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Progress Report - July 2008
Online Faculty Information System/New Faculty Activity Database Update
As mentioned in the last update, the university is currently exploring the potential use of a new faculty information database product created by Digital Measures. Academic Affairs continues to tailor this faculty activity database to meet CMU's needs for quality reporting across various levels within the university. We also believe this product would be valuable for monitoring progress of the strategic plan in a more consistent, reliable way.
The deans were given a packet of several reports during the first week of July to assess the quality of the reports the system can generate. By July 15, they will determine if this product was successful in the pilot and worthy of continued university investment. If the Council of Deans endorses this system, we will then continue working with the various constituencies on campus to make access to the system easier and more convenient for faculty to attain the assistance they require.
We continue to load the system with faculty information and would greatly appreciate your support. If you would like to participate in the pilot, please send your vita to Eric Welsby (welsb1ea@cmich.edu). You can also enter your own data into the system by contacting Kara Beery (beery1kl@cmich.edu) to gain access to the site. We really appreciate your support and commitment to quality institutional reporting!
Student-Focused Communications
At our last Communications Committee, it became apparent that CMU 2010 has not been reaching out to spread awareness of the strategic plan with the individuals it has been created to impact most - CMU students. The committee therefore charged a subcommittee with the task of generating an addendum to our current communications plan aimed specifically at engaging students. The implementation of this plan will begin in the fall (2008), creating more of a CMU 2010 presence at some of the welcome activities, potential involvement of the student body leadership, and other media (websites, links, etc.) to get students excited about CMU 2010 and Beyond. Expect to hear more about the Student-Focused Communications for CMU 2010 and Beyond in the next few months.
Spotlight on Special Olympics
For our July 2008 spotlight, we focus our attention on a great project that not only fully exemplifies CMU's commitment to the public, but also our strong dedication to volunteerism and service. Although Special Olympics is not a project that has been funded through CMU 2010 Vision Funds, it is another prime example of excellence at CMU helping us to further our strategic goals.
Special Olympics has been around for 40 years now. What started as a grass roots movement has grown to global proportions. Special Olympics Michigan has been on CMU’s campus for 36 years, and we have enjoyed having a very close relationship with the CMU community. Special Olympics offers year round training and competition for persons with intellectual disabilities. Our largest state event is our Summer Games, which we hold on CMU’s campus. In addition to using the campus, we tap into the talent of the faculty, staff and students, who volunteer their time to help us make the Games successful. Several of our key long term volunteers who make up the Summer Games Committee (and also our Winter Games Committee) are CMU faculty and staff members. They provide the leadership that helps us offer quality programs to our athletes. They are constantly evaluating the sports that we offer, and are always looking for ways to better our athletes’ experience, making the Games more enjoyable, safer, and making the competition equitable. We also have several internship opportunities for CMU students who are majoring in public relations, sports management, and recreation. They assist us in the planning and implementation of various events, and are a vital part of our success. There are times when we have had our interns come on board as a regular staff member because their experience as an intern was so enjoyable.
We have also depended on the financial support of the CMU community to help us raise funds and awareness for our organization. Some of the students have helped us design flyers promoting our Summer Games, and asking for financial support. In addition to using these posters around campus, we have circulated them in the community, which helps to promote our Games even more. We have tapped into the creative talent of graphic arts students, who have helped to design the t-shirts for our volunteers. We have students who are majoring in Physical Education & Sport who take a class in Organization & Administration of Special Olympics Games, (PES 347) and who actually come to our Winter and/or Summer Games and help us with all aspects of the Games. The students from the last class shared their experiences of how volunteering for us changed their life. They now look at persons with disabilities in a new light. No longer to they see a disability, but they see talent, pride, enthusiasm and joy.
The CMU community has also stepped up in helping us raise money through Polar Plunges held on campus, and the Miles for Medals Walk in the fall. We rely on the faculty, staff and students to get involved and jump in the plunge, or join the walk on CMU’s campus during Homecoming Week. Again, there are key volunteers from CMU who serve on our planning committees for these fundraisers who help us ensure that these events are fun, safe, and successful. The energy and enthusiasm that the CMU community puts behind these fundraisers is truly outstanding.
As we look ahead, we see the potential to serve even more than our current 16,000 active participants. We are gearing up for a Young Athletes Program, which is targeting the two to seven year olds with intellectual disabilities. We are also including more healthy athlete initiatives, such as free physicals, eye exams, dental hygiene, hearing, foot exams, and nutrition education. This includes working with some of the students on campus who are majoring in health professions. We are excited about reaching out to more athletes and hope that we can continue to partner with CMU to make a better experience for the athletes we serve.
A special thanks to Heidi Alexander, Administrative Assistant for Special Olympics, for providing such detailed information on how Special Olympics volunteers throughout the university and surrounding community promote CMU 2010's fourth priority, Service for the Public Good. While Special Olympics has existed on CMU's campus long before CMU 2010, their continued dedication supports our goals defined in our strategic plan. This group has done great work bolstering CMU into a university known for service, and bringing us one step closer to national prominence! For more information, please visit the Special Olympics Web site (http://www.somi.org/).
How to Become a Spotlight Project
Since July 2006, we have included "Spotlights" on several projects that are helping CMU 2010 move forward. Please note that we are interested in ANY project that allows CMU to realize our Vision, not only those that have been funded with CMU 2010 Vision Funds.
To share your success with the CMU community, please email CMU2010@cmich.edu. Feel free to identify the month you would like to be featured and a short summary of progress or list of highlights to be displayed. We are more than willing to assist you in documenting your spotlight, so you may provide the name of a contact person and the best way to reach this person for a short interview as an alternative. We are very grateful for those that volunteer! Thank you.
