M E S S A G E  
F R O M  T H E  D E A N
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RONALD W. MARX
APRIL 2015
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RACISM AND FRATERNITIES + SLEEP AND STEM


ron marx

Last month, social media postings led to a firestorm at the University of Oklahoma when a clip of a group of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity members singing a racist chant showed up on Twitter. And the Penn State chapter of the Chi Omega sorority faced an investigation after photos of the sisters dressed in sombreros, ponchos, and mustaches and carrying racially demeaning placards showed up on a Facebook site in 2012.


Assistant Professor Nolan Cabrera of our Educational Policy Studies & Practice department was quoted across the nation, saying there is little surprising about such revelations. Find out why in this sampling of the media he received: 


Huffington Post

 

Chronicle of Higher Education

 

Oregon Herald

 

Seattle Times

 

You Tube

 

triblive.com


Also in the news: 
In middle school, children either develop an affinity for math and science or begin believing they do not possess the mental agility necessary to succeed in these subjects. But if students want to become nurses, physicians, software developers, engineers, business intelligence analysts, and other high-in-demand specialists, these subjects are important entry points. 


Associate Professor Michelle Perfect of Disability & Psychoeducational Studies and a
 UA team are working to circumvent that lost interest, targeting students before they reach middle school while addressing another challenge in education: students' poor sleeping habits. The team has received nearly $1.2 million in funding through Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers, or ITEST, a program of the National Science Foundation.

 

Read more in ischoolguide.com and UA News, or listen to this interview on KJZZ.  

 

Speaking of STEM, our Teachers in Industry program, designed to retain excellent teachers in STEM classrooms, has been recognized as a leading program in the nation. Change the Equation, a Washington, D.C.-based, nonpartisan partnership led by a team of CEOs, has added the program to the STEMworks database, naming it an "exemplary" program. The database is a resource for businesses and nonprofit organizations looking to invest in STEM education, with member organizations that include 3M, AT&T, IBM, Texas Instruments, and Verizon. Read the full story here.

 

Gardening & Teaching

  child's first garden

 

Gardening is effective for teaching because students experience what they are learning, said Constantinos Manoli, a staff member of the Cooper Center for Environmental Learning, which fosters environmental education through the College of Education.

Here's more.

 

STUDENTS: TELL US ABOUT YOUR BEST COLLEGE OF EDUCATION EXPERIENCE ON YOUTUBE!

you tube logo

Students! Be on the lookout for the college's new red-carpet screen at Convocation, May 13. We want to film you and find out about your best memories at the College of Education. Then, we'll post the video on Facebook and YouTube. We will be outside of McKale before and after Convocation. Stop by for some on-camera fun!

Companies with STEM Talent Support Education  

stem logo  

Developing the next generation of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and other technologists is an urgent concern. While the number of STEM jobs is on the rise in the United States, the education-to-employment pipeline isn't producing enough talent to meet the country's future employment needs.

 

U.S. News & World Report mentioned our Teachers in Industry program in this article about the issue.

 

 

The Other Iraqi Crisis

 

iraqi stamp  

 

Between October 1, 2006, and November 30, 2012, just 11,000 special immigrant visas (SIVs) were issued to Iraqis who worked for the U.S. government in Iraq, out of a possible 25,000. Educational Policy Studies & Practice Assistant Professor Jill Koyama collected data between 2011 and 2013 in an anthropological study of 27 Iraqi refugees resettled with SIVs and 24 returned American veterans of the Iraq War living in New York.

koyama

 

On Friday, April 24, at 3 p.m., Koyama will reveal the bureaucracy associated with obtaining an SIV as part of the UA School of Middle Eastern and South African Studies' Spring 2015 Colloquium Series. The talk, which is free and open to the public, is in the UA Marshall Building (845 N. Park Avenue), room 490. Here are the details

BOOK DRIVE: EVERY BOOK MAKES A DIFFERENCE! 

 

elephant reading book Student Ambassadors have partnered with Literacy Connects, a nonprofit organization that specializes in empowering people through literacy and arts. Student Ambassadors are collecting books for children and families who may not have access to books otherwise.

 

Every book makes a difference, and this is a great time to clear off your shelves. Any lightly used children's books, dictionaries, or children's chapter books can help an emerging reader to take off!

 

Deadline is May 1. There are several drop-off locations:

 

College of Education World of Words Library, Room 437

College of Education Student Services, Room 247

College of Education Dean's Office, Room 201

CSIL Front Desk, Student Union, Room 404

ASUA Front Desk, Student Union, Room 325W

 

 

Up on the Roof

 

Gloria Barnett, Judy Ovitt, and Shirley Ann Hartman (left to right)

The beautiful centerpieces were donated by Villa Feliz Flowers

Marcy Wood, Sara Tolbert, and
Amanda Montgomery (left to right)

Barbara Cropper, Jinx Patterson, and McD Hartman (left to right)

The Annual Erasmus Circle Reception was held this month on the Rooftop Terrace of the Westward Look. More than 60 guests were there to honor Erasmus Circle donors and meet this year's Erasmus Circle Fellows: Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies Associate Professor Marcy Wood and TLS Assistant Professor Sara Tolbert.

 

Longtime College of Education supporter Tom Nolan received the Erasmus Circle Outstanding Achievment in Education Award. He received his award via telepresence from Florida. 

 

Amanda Montgomery, a 2014 alumnus, was the keynote speaker and gave an inspirational speech about her challenging childhood and her service in the Air Force (four tours of duty). She is now teaching at Hudlow Elementary. Amanda was a 2014 Erasmus Circle Scholar and a 2014 Student Teacher of the Year.

 

 

An Evening of Gratitude

 

Speaker Bob Bain (left)
with Richard Clift

The event was held at the home of Paul Lindsey and Kathy Alexander

In March, we held our first Donor Recognition event, where we paid tribute to donors who have given $1,000 during the 2014-2015 fiscal year. An Evening of Gratitude was held at the home of our generous supporters, Paul Lindsey and Kathy Alexander.

 

Attendees were treated to a special lecture: Bob Bain, assistant professor of history and education from the University of Michigan, spoke about the Big History Project, a broad view of history covering 13.7 billion years from the Big Bang to modern times. He covered 13.7 billion years in 30 minutes!  The project helps students identify patterns and connections in history to understand people, civilizations, as well as the science and social science of the world we live in.

 

If you'd like to make a donation to the College of Education, please contact Rick Zurow at [email protected] or 520-621-7143. Or you can make a donation online here. Thank you for supporting the College of Education!

 

 

Could you be the next Erasmus Circle Scholar?

 

The Erasmus Circle Scholars program was developed by the Dean's Advisory Board to support exceptional students in education and related fields. Students who are academically strong  (current gpa of 3.5 or above) and who have made significant contributions to their communities, the college, and the UA will be considered and may receive an Erasmus Circle Undergraduate Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 for the fall 2015 semester. Apply today! Deadline is April 29.
 

First Recipient of the Richard Ruiz

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award Announced

  

The Richard Ruiz Diversity Leadership Faculty Award was created this year to honor the late Richard Ruiz, a beloved College of Education professor and the interim head of the UA Department of Mexican and American Studies. 

 

moreno

The first recipient is Francisco Moreno, who is a professor of psychiatry, the deputy dean for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the UA College of Medicine, and assistant vice president for diversity and inclusion at the Arizona Health Sciences Center. He established the Diversity Matters and Diversity Seminar series, designed to provide opportunities to explore and discuss issues related to creating an inclusive environment and equitable access to care.

 

We know Richard would not only approve, but he would be proud, as well. Read the full story here.

 

 

Budget Cuts to Cripple the Cooper Center?


 

 

Could stormy skies be on the horizon for the beloved Cooper Center?


 
The Cooper Center for Environmental Learning has shared the wonders of the Sonoran Desert for more than 50 years. Go anywhere in Southern Arizona, and you will find people who have been touched by our programs. In fact, some students had never experienced nature until they arrived at the Cooper Center. Simply put, Cooper changes lives.

 

Sadly, looming budget cuts are about to cripple Cooper's operating budget. With most of Cooper's operating budget tied to staffing costs, this means that the center will not be able to hire the staff necessary to run field trips without your help.

 

If we want the beauty of the Sonoran Desert to be protected for the next generation of Southern Arizonans, Cooper experiences need to be a part of our community. Our actions today lay the foundation for the future, and each child impacted by Cooper has a new appreciation for the natural world, an understanding of how our planet functions, and the value of living more lightly on the earth.

 

Please help us save the Cooper Center! Make a contribution today. Visit the Cooper Center donation page to make your tax-deductible donation. 

 

    

'Tis the Season for Awards

 

Congratulations to these spring award recipients: 

 

College Awards

 

Outstanding Faculty Service/Outreach Award

Professor Kris Bosworth, Educational Policy Studies & Practice

 

Outstanding Senior

Lacey Smyth, Literacy, Learning & Leadership program in Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies

 

Outstanding Graduate Student

Deborah Schneider, Learning Disabilities program in Disability & Psychoeducational Studies

 

Erasmus Circle Award for Innovative Uses in Technology

Albert Susman, Teach Arizona program in Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies

 

Department Awards

 

Disability & Psychoeducational Studies

 

Outstanding Senior, Deaf Studies

Ellen Catapano

 

Outstanding Senior, Rehabilitation

Melissa Anne Tvedt

 

Outstanding Student Teacher, Cross-Categorical in Special Education

Katherine Wilson

 

Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies

 

Outstanding Student Teacher, Elementary Education

Shannon Clowes

 

Outstanding Student Teacher, Early Childhood Education

Lauren Cordier

 

Outstanding Student Teacher, Teach Arizona

Paige Bangart

 

 

sugimoto and carter
Amanda Sugimoto (left) is the recipient of the 2015 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, presented by the Graduate and Professional Student Council. Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies Professor Kathy Carter (right) nominated Amanda for the award.

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Crossroads of History and Culture Trip

for K-12 and Community College Educators

 

 

bosnia
 

 

K-12 or community college educators: You are invited to travel to Bosnia, learn about the culture, and expand global knowledge as part of the Crossroads of History and Culture trip in June. 

 

Who is eligible to register for the trip?

 

Full-time or part-time educators

Currently practicing, pre-service, or retired educators

Education administrators and support staff 

 

Educators may be accompanied by one other person.

 

Those who attend will receive a certificate for 45 professional development credits (PDCs) and can receive an additional 15 PDCs if a lesson plan is completed and submitted after the trip.

 

Learn more about the trip here.

 

 

 

Addressing the Social-Emotional Health of All Students

 

 

michael furlong teacher-students-banner.jpg

 

 

Professor Michael J. Furlong of the University of California, Santa Barbara, will be at the College of Education Thursday, April 23, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., in room 211 to present his research on improving social-emotional health for students. He is the director of the Center for School-Based Youth Development. Here are the detailsThe event is hosted by the UA Chapter of Student Affiliates in School Psychology. RSVP here
 

 

  

PEOPLE 

 

 

Disability & Psychoeducational Studies

 

bauman

Professor Sheri Bauman wrote an opinion piece on "revenge porn" laws here

Associate Professor Todd Fletcher was featured in this article on the University of Auckland website.

 

 

Educational Psychology

 

Tom Good

Professor Tom Good and Alyson Leah Lavigne, an assistant professor of curriculum studies at Roosevelt University in Chicago, published a new book: Improving Teaching through Observation and Feedback. They were named authors of the month in March by Routledge Publishing for the book. Here's the article.

 

 

 

 

Educational Policy Studies & Practice

 

Assistant Professor Nolan Cabrera was quoted frequently when a story broke about an assistant professor at Arizona State University who has received an onslaught of hateful messages since Fox News aired a segment admonishing a course he teaches at ASU. Cabrera also was quoted in Chronicle of Higher Education and Arizona Republic.

 

rhoades

Department Head and Professor Gary Rhoades was quoted in an article about nontenure-track faculty in  Popular Resistance.

 

 

Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies

 

 

Alumna Kathleen Harris Bowman was named a Distinguished Educator in the Catalina Foothills School District.

 

clift

Professor and Associate Dean Renee Clift was interviewed on Arizona Public Media radio about teacher shortages and working conditions in Arizona public schools. 
 

Student Amanda Davidson was recognized as a "super volunteer" for her volunteer support of Catalina Foothills School District through her work at Esperero Canyon Middle School. 

 

Alumna Beth Jurgensen was named a Distinguished Educator in the Catalina Foothills School District.

 

Alumna Chelsea McIntyre was named a Distinguished Educator in the Catalina Foothills School District.

 

 

Until next month,

 

signature of Ron Marx 

Dean Ronald W. Marx 

 



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