study and the program review process, including plans to transition from the 2008 program review guidelines, communication strategies, and mentorship for the revised process. Importantly, IEC will be soliciting feedback from those using the new guidelines to learn how the process can be improved. Information about the process and guidelines can be found through the Office of the Provost webpage under Program Review.
- We undertook a University-wide strategic planning process, which is progressing on schedule. A draft plan, based on input from multiple stakeholders, will be ready for campus feedback in late summer. There will be a formal campus conversation within and across units in early September, more information to come. The goal is to present the plan to the Board of Regents in October. Strategic planning materials can be found online.
- The Promotion and Tenure Committee held several retreats to make recommendations on improving the promotion and tenure process. Existing practices were clarified and in some cases revised to generate proposed guidelines for University Wide Best Practices for Promotion and Tenure. The deans are soliciting faculty input on the recommendations, which will be considered by P and T in the final recommendations. A broad conversation of proposed revisions will occur in fall prior to submission to PRC and Academic Council.
University Faculty Awards
Please join me in celebrating the achievements of our faculty. The following faculty have been recognized by their peers for the 2011-12 academic year:
Distinguished Faculty Award- The award is given for outstanding accomplishment by a tenured faculty member in any or all of the following areas: teaching, research, creative endeavors and service to the University. The 2012 recipient is Xiaoling Li, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research Professor of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Eberhardt Teacher-Scholar Award- Eberhardt Teacher-Scholar Awards are awarded to recognize both exemplary teaching and scholarship. The 2012 recipients are Xin Guo, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and Susan G. Sample, Associate Professor of Political Science, School of International Studies.
University Scholar/Teacher of the Year Award- General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church- The award is given to faculty who demonstrate exceptional teaching; recognize concern for students and colleagues and sensitivity to the mission of the church-related university, a record of significant contributions to the scholarly life of the university, and a commitment to high standards of professional and personal life. The 2012 recipient is Rajul Patel, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Faculty Research Lecturer Award- This award was established by the Faculty Research Committee to recognize faculty with a record of meritorious research or artistic contributions during their service at the University. The 2012 recipient is Robert Halliwell, Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Office of Information Technology Reporting
As the University's new strategic plan takes shape, it is clear that information technology will play a critical role in how we educate our students and how we take advantage of our three-city location. It will be important to integrate the planning of our technology infrastructure and systems closely with the planning and delivery of our academic programs.
In order to facilitate this close collaboration between academic planning and IT planning, Pacific's Office of Information Technology (OIT) will report directly to the Provost, effective July 1, 2012.
Academic Personnel
Departures
Tom Krise has been named the 13th president of Pacific Lutheran University. He is leaving Pacific at the end of May to assume his new post. Thank you Tom for your dedicated service to University of the Pacific. You will be missed. Please join me in wishing Tom all the best in his new post as President of PLU.
Dean Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker will be leaving the Pacific family in July. She will be heading into the next phase of her life, retirement. Dean Parker has served Pacific as Dean since 2002 and under her leadership McGeorge has grown in reputation. Many thanks to Elizabeth for her leadership and commitment to Pacific.
Many thanks to Cynthia Wagner-Weick who has served as Interim Dean of the School of International Studies. She served the school with distinction and effectiveness. Cynthia will focus her energy on her true passions: the Powell Scholars Program, teaching and research. Thank you Cynthia for your dedication to the students, faculty and staff of the School of International Studies.
Arrivals
Please join me in welcoming Paul Paton, who was selected as Pacific's first Vice Provost. Paul is a Professor of Law at Pacific McGeorge who joined Pacific in August of 2008. Paul has a distinguished record in teaching and scholarship and in professional and government settings. We are looking forward to his insight and contributions. Paul begins his appointment on a part time basis June 1, and will transition to full time August 1.
These are my reflections from the Office of the Provost looking back over the last academic year. As you step away into the summer, take the time to recognize your own accomplishments because all that you do helps make Pacific be Pacific.
Best wishes,
Maria Pallavicini
Provost |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Commencemnt 2012
More spring events...
|
Have a news story?
Have a comment or question about this issue?
To submit articles for upcoming issues, please email:
|
|
|
Office of Enrollment Updates
Rob Alexander, Associate Provost for Enrollment
News and Notes
Alexis Ribeiro, Assistant Registrar, presented at the annual American Association of College Registrar's and Admission Officer's (AACRAO) conference in Philadelphia. The presentation showcased Pacific's articulation process as a best practice model for private institutions including processes and policies of course transfer at Pacific highlighting course-to-course equivalency decisions, transfer credit automation, useful tools for student transfer, and showcasing Roaming Online Articulation Reports (ROAR). University Registrar Ann Gillen served as Co-Chair for the planning of the 2013 San Francisco AACRAO conference and will continue her role at the professional organization through next year.
Fall 2012 Applications
Freshman applications submitted for fall 2012 are higher in comparison to last year. Overall student quality remains strong, and the admission office has taken advantage of increased processing speed to render admission decisions earlier than last year, attempting to be more aggressive with highly qualified students with higher average GPA and SAT scores for this year's admitted group. Challenges still exist for state financial programs due to the governor's proposal to reduce Cal Grants for students at private universities.
Transfer and graduate student applications numbers have also increased over previous years, and enrollment teams are working toward their enrollment targets by admitting well-qualified students as early as possible.
Professional applicants on the Stockton campus are relatively stable for the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
DDS applications at the Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry increased by 3.4% over last year. GPA and DAT scores continue to be extremely strong and competitive.
JD applications at the Pacific McGeorge School of Law are down significantly from last year, in line with expectations and national trends. Aggressive strategies have been put in place to find and target additional well-qualified applicants, render decisions in as little as one day and deploy admission notifications immediately which include best-offer scholarships to the most qualified applicants. In addition, Pacific McGeorge School of Law has expanded its outreach program to admitted students which includes, but not limited to: 4 Legal Scholar Days, Admitted Student Day, more personal phone calls made by the Assistant Dean and the Director of Admissions, a new Faculty-Applicant Contact Program, Admitted Student Dinners in various cities/states, student phone-a-thons, monthly newsletters, various communications via e-mail and paper mail; as well as, electronic polling of student enrollment decisions on a real-time basis.
The most up to date enrollment data are available on the Institutional Research Information System (IRIS) at http://iris.pacific.edu. |
|
Updates from the Office of Research and Graduate Studies
Jin Gong, Associate Provost for Research, Collaborative Programs and Dean of Graduates Studies
As of April 18th, we have received 1,093 graduate applications for Fall 2012 - a 31.4% growth over last year's application numbers at this time, and the highest level in the past five years. This growth is across the board for all graduate programs and reflects a 23.8% growth in minority applications from last year. 94 students have confirmed their intent to enroll and our quality metrics remain strong with an average college GPA of 3.42. Graduate Studies continues to work with programs and campus partners to streamline and automate processes.
First Term Graduate Student Demographics
EMT Insight Report, Fall 2012
As of March 30, 2012, 93 proposals had been submitted for external funding, requesting $51,633,616. This dollar amount is already a 48% increase over total requests at the end of last fiscal year. Also, 61 awards have been received to date, totaling $11,337,706. We are very close to reaching, and passing, the $12.6 million in new awards received in all of the 2010-2011 year. |
|
Deans' Corner
Dean Giulio Ongaro
Conservatory of Music
The Music Therapy Program of the Conservatory was featured on the PBS Newshour. Our students were seen in classroom and clinical settings, and Assistant Professor Eric Waldon spoke eloquently about the discipline.
Our students in the Music Management Program, together with students from the Eberhardt School of Business and the Fellows of the Brubeck Institute, were featured on Good Day Sacramento. The story, broadcast live from our recording studio in Owen Hall, highlighted the release of the new CD, Origins, a class project for a Music Management class. Students created a record label from scratch and guided the project from start to finish, under the guidance of Associate Professor Keith Hatschek, support and help of alumni of the program and of the Eberhardt School of Business.
Conservatory student Winston Young has won the Northern California MTAC piano competition and will perform in San Diego as a soloist with an orchestra at the MTAC State Convention in July.
Dean Lewis Gale
Eberhardt School of Business
On March 29th, students of the Eberhardt Student Investment Fund traveled to New York City to attend the Quinnipiac Game II Forum. The 3-day event was an educational seminar on global asset management featuring speakers from Wall Street investor firms and banks. The students learned from leading investment bankers and went on an inspiring tour of Wall Street to learn about its history.
Following a successful fund performance, the Eberhardt Student Investment Fund distributed more than $48,000 to the Men's Water Polo team, the Speech-Language and Pathology program, and the Eberhardt School of Business.
Dean Ravi Jain
School of Engineering and Computer Science
A partnership between the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Pacific is presenting a group of students with the opportunity to work with some of the fastest computers in the world. Team Venus, comprised of twelve female engineering, computer science, and physics students, is working with LLNL to compete in the Student Cluster Competition at SC12, the International Conference for High Performance Computer Networking Storage and Analysis. The team will be mentored by engineers from LLNL and University of the Pacific faculty, including Dr. Jinzhu Gao, Dr. Mike Doherty, Dr. James Hetrick, Dr. Jeff Shafer, and Dr. Louise Stark. LLNL has also secured $50,000 worth of hardware for the competition and will be sponsoring a student co-op.
Dean Cynthia Weick
School of International Studies
SIS senior Nick Freeman has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to teach in Russia. Two other SIS students are finalists for the Fulbright and Pickering Scholarships, and will learn soon whether they have won these honors.
SIS celebrated its 25th anniversary on Saturday, April 14th. Over 155 people attended, including alumni, emeriti, current faculty, students, and guests. A narrative of the School's past, present and future included contributions from Mark Wilson, grandson of former Regent George Wilson, Bill Rupley, son of former Regent Joseph Rupley, Laraine Gerber, wife of former Regent David Gerber, and Provost Pallavicini. SIS' Peace Pole was rededicated and a fund for supporting student plane fare for studying abroad was announced. The day concluded with jazz music from around the world, featuring the Brubeck Quintet.
Dean Phil Oppenheimer
Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Speech-Language Pathology graduate program receives full accreditation
The Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) voted to reaccredit the graduate education program in Speech-Language pathology for a period of 8 years (a full accreditation cycle) beginning Nov. 1, 2011 through Oct. 31, 2019. The Department would like to thank the administration of the University and the School for their support and all of the individuals involved in helping us meet accreditation standards.
Dr. Joseph Woelfel '70, '72, '78 recently received the One Time Only Grant from the San Joaquin County Human Services Agency for the Falls Prevention and Pharmaceutical Clinics. The funding will help purchase screening tools such as a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), a waved diagnostic test system for hemoglobin analysis that will enable additional health screening parameters for patients served in the clinics and at healthcare outreach events.
Pacific took home second place in the College Bowl competition which was held by the California Association of Healthcare Leaders, the northern and central California affiliate of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Two of our three Pacific representatives were PharmD/MBAs and the other was an MBA in Healthcare Management. This is the third year Pacific has ranked second place in the competition.
Dean Elizabeth Rindskopf-Parker
Pacific McGeroge School of Law
The University of the Pacific Brubeck Fellows performed at an interdisciplinary forum, "The Evolution of Music Artist to Businessperson," which was attended by students, musicians, attorneys, and staff on April 10, in the Grand Salon of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law Legal Studies Center. A panel comprised of Simon Rowe, Director of Pacific's Brubeck Institute, and entertainment law attorneys Scott Hervey, '95, and Richard Jeweler discussed the fast-changing world of music delivery and copyright. Pacific McGeorge professors Amy Landers and Courtney Lee moderated the panel.
Dean Pat Ferrillo
Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry
SoMa Campus Updates
The latest updates, including new architectural renderings of the proposed exterior of 155 Fifth Street, are posted on our facility project pages. We encourage the Pacific community to follow the progress at http://www.dental.pacific.edu/plans
Awe-Inspiring Alumni
My latest Dean's Blog post highlights our strong dental school alumni network and how inspiring it is to interact with graduates. We recently held our third-year student and alumni retreat in Pacific Grove and our 113th Annual Alumni Meeting in San Francisco. The post is available at http://www.dental.pacific.edu/The_Dugoni_Experience/Deans_Blog.html
Dean Brigid Welch
University Library
News From Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University Library
Two of the University Library's distinctive collections reported notable developments in April. The Brubeck Collection received a GRAMMY Foundation Grant to digitize and preserve 49 endangered reel-to-reel tapes from the 1950s-80s by pianist/composer Dave Brubeck. Chosen by The GRAMMY Foundation because they offer unique, unreleased documentation of Brubeck's monumental contributions to jazz, the tapes contain unreleased recordings of concert performances, rehearsals, and jam sessions.
The John Muir Papers at University of the Pacific Library, which holds 70 percent of the world's known materials written by the famed environmentalist, has acquired a new collection of Muir's private correspondence. The 10 historic letters penned by Muir to Mary Frances Kellogg during the last two years of his life cover a broad range of topics, including the fight to prevent the Hetch Hetchy Valley from being dammed, which Muir refers to as "this long drawn out battle for our national parks." |
|
Faculty Governance
Academic Council Report
Resolution regarding Cal Grants
Academic Council passed a resolution asking Governor Brown to rescind his proposal to cut the Cal Grant awards to students attending private institutions.
Faculty Workload Results
Faculty at Pacific were more stressed than their peers at other private institutions regarding the review/promotion process, self-imposed high expectations, child care, personal finances, and working with underprepared students (among other factors). Conversely, Pacific faculty were less stressed than their peers at private institutions regarding colleagues and classroom conflict.
About 70% of the faculty spend 6-15 hours per week in the classroom and about 50% spend 6-15 hours per week preparing classes. Over 75% spend 2-10 hours per week corresponding with students. About 25% feel that they spend too much time on teaching, advising, and other student-related activities. About 66% of the faculty spend less than five hours per week on research-related activities. About 70% of faculty feel that they spend too little time on research.
Past Chair of Council, Associate Professor Susan Giraldez, worked with other faculty members and Institutional Research to compile the data and formulate a list of recommendations, including:
- Clarify the Promotion and Tenure process.
- Assess balance of teaching, advising, scholarship, and service in relation to Pacific's institutional identity.
- Revisit the advising model to have more faculty involvement in career planning and course choice advice, and less involvement in transactional advising (has the student met course requirements, does the student have enough units outside the major, etc.).
- Identify "invisible" workload issues, such as Independent Studies, etc.
- Develop equitable policies for course releases, overload pay, etc.
- Develop policies to support faculty development at each career level.
- Reduce number of committees.
Online Election Tool
Victor Tachkov, a senior Computer Science major, has developed an online voting tool. Voting faculty should be able to find the link under the Administrative tab on insidePacific.
Chris Goff, Associate Professor, Mathematics
Chair, Academic Council |
|
International Programs and Services
Faculty-led Education Aborad Programs
Kobe, Japan
Dr. Tim Smith, Professor in Pharmacy and Health Sciences, led a group of seven pharmacy students to Kobe, Japan to visit a long-time partner institution, Kobe Gakuin University from April 14 to 21. The trip was a great success and all the students had a life-changing experience.
Guatemala
Dr. Katie Golsan of Modern Language will be leading a Spanish Language-Immersion program to Antigua, Guatemala from May 14 to June 8. Students will enroll in Spanish classes each day at the PFLM Language School in Antigua, stay with host families, and have many excursions and trips.
Shanghai, China
Dr. Jie Lu, Chair of the Modern Language Department, Dr. Phil Zhu, Dr. Albert Huang and Administrative Assistant Debbi Bell, all from the Eberhardt School of Business will be leading a group of students to Shanghai and Beijing in China from May 17 to June 28. The program will include courses taught by faculty from University of the Pacific. It features field studies, cultural activities, visits to major business and finance institutions and interactions with successful American business entrepreneurs and organizations in China. Through the summer program, students can earn up to 8 Pacific units and gain highly valuable global experiences in the most economically vibrant and prosperous cities in the world.
Ge-Yao Liu
Director of International Programs and Services |
Office of the Provost
University of the Pacific | 3601 Pacific Avenue | Stockton, CA | 95211
|
|
|
|
|
|
