SEPTEMBER 14, 2015 | VOL. 5, ISSUE 2
Common Purpose: Working Together for Academic Excellence
This year the academic administration is using more frequent and varied communication strategies to increase visibility of Academic Division support for faculty and students and to highlight the successes of our faculty and students. Regularly scheduled communication include:  

A twice-monthly newsletter published with current news of interest to Pacific's faculty and staff in the academic units.    

An annual academic administrative reportCommon Purpose: Working Together for Academic Excellence. The first annual report summarizes 2014-15 academic division progress and forecasts 2015-16 initiatives and activities. You can use the link above to view online, download and print Common Purpose. Print copies will be available on September 17 at the first Conversation with the Provost (see below).    

Monthly open conversations with the Provost and academic administrative leadership. The Provost will host the first AY15-16 open conversation with faculty on September 17, 12:00-1:00 p.m., at the Alex and Jeri Vereschagin Alumni House. Bring your lunch and join the Provost and members of the senior academic administration, who will distribute and discuss Common Purpose and respond to questions. We'll provide beverages and dessert!    

This is the first in a series of monthly, open conversations with the Provost and senior academic administration on various topics. The Provost will host her next Conversations on October 13 (DUC Ballroom), and November 19 and December 10 (Grace Covell Hall) (topics TBD), during Pacific Hour (12:00-1:00 p.m.). A schedule of dates and times for AY15-16 conversations can be found here.  

Provost's Office Open Hours. Provost Pallavicini also will host several open office hours during the academic year during which she is available to meet with faculty, staff and students to answer questions and discuss academic division activities. The first of these is scheduled for October 8, 1:00-3:00 p.m., in the Provost's Office on the Stockton campus. The Provost will host open office hours on the Sacramento Campus on October 29, the San Francisco Campus on November 2, and again on the Stockton campus on December 3. 
   











MCGEORGE WELCOMES NEW FACULTY
Pacific's commitment to "cross boundaries for academic excellence" to support teaching, research and creative activities that address water-related and other environmental challenges, from multiple disciplinary perspectives (see Pacific's Academic Plan), is underway. On September 10, Pacific's McGeorge School of Law welcomed three (one with a joint appointment in the College of the Pacific) of its four new faculty members to the Sacramento ... Learn More
FEATURED FACULTY INTERVIEW: DR. CRAIG VIERRA
Crossing Boundaries for Academic Excellence, the theme of Pacific's Academic Plan, seen in Faculty successes in scholarship

Dr. Craig Vierra, Co-Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences and Professor of Biology was awarded in August a three-year, National Science Foundation grant of $579,000. He joined Pacific in 1994 and became department co-chair in 2005. He teaches Genetics, Principles of Biology, Immunology, Principles of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Techniques. With this grant, Dr. Vierra's total support from the NSF exceeds $2.3 million dollars.

In the first of a series of interviews featuring faculty members from across the University, we sat down with Dr. Vierra to learn more about his experience at Pacific and what he plans to do with this grant. ... Learn More
DR. XIN GUO AWARDED $316,000 GRANT
Dr. Xin Guo, Professor of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry,  received confirmation in August that he has been awarded an R15  National Institutes of Health/National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIH/NIGMS) grant of $316,000. 

This three-year grant will allow Dr. Guo to pursue his work on "Lipid-coated, pH-sensitive Phosphate Particles for Intracellular Protein Delivery." His project will study ... Learn More
DR. LOUISE STARK (PROFESSOR EMERITUS) FEATURED IN "100 INSPIRING WOMEN IN STEM AWARDS" IN INSIGHT INTO DIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Congratulations to Dr. Louise Stark, Professor Emeritus of Engineering and Computer Science, on being named one of "100 Inspiring Women in STEM" in the September 2015 Insight Into Diversity magazine. 

These awards recognize exemplary women who inspire and encourage the next generation of young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. ... Learn More
WELCOME MESSAGE FROM ASSOCIATE PROVOST JIM UCHIZONO
The last issue of this newsletter announced the appointment of Jim Uchizono as Pacific's new Associate Provost of Research and Interim Dean of Graduate Studies. 

Now that Associate Provost Uchizono is getting settled in his new position, he wanted to be sure to send out this welcome message to all Pacific faculty:

"Hello my fellow Pacificans! I am excited to serve you in my new role in the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. My top priority is the continued success of faculty, who are at the heart of the "Pacific Experience." ... Learn More
CANVAS TRAINING AND MIGRATION CONTINUES TO ADVANCE
As of September 10, the Center for Teaching and Learning has trained 100 faculty and staff members on Canvas, the new Learning Management System (LMS) that is scheduled to replace Sakai over the 2015-16 Academic Year. Canvas is a reliable, cloud-based LMS that provides faculty and students with the flexibility of customization and mobility. ... Learn More
SEED-SPONSORED FACULTY DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY
Sponsored by the Strategic Educational Excellence Development (SEED) fund, the Center for Teaching and Learning and Office of Services for Students with Disabilities will be offering a series of workshops on disability awareness and Universal Design of Instruction. ... Learn More
BARBARA SHAW ACCEPTS APPOINTMENT TO THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE
Congratulations to Barbara Shaw, who recently accepted an appointment as Special Assistant to the President. Shaw transitions to this new role from her position as Associate Provost for the Center for Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE). In the President's Office, she will lead high-level, University-wide initiatives, such as spearheading Pacific's Title IX efforts. She also will develop ...  Learn More
DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP TEAM UPDATE
This summer, in support of the University's commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence, President Eibeck appointed Chris Goff, Assistant Provost for Diversity and Professor of Math, Steve Jacobson, Senior Associate Vice President for Student Life, and Sondra Roeuny, Assistant Vice President for Business and Finance, to serve as a Diversity Leadership Team (DLT). These members were selected to ensure inclusiveness and collaboration across the University between faculty, students and staff, respectively. ... Learn More
IMPORTANT 
DATES TO REMEMBER

CTL MENTOR MONDAY:
HOW CAN I CREATE MEANINGFUL ASSIGNMENTS FOR MY STUDENTS? 
 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2:00 - 3:00 P.M.

PROVOST OPEN CONVERSATION:
ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION UPDATES


SEPTEMBER 17, 12:00 - 1:00 P.M.

CANVAS CAMP 
(EVERY THURSDAY)


SEPTEMBER 17, 9:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.

CTL LUNCH & LEARN:
USE OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS IN
THE CLASSROOM


SEPTEMBER 30, 12:00 - 1:30 P.M.

PROVOST'S OFFICE OPEN HOURS
STOCKTON CAMPUS
 
OCTOBER 8, 1:00 - 3:00 P.M.
OCTOBER 9, 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

   OFFICE OF THE PROVOST
   CALL US 209.946.2551

   WE WANT YOUR CONTENT!
   Have a news story? Or a comment or question about this   
   issue? To contact us, please email: Provost Newsletter