Office of the Provost

Calendar of Events and Programs 2011-12  

This page is updated regularly. Please check back for upcoming events.

Spring 2012

BIRS Coffee Hour
Tuesday, May 1, 10-11 a.m., Starbucks
Come meet the University's interim Compliance Officer, Dr. Pamela Crowell, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, at the next BIRS Coffee Hour. Dr. Crowell is a former Vice President for Research at Idaho State University and former Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education at the Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis School of Science. She will work on issues related to research compliance, including Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and Institutional Health and Safety Committee (IHSC), as well as Intellectual Property Rights Issues (patents, copyrights, etc.).  The coffee is on BIRS!

Brown Bag Series, Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work Presentations
Brooke Beloso (Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies): "Is 'Cyberprostitution' Prostitution? New Paradigms, Old Crime"
Wednesday, April 25, noon-1 p.m., UClub (AU111)
Brooke Beloso will examine the way in which an ensemble of new ICT practices and possibilities that the American legal system has recently begun to label "cyberprostitution" disturbs the status quo of the law as privileged conservator of sexual morality. She will map out the "early, clumsy form" of cyberprostitution today, and will explore the way in which such technical laymen as judges (and lawyers) have begun to apply familiar analogies from the past (principally, pimping and pandering, pornography, and prostitution) in their attempts to assimilate "cyberprostitution" into some semblance of a structure of rights and obligations. Click here to view the full abstract and poster for this presentation.

No RSVP necessary. Drinks and snacks provided; please feel free to bring your lunch.

Teaching and Learning with Technology Workshop: "Exploring Stories Digitally"
 Tuesday, April 24, 2:30-3:30 p.m., JH048
 Join Chris Bungard (LAS) as he discusses using digital stories in a variety of courses in order to push students to think about how the tools to think about how the tools of the digital age can be employed to think critically about the stories of the past. He will discuss the process along with logistical matters and share examples from his courses. Click here for more information on upcoming TLT workshops. 

BIRS Workshop: "Apply for a Grant this Summer"
 Wednesday, April 18, noon-1 p.m., AU302
 This presentation will focus on grant and fellowship opportunities with summer and early fall deadlines, and will include discussion on how to find these opportunities and how to use the summer to your advantage to complete the applications. Please RSVP to Dana Ohren by clicking here. 

Teaching and Learning with Technology Workshop: "iPads"
Wednesday, April 18, 3-4 p.m., JH048
 The Physician Assistant program began a new mobile technology initiative evaluating the iPad 2 in the classroom. Join John Lucich (COPHS) as he provides updates on how the program is progressing, and discusses lessons learned and best practices. Click here for more information on upcoming TLT workshops. 

CANCELLED - University 101: "How Advancement Works" - Mark Helmus, Vice President for University Advancement
 Wednesday, April 18, 4-5 p.m., AU302
 Due to an on-campus conflict, the final University 101 session of the academic year has been cancelled. 

Lunch Conversation Opportunities for Core Area 1 & 2 Faculty
 April 16, noon-1 p.m., UClub (AU111) - Area 1 - "Area 1 Assessment Update"
 April 17, noon-1 p.m., UClub (AU111) - Area 2 - "Area 2 Review"
 Faculty teaching in the Social World, Texts and Ideas, and Perspectives in the Creative Arts are invited to lunch on the 16th, and those teaching in the Natural World, Physical Well Being, and Analytical Reasoning are invited to lunch on the 17th. Join colleagues for conversation on teaching in these areas of the Core - lunch tickets to The Market Place will be provided. No RSVP necessary.

New Faculty Orientation: "Reflecting on and Evaluating the Year"
Thursday, April 12, noon-1 p.m., UClub (AU111)
Please join your colleagues for the final New Faculty Orientation session of the year. In addition to reflecting on the year, you'll be asked to provide feedback on new faculty opportunities and suggestions to help next year's group of new faculty have a successful transition. 

BIRS Workshop: "Grant Proposal Development"
Thursday, April 12, 10-11 a.m., JH048
This workshop will teach you the best practices for composing the narrative portions of grant proposals, including the project summary, goals and objectives, methodology, assessment and more. Special attention will be paid to the differences between research and programmatic proposals. Please RSVP to Dana Ohren by clicking here.

