IUPUI parking can be a zoo; park at the zoo instead
Parking at IUPUI can be a zoo, but the Indianapolis Zoo can help you cut through the concrete jungle of campus.
To create a more welcoming environment that supports student success, Parking and Transportation Services has coordinated with the Indianapolis Zoo for additional employee parking while the student body is settling in. The goal is to elevate the student experience by providing more accessible and convenient parking near their campus destinations.
IUPUI employees who park at the zoo will ride a shuttle to campus. Zoo officials will have a tent set up at the west end of the zoo parking lot. Just identify that you are with IUPUI to avoid paying for parking.
The shuttle will run every 20 to 25 minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday until Sept. 12. Passengers will be let off on the University Boulevard side of Cavanaugh Hall.
“It is an exciting time of year as new and returning students rejoin our campus community,” said Camy Broeker, vice chancellor for finance and administration. “We hope that supplying additional spaces during this busy time will provide a welcoming environment for all.”
People who need to use Americans with Disabilities Act parking should continue to park on campus in the designated D spots.
School of Engineering and Technology appoints assistant dean for recruitment, retention and student services
The School of Engineering and Technology has announced the appointment of Marsha Baker as assistant dean for recruitment, retention and student services. In her new role, which starts Sept. 1, Baker will oversee the Office of Student and Career Services, focusing on student recruitment strategies and implementation as well as on student services, including advising and other appropriate support, focused on engineering and technology students.
Most recently serving as director of diversity and enrichment in the Indiana University School of Nursing, Baker has worked with deans and administrators to strategize all aspects of recruitment and retention of underrepresented students and retention of all IU nursing students.
“I look forward to working with the faculty and staff to continue to broaden student diversity in the School of Engineering and Technology,” Baker said, “while also working to further enhance the overall recruitment, retention and student success efforts.”
Published Conversation article on black giving
Tyrone Freeman, assistant professor of philanthropic studies and director of undergraduate programs for the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, was recently published in The Conversation. “400 years of black giving: From the days of slavery to the 2019 Morehouse graduation” breaks down the history of African American philanthropy.
He writes: “The West African people put into slavery brought cultures of giving and sharing with them across the Atlantic. In 1847, for example, enslaved Africans in Richmond, Virginia, donated money through their church to Ireland’s potato famine relief efforts. I believe that their ways of looking after others and pooling resources to survive forms the basis of giving by African Americans today.
“And while Oprah Winfrey and basketball star LeBron James bring visibility to black philanthropy in unique ways, it’s important to realize that they contribute only a small share of the at least $11 billion African Americans give to charities each year.”
Nominate IUPUI’s next champions of diversity
Nominations are now being accepted for two Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion awards:
- The Advocate for Equity in Accessibility Award recognizes IUPUI staff, faculty and administrators who go above and beyond to ensure students with disabilities enjoy all of the benefits of campus life. Recipients of the award are celebrated during the annual Diversity Soirée. Additionally, award recipient names are permanently affixed to a mounted plaque in the hallway of Taylor Hall, named for Joseph Taylor, IUPUI’s first dean of liberal arts and a vocal supporter of students with disabilities. Nominations should be 1-3 pages in length (double-spaced) and detail the nominee’s activities in support of students with disabilities. Nominators may be students, staff or faculty. Forward all nominations for the 2019 Advocate for Equity in Accessibility Award to Vice Chancellor Karen Dace at kdace@iupui.edu by Sept. 6 to ensure consideration.
- The Multicultural Impact Award recognizes outstanding IUPUI staff members who demonstrate exceptional support of, and make extraordinary contributions to, diversity in all of its shapes and forms. Nominations should be 1-3 pages in length (double-spaced) and detail the nominee’s activities in support of IUPUI’s diversity mission and commitment to creating an inclusive campus climate. Nominators may be IUPUI students, staff or faculty. Please forward all nominations for the 2019 Multicultural Impact Award for Staff to Vice Chancellor Karen Dace at kdace@iupui.edu by Sept. 20.
New digital calendar debuted
A new universitywide digital calendar launched this month, replacing the old calendar with a mobile-friendly, accessible version with updated functionality.
The new calendar was created by California-based White Whale Web Services and uses its LiveWhale calendar software, which is also used by many other colleges and universities including New York University, Texas A&M and Brown University. The company created some customized details, however, to accommodate IU’s multiple campuses across the state.
“This is a fresh start that we believe will really reinvigorate the university calendar,” said Greg Polit, who leads the Digital Campus Planning and Sustainability team with the Office of the Vice President for Communications and Marketing. “It’s a whole new way of thinking about how calendaring is done here at IU, including how we categorize events, and one we hope will be much simpler for our users as well.”
IUPUI serves as a core training hub for Project Lead The Way
IUPUI partnered with Project Lead The Way this summer to provide PLTW professional development through 26 different course offerings for more than 640 pre-K-12 teachers from across the United States.
IUPUI is one of a carefully selected group of organizations across the nation chosen as training partners for PLTW, a nonprofit organization that provides transformative learning experiences for pre-K-12 students and teachers through pathways in computer science, engineering and biomedical science. Indianapolis is one of PLTW’s training hubs, which are selected based on ease of travel, convenient access to amenities and opportunities like embedded industry experiences to enrich the training experience.
PLTW professional development is a foundational element of PLTW programs, providing teachers with the support and resources they need to devote more time to inspiring students. It is a prerequisite for each teacher who instructs PLTW courses.
IUPUI begins 51st year with record freshman class
Classrooms are filling up across IUPUI’s campuses in Indianapolis, Columbus and Fort Wayne, highlighted by the largest freshman class in the university’s history.
An estimated 4,319 beginning students are projected on the three campuses for the start of the school year, with the flagship Indianapolis campus leading the way with 3,777 students, according to preliminary estimates. All three campuses boast increased freshman enrollment from a year ago.
“We enjoyed a wonderful celebration of IUPUI’s 50th anniversary during the 2018-19 academic year, and that momentum is continuing with our record freshman class,” Chancellor Nasser H. Paydar said. “This diverse group will enhance IUPUI’s status as a destination for the best students from across Indiana and around the world.”
School of Education names interim dean
Chancellor Nasser H. Paydar has announced an administrative appointment that took effect Aug. 1.
Tambra Jackson, an associate professor of teacher education, has agreed to serve as interim dean of the School of Education. Jackson fills the role following the departure of Jesse Perez Mendez, who took another position over the summer.
In 23 years as a professional educator, Jackson has focused her research on teacher preparation across the professional continuum, especially in the areas of diversity and culturally responsive pedagogy. During her time at IUPUI, Jackson has played a pivotal role in strengthening the School of Education’s commitment to broad-ranging teacher education. She will provide strategic leadership for the School of Education until a permanent dean is named.