Teaching and Learning with Technology Workshop: "Using Social Bookmarking to Build Course Resources"
 Wednesday, April 11, 3-4 p.m., JH048
 Social Bookmarking is a way of collecting online resources in a single place accessible from any computer, anywhere. As such, it is a powerful tool for aggregating course resources into a single site. Julianne Miranda will lead a discussion that includes the tool Diigo and includes relevant examples from courses across campus. No registration required. Click here for more information on upcoming TLT workshops. 

Earth Project Event: "Apothecary Garden Revitalization Project"
Tuesday, April 10, 11 a.m. in PB156, with reception to follow at the Apothecary Garden path
The Butler University Apothecary Garden was originally designed by Ron Howe, a landscape architect, and Barbara Wilde, a designer who has a special interest in medicinal plants. This spring, the Garden is undergoing revitalization with a variety of new medicinal plantings and an artistic bench installation. Come celebrate this restoration with us as we will first hear a talk about medicinal plants and ethno-botany, followed by a choir presentation, art installation discussion, and reception with light refreshments.

Brown Bag Series, Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work Presentations
Chris Bungard (Classical Studies): "Playing with the Trickster: The Undoing of Milphio"
Tuesday, April 10, noon-1 p.m., UClub (AU111)  
Scholars of the Roman playwright Plautus have focused on the role of the clever slave in scripting the plots of plays they are in. Some scholars have elevated these clever slaves to an equal status with Plautus as a playwright of their plays, but there is an inherent danger in doing so. Looking at Milphio in the play Poenulus, Chris Bungard will show the limits of this equation and the dangers Plautus warns us of believing we really are the roles we are called to play. Please click here to view the poster for this session.

No RSVP necessary. Drinks and snacks provided; please feel free to bring your lunch.

Earth Project Event: "Fermenting the Fruits of the Earth"
Thursday, April 5, 5 p.m., UClub (AU111)
This event will include a public presentation with the following elements: an overview of the history of hard cider production, a discussion of local conditions for cider production; a description and results of experiments with different kinds of yeast and different kinds of apples for cider production; and a tasting of ciders produced. Faculty team members for this Earth Project event include Brent Hege (Religion), Chris Hess (Biological Sciences), Travis Ryan (Biological Sciences), Brynnar Swenson (English), and Bill Watts (English). 

Earth Project Event: Guest Lecture, Wes Jackson, "Consulting the Genius of Place"
 Thursday, March 29, 7:30 p.m., Reilly Room
 Wes Jackson, president of The Land Institute, will provide a lecture on his recent work, "Consulting the Genius of the Place: An Ecological Approach to a New Agriculture." For more information on this and other upcoming events, please click here.  

Brown Bag Series, Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work Presentations
Margaret Brabant (Political Science): "The Slow Pace of Change - Citizenship and Women in the Republic of Turkey"
Thursday, March 29, noon-1 p.m., UClub (AU111)
In this presentation, Margaret Brabant will discuss her field-based research that analyzes how the educational system in Turkey reinforces a particular notion of Turkish citizenship and perpetuates a gendered concept of the ideal Turkish citizen. It appears as though the Turkish concept of citizenship produces paradoxical outcomes - at once stimulating the advancement and the erosion of women's rights. This presentation sets the historical and political context of citizenship in the Republic of Turkey and then focuses upon the efforts of a particular women's organization which seeks to address the needs of women who are marginalized from the realm of politics and precariously hold their rights as citizens.

No RSVP necessary. Drinks and snacks provided; please feel free to bring your lunch. 

University 101: Tom Weede, Vice President of Enrollment Management
Wednesday, March 28, 4-5 p.m., AU302
Join us for a conversation with Tom Weede, Vice President of Enrollment Management, to learn more about how the student enrollment process at Butler works. University 101 is a special year-long series focused on understanding how various administrative areas of a university work together. For a convivial atmosphere, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and snacks will be provided.No RSVP required. 

Please mark your calendar for our next University 101 session with
Mark Helmus, Vice President for Advancement, on Wednesday, April 18 

Teaching and Learning with Technology Workshop:  WordPress and Google Docs for Your Course
Tuesday, March 27, 2-3 p.m., JH048
Interested in exploring an alternative method to a traditional learning management system? Join Bryan Furuness (FYS) to discuss a solution that is intuitive and user-friendly, both to you and your students. No registration required. Click here to learn more and for information on upcoming TLT workshops. 

Faculty Food for Thought: "Don't Say the Word…'Copyright'"
Thursday, March 22, noon-1 p.m., UClub (AU111)
Say the word and academics start to shudder, yet, librarians can provide guidance and strategies for following copyright best practices. Join Butler librarians to discuss this litigious minefield of copyright do's and don'ts. Click the following links to view materials from this presentation: copyright basics, useful copyright links.

Lunch Conversation Opportunities for Core Area 1 & 2 Faculty
 Wednesday, March 21, noon-1 p.m. UClub (AU111) - Area 2 - "Focus on the Natural World"
 Monday, March 26, noon-1 p.m. UClub (AU111) - Area 1: "My Best Assignment"
 Faculty teaching in the Natural World, Physical Well Being and Analytical Reasoning are invited to lunch on the 21st, and those teaching in the Social World, Texts and Ideas, and Perspectives in the Creative Arts are invited to lunch on the 26th. Join colleagues for conversation on teaching in these areas of the Core - lunch tickets to The Market Place will be provided. No RSVP necessary.

Teaching and Learning with Technology  Workshop:  Best Practices for Designing Your Course on a LMS
Tuesday, March 20, 3-4 p.m., JH048
Robin Turner (Political Science) will discuss her process for organizing and designing her courses to be engaging through the Moodle learning management system. No registration required. Click here to learn more and for information on upcoming TLT workshops. 

Earth Project Event: "Leading the Tiny House Movement: An Evening with Jay Shafer"
 Tuesday, March 20, 5:30 p.m., Johnson Room, Robertson Hall
Is it possible to live in less than 100 square feet of space? How does your housing footprint relate to sustainability? Come hear Jay Shafer, author of "The Small House Book" and one of the founders of the tiny house movement, discuss sustainable living and the design of his tiny houses. Click here to see a poster for this event. For more information on the Earth Project, please click here.  

Brown Bag Series, Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work Presentations
Kristen Hoerl (CCOM) and Casey Kelly (CCOM): "Staging Disingenuous Controversy at the Creation Museum"
Tuesday, March 20, 12:15, UClub (AU111) - Please note the later start time
This presentation analyzes the argumentative structures that guide visitors' experiences at the "Answers in Genesis" ministry's Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY. Kristen Hoerl and Casey Kelly will explain that the Creation Museum stages a "disingenuous controversy" with evolutionary science to legitimate an interpretation of the Genesis myth as an equally-valid and more desirable explanation for the origins of life. Further, they suggest that the museum's technologically-advanced displays and pseudoscientific layout articulate the Creation Museum's status as a museum while it advances its ideological mission. They conclude that this museum is a representative anecdote for the ways in which contemporary fundamentalists adapt their texts to the formal and aesthetic conventions of secular society and manufacture controversy to delegitimize their opponents. Click here to view a poster for this session.

Brown Bag Series, Faculty Research, Scholarship and Creative Work Presentations
 Shannon Lieb, Chemistry: "The Observation Problem in Quantum Mechanics"
 Thursday, March 1, noon-1 p.m., UClub (AU111)
 Quantum Mechanics is so fundamental to our understanding of all areas of Chemistry due to its ability to relate molecular structure at the atomic scale to function at the human scale.  Despite this fundamental role in Chemistry, Philosophers and Physicists who insist on pre-1900 Classical Physics explanations of physical phenomena malign Quantum Mechanics.  One of the crucial experiments that evokes this schism in science is the double slit experiment.  Shannon Lieb will explore developing an appreciation for how the "Observation Problem" of the double slit experiment is related to a classical, everyday "Monte Hall" problem. Click here to view a poster for this presentation. Click here to view the PowerPoint from this presentation.

Faculty Food for Thought: "High Impact Educational Practices"
Wednesday, February 29, begins at 12:30, UClub (AU111)
 This session will focus on how we can make a positive difference in our students' academic success through high impact practices in individual courses and in programs. The first part of this session will include discussion on high-impact educational practices at Butler. The second part of this session,  beginning at 1:20, will include a webinar (with audio and video from AAC&U, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and the California State University System Office) entitled "Employers Speak on Liberal Education." Even if you can only attend part of this extended session, all faculty are welcome to attend. So that we can best be prepared, please RSVP to Rebecca DeGrazia by clicking here.

Faculty Food for Thought: "Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE)"
 Monday, February 27, noon-1 p.m., UClub (AU111)
 OR Tuesday, February 28, noon-1 p.m. UClub (AU111)
 Butler University administered The Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) in March 2011. FSSE was designed to complement the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), which is administered to undergraduate students. The faculty version focuses on:

-          Faculty perceptions of how often students engage in different activities.

-          The importance faculty place on various areas of learning and development.

-          The nature and frequency of faculty-student interactions.

-          How faculty members organize their time, both in and out of the classroom.

This Faculty Food for Thought will focus on sharing the results of FSSE with faculty. The same information will be covered at both sessions. Lunch tickets to The Market Place will be provided. So that we can best be prepared, please RSVP to Rebecca DeGrazia by clicking here. Click  here to view handouts from this presentation.

New Faculty Orientation: "Understanding and Getting Involved - Faculty Governance"
Thursday, February 23, noon-1 p.m., UClub (AU111)
Join Margaret Brabant, Chair of the Faculty Senate, and Elizabeth Mix, Interim Vice-Chair of the Faculty Senate, for a conversation about how faculty governance works at Butler. They'll go over committee structure, how faculty decisions get made, how the election or appointment process works, and suggest ways for you to get involved. Meet in the University Club (just outside the south doors of The Market Place). Lunch coupons will be available beginning at 11:45.

Brian Murphy, Physics & Astronomy
Brown Bag Lunch - Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work Presentation
Wednesday, February 22, noon-1 p.m., AU111
Stars come in various colors, radii, masses, and compositions.  These properties determine how a star will live and eventually die.  Star clusters are particularly useful for understanding the lives of stars since we can do a stellar census of a cluster with just a few digital images.  In this talk, Brian Murphy will discuss our current understanding of the lives and deaths of stars.  He will focus on research he and his students have been pursuing on pulsating giant stars that can varying in brightness by 300% in just one hour. Click here to view a poster for this presentation.

Lunch Conversation Opportunities for Core Area 1 & 2 Faculty
Monday, February 20, noon-1 p.m., AU201, Area 1 
Tuesday, February 21, noon-1 p.m., AU111, Area 2 
Faculty teaching in the Social World, Texts and Ideas, and Perspectives in the Creative Arts are invited to lunch on the 20th, and those teaching in the Natural World, Physical Well Being and Analytical Reasoning are  invited to lunch on the 21st. Join colleagues for conversation on teaching in these areas of the Core - lunch  tickets to The Market Place will be provided. No RSVP required.

Faculty Food for Thought: "Publishing at an Academic Press"
Thursday, February 16, noon-1 p.m., Johnson Room, Robertson Hall
If you are considering publishing a book with an academic press, you will not want to miss this opportunity to hear first-hand what the process entails. Even if you have already published a book, come learn what is new and what you can do to facilitate the process. Dee Mortensen, Senior Sponsoring Editor at Indiana University Press, will be on campus to speak about academic publishing and answer your questions. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Dana Ohren by clicking here.

New Faculty Orientation: "Getting Involved with Interdisciplinary Programs and Honors"
Thursday, February 9, noon-1 p.m., AU111
Join us for a discussion with the Interdisciplinary Program Directors: Vivian Deno (Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies), Siobhan McEvoy-Levy (Peace Studies), Antonio Menendez-Alarcon (International Studies), and Travis Ryan (Science, Technology and Society); and Amy Elson, Program Coordinator for the Honors Program.  Meet in the University Club (just outside the south doors of The Market Place) - lunch coupons will be available beginning at 11:45 a.m.

Jon Sorenson, Computer Science: "The Life and Work of Alan M. Turing"
Brown Bag Lunch - Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work Presentation
Wednesday, February 8, noon-1 p.m., AU111 - No RSVP necessary
In the 1930s, the British mathematician Alan Turing developed a mathematical model of computation, now called the Turing Machine, which has encouraged many to give him credit for the invention of the computer as we know it today.  In this talk, Jon Sorenson will look at Turing's work, and discuss some of the controversies surrounding his life. Click here to view a poster for this presentation.

The Brown Bag Series provides an opportunity for Butler faculty to present their original research, scholarship, and creative work, aimed to speak to both departmental colleagues and those in completely different disciplines.

Faculty Food for Thought: "The 'One-Search' Google Solution: Primo"
Thursday, January 26, noon-1 p.m., AU111
Beginning in Fall 2011, students are now able to search via a single search box interface and retrieve book citations, ebooks, and journal articles across multiple library subscription databases. How will this impact your student's research? Are you ready to embrace our new Google-ized "Primo" catalog? Lunch coupons to The Market Place will be provided. So that we can best be prepared, please RSVP by clicking here.

Lunch Conversation Opportunities for Core Area 1 & 2 Faculty
Tuesday, January 24, noon-1 p.m., AU201 - Area 2, "Kick-Off to the Spring Semester"
Monday, January 30, noon-1 p.m., AU111 - Area 1, "The SLO Ride - IDEA Forms and Your Area 1 Course"
Faculty teaching in the Natural World, Physical Well Being and Analytical Reasoning are invited to lunch on the 24th, and those teaching in the Social World, Texts and Ideas, and Perspectives in the Creative Arts are  invited to lunch on the 30th. Join colleagues for conversation on teaching in these areas of the Core - lunch tickets to The Market Place will be provided.

New Faculty Orientation: "Advising Students: What Works, What Doesn't, and How to Get Involved"
Thursday, January 19, noon-1 p.m., AU111
Please join us for the first ongoing orientation of the new semester - the focus will be on advising students. Jennifer Griggs, Learning Resource Center, and Shelly Furuness, College of Education, will share strategies on how to be an effective advisor, and ways you can be involved in early registration of incoming students. Meet in the University Club (just outside the south doors of The Market Place) - lunch coupons will be available at the south door of The Market Place in the Atherton Union beginning at 11:45 a.m.

Fall 2011

Faculty Coffee Break - Celebrate a Successful End to the Semester!
Friday, December 9, 9-11 a.m., JH109 - no RSVP required
 Reward yourself with a coffee break on this last day of classes for the fall semester. When you need that mid-morning boost, come on over to JH109 - we'll have coffee, tea, and a variety of breakfast pastries. A terrific opportunity to join friends and colleagues from across campus for conversation and camaraderie.

Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) Workshop: Using RSS Feeds to Keep Current with Scholarship
 Thursday, December 1, 3-4 p.m., JH048 - no RSVP required
 So much information is readily available online, so the question arises: How can I organize all of the sites I visit and sift through all of the stories and articles? Join Scott Pfitzinger (Libraries) in a discussion about RSS feeds and Google Reader as a few of many solutions that can keep you organized and save your time.

Institute for Research and Scholarship Internal Grants Open House
 Wednesday, November 30, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., AU302 - no RSVP required
 The deadline for submitting internal research grant, fellowship grant, and instructional development grant applications is February 6, 2012! Join staff from Butler's Institute for Research and Scholarship (BIRS) for an internal grants open house. Bring your thoughts, proposals, and budgets and have them reviewed and discussed by past members of the Holcomb Awards Committee (HAC) and the Butler Awards Committee (BAC).

Also during the open house, Dr. Monte Broaded, Director of the Center for Global Education, will be on hand from 9:30-11 a.m. and from 1:30-2:30 p.m. to provide information about Butler's Global Initiative Grants program. Apply for funding to enhance your foreign language skills; deepen your knowledge of another country or world region; create a new course (or revise an existing course) with significant international or global content; or undertake a scouting trip abroad as part of your preparation to offer a short-term faculty-led program for Butler students.

Refreshments will be served. For more information, please contact Bob Holm (rholm@butler.edu) or Monte Broaded (mbroaded@butler.edu).

New Faculty Orientation: Faculty Activity Reports
 Tuesday, November 29, noon-1 p.m., AU111 - PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATE
 An important way to document achievements each year is the Faculty Activity Report. This session introduces the Report and provides suggestions on how to best complete it. Meet in the University Club (just outside the south doors of The Market Place) - lunch coupons will be available at the south door of The Market Place beginning at 11:45 a.m.

University 101: Bruce Arick, Vice President for Finance
 Thursday, November 17, 4-5 p.m., PB156
 Join us for a conversation with Bruce Arick, Vice President for Finance, to learn more about finances at Butler University. Ever wonder how the university budget gets put together and what it looks like? Want to know what the endowment is and its historic trends? Curious about how the endowment is calculated, what we're invested in, and how the university spends it? Curious about the national financial trends in higher education?

University 101 is a special year-long series focused on understanding how various administrative areas of a university work together.No RSVP required.

The series will continue in the spring semester with the remaining administrative areas.
For a convivial atmosphere, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and snacks will be provided. 

Earth Project Event: Yin Yang Ruminations:  Mahler's Song of the Earth
Wednesday, November 16, 7:30 pm, Eidson-Duckwall Recital Hall, following with a reception in the Ford Salon
 2011 marks the centenary of the death of one of the Romantic Era's greatest composers, Gustav Mahler. Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) a song cycle of symphonic proportions, is considered by many to be Mahler's greatest work. 
Butler faculty Mark Gilgallon (voice), Thomas Studebaker (voice), Anna Briscoe (music), Xiaoqing Liu (modern and foreign languages), and Frank Felice (music) will perform/present.

Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) Workshop: Using Social Bookmarking to Build Course Resources
 Wednesday, November 16, 3-4 p.m., JH048
 Social bookmarking is a way of collecting online resources in a single place accessible from any computer, anywhere. Julianne Miranda, Center for Academic Technology, will lead a discussion that includes the tool Diigo and includes relevant examples from courses across campus.  Click here to learn more to learn more and for information on upcoming TLT workshops.

The Future of Technology in Higher Education: "Digital Shoreline" Audio Conference
 Wednesday, November 16, 1-2 p.m., HB121 
 Interested in the future of technology in higher education? If so, you're invited to sit in on an audio conference presentation on how these forces are pressuring colleges to change. Roger McHaney, author ofThe New Digital Shoreline: How Web 2.0 and Millennials Are Revolutionizing Higher Education, will review the specific changes in technology that have the greatest impact on college education today, as well as the impact for colleges of enrolling students who are more tech-savvy than ever before.  The first 30-minutes of this audio conference will feature McHaney's presentation, followed by a 30-minute Q&A session.No RSVP required.

Topics to be covered include:
- What today's students know well (and what they don't) with regard to technology
- The technologies most important to students
- How to tell the difference between today's fad and a significant shift in student behavior and expectations
- The impact of social media
- The challenges and potential of teaching in the new environment
- The way institutions can examine whether their educational and extracurricular programming is appropriately designed for this new era

Earth Project Event: Seeing the Earth through Other Eyes
Student Photo Gallery Show - November 14-18 (International Week), throughout Jordan Hall
 Student Presentation on Tuesday, November 15, 5-6:30 pm, JH141
 Throughout the week, a photo show of various sites visited, admiring both views of land inside and outside of the city of Rome will be on display throughout Jordan Hall, from students who traveled with Chris Bungard (Philosophy and Religion) to Rome and the Bay of Naples. On Tuesday, November 15, a presentation of some digital stories composed by these students will take place in JH141 from 5-6:30 pm. These students were each given a character sketch of an individual from Pompeii or Herculaneum (based on actual graffiti from the two towns). They then developed a story to explain how their character would have experienced the massive upheaval of earth caused in August of 79 CE when Mount Vesuvius erupted. 

Center for Citizenship and Community Workshop: Service-Learning, Community, Social Justice? 
 Wednesday, November 9, noon-1 p.m., AU326
 Do your courses bring students into contact with communities beyond Butler? Have you confronted the "underside" of service-learning -- students resistant to service and/or critical thinking? Are you working to deepen the connection between service-learning and social justice? In this workshop, we will help you to share successes, struggles, and strategies with other service-learning and community action practitioners. This session will create a space for open, honest, and productive discussions about the rewards and challenges of community-engaged pedagogies. Lunch will be provided. So that we can best be prepared, please RSVP to Sharon Schuyler by clicking here.

New Faculty Orientation: Course Evaluations
 Tuesday, November 8, noon-1 p.m., University Club, AU111 - PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATE
 As the end of the semester approaches, join us to talk about how course evaluations are administered at Butler. Meet in the University Club (just outside the south doors of The Market Place) - lunch coupons will be available at the south door of The Market Place beginning at 11:45 a.m.

Earth Project Event: Touring New Orleans Pre- and Post-Katrina: Environmental Justice, Communication, and Research
Friday, November 4, 12:00-1:30 pm (lunch will be served), GH105
Guest Dr. Phaedra Pezzullo's public lecture will draw from her extensive research on environmental justice, tourism, and communications in Louisiana over the last decade. Her analysis of commercial and noncommercial tours highlights the interconnections between tourist practices, discourse, and social mobilization, exploring the many different ways in which activists and businesses use tours.

Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) Workshop: Give Yourself a Digital Makeover
 Tuesday, November 1, 1-2:30 p.m., JH048
 Technology offers much more than a faster and easier way to teach and learn the same old things with the same old methods. Rather, today's digital and web-based tools open up brand new approaches to the craft of teaching. Shelly Furuness (Education) will highlight some of the tools that have transformed her courses to engage today's "digital native" students. Click here  for more information on upcoming TLT workshops.

Faculty Food for Thought Coffee Break: Who Bought That Book?
Thursday, October 27, 2:30 p.m., JH109
 Imagine a day where if you want a particular book or article for your research, you can simply click a button and the library purchases a book for you. Known as "patron-driven acquisitions" this day may not be too far off. Join the librarians in discussing different collection development models that are attempting to address "patron point-of-need" demands.

Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) Workshop: Utilizing Blackboard and Video Capture to Enhance Your Course
 Wednesday, October 26, 1-2 p.m., JH048
 Blackboard and Panopto (Butler University Content Capture System) work seamlessly together to offer many possibilities for your course. Panos Linos (Computer Science) will share the ways in which he is using these two tools to better utilize his students time inside and outside of class.

New Faculty Orientation: Understanding How the Core Curriculum Works at Butler
 Wednesday, October 19, noon-1 p.m., University Club, AU111
 Majors and minors, concentrations and the Core. Join us for lunch to see how the curriculum works at Butler, particularly during this advising time. Meet in the University Club (just outside the south doors of The Market Place) - lunch coupons will be available at the south door of The Market Place beginning at 11:45 a.m.

Faculty Coffee Break - Get Fueled for Advising Week!
 Monday, October 17, 9-11 a.m., JH109
 When you need that mid-morning boost, come on over to JH109 - we'll have coffee, tea, and a variety of breakfast pastries. A terrific opportunity to join friends and colleagues from across campus for   conversation and camaraderie. Mark your calendar for the next faculty coffee break this semester as well, on Friday, December 9.

Service-Learning Workshop: Possibilities and Potential
 Wednesday, October 12, noon-1 p.m., AU201
 Do you: need ideas for creating a service-learning course? wonder how service-learning might fit into your discipline? want help in integrating service-learning into an existing course? have concerns about the time or logistics involved in service-learning?

In this workshop we will help you explore adding a service-learning component within an existing or future course. We will follow-up this workshop with individualized support, at a later date, for those interested. Lunch will be provided. So that we can best be prepared, please RSVP to Sharon Schuyler by clicking here.

Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) Workshop: Using iPads to Understand Changes in the Workplace
 Monday, October 10, 3-4 p.m., JH048
 Technology is ever-changing in the workplace and can hinder a business from growth. Join Jason Davidson (COB) as he discusses how he utilizes iPads in his courses to help students understand these changes and how to adapt to them. The Center for Academic Technology's TLT series are faculty-led discussion-oriented sessions that highlight effective integration of technology in teaching. Please click here for more information.

Earth Project Event: Urbanized Summit
Friday, October 7, 1-5 p.m., Indianapolis Museum of Art, The Toby Theatre
 Engage with urban leaders and change-makers in a half-day summit focused on the design of Indianapolis and issues around urbanism: transit, civility, diversity, redevelopment, livability, and resilience. The summit is segmented into three themes: LOOK, MOVE, and GROW. In the LOOK segment, hear from experts on big ideas foundational to the future of our city. In MOVE, tackle issues surrounding transit in Indianapolis. In GROW, participate in a sticky-note brainstorming session facilitated by Big Car and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful designed to translate urban design livability principles into actionable ideas. Also, at the Urbanized Bazaar, meet those leading the latest and greatest uban design initiatives that are shaping Indianapolis now and in the future. At 5 p.m., Gary Hustwit's new film, Urbanized, will be screened in The Toby, following the summit. Click here to view a pdf poster for this event.

University 101: Levester Johnson, Vice President for Student Affairs
Thursday, October 6, 4-5 p.m., PB156
 Student affairs work has evolved over the years to combine best practices in serving the basic needs of students and collegiate community members with the delivery of programs and collaborations that positively affect the engagement and retention of students. This presentation will explore the scope of services offered through student affairs offices as well as share benchmark data on the Butler undergraduate experience.

University 101 is a special year-long series focused on understanding how various administrative areas of a university work together. Please mark your calendar for the next conversation this semester: 

Thursday, November 17, 4-5 p.m.,PB156 -- Bruce Arick, Vice President for Finance

 The series will continue in the spring semester with the remaining administrative areas.
For a convivial atmosphere, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and snacks will be provided.

Understanding Your IDEA Center Course Evaluations
Wednesday, October 5, multiple session times offered, all in AU326
 In response to faculty requests, we're bringing back an expert from the IDEA Center to help you understand how best to use the Summary Reports of your scores and how best to fine-tune (if necessary) the Objectives on the Faculty Information Form (FIF); they'll also be able to answer questions you might have about how scores are calculated.

Two sessions for faculty (9-10:30 a.m. or 2:30-4 p.m.) and one session for department heads/program directors (noon-1:30 p.m.) will be offered. Please plan to bring your Summary Reports as references. We'll have samples for new faculty. Steve Benton, PhD, Senior Research Officer from the IDEA Center and Professor Emeritus from Kansas State University, will lead the sessions.

Information on IDEA Center course evaluations is available online at www.theideacenter.org, including "Notes on Instruction," "Interpretive Guide on IDEA Diagnostic Form Report," and "Interpreting Adjusted Ratings of Outcomes."

Please RSVP to Rebecca DeGrazia, indicating which session you plan to attend, by clicking here. Snacks and beverages will be available at all three sessions.  

Earth Project Event: Uncooking Class
Friday, September 30, 5-7 p.m., Harrison Center for the Arts (1505 N. Delaware St, Indianapolis)
 Join Butler Professor Tom Dolan, local chefs and home cooks as they explore how to cook without using an oven. Hands-on demonstrations include using fermentation, citric acid, pickling, and raw food techniques to prepare delicious, healthy food. Click here to view a pdf poster for this event.

New Faculty Orientation: Working with Diverse Learners and Learning Styles
 Wednesday, September 28, noon-1 p.m., University Club, AU111
 How can faculty best work with the variety of students who come into classes who may have different knowledge levels and skills? What are ways to best capitalize on and support the diverse experiences students bring to class? How might assignments be structured to allow students to do their best work, or how can class time be managed, particularly when differences of opinion or experience surface?

Center for Academic Technology Workshop
 Wednesday, September 21, 3-4 p.m., JH048
 The Center for Academic Technology's Teaching and Learning (TLT) series kicks off on September 21, with Kent Van Tyle (College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences) presenting on ways in which gaming applications are being used as a tool in higher education coursework to enhance student participation, engagement and learning. The TLT series are faculty-led discussion oriented sessions that highlight effective integration of technology in teaching. Please click here for more information.

Faculty Food for Thought: Writing Letters for Fellowships, Graduate Schools, and Professional Schools
Wednesday, September 21, noon-1 p.m., JH109
 Join colleagues in a discussion of what to require from students who seek letters for graduate or professional school, or postgraduate fellowships; when to say, "I'm sorry, I'm not the person you should be asking for a letter;" and the differences between letters for graduate school applications and letters for national fellowships and scholarships. Attendees will receive a copy of Writing Effective Letters of Recommendationand several handouts. Click the following links to view handouts from this presentation: Writing Letters of Recommendation; Requesting Letters of Recommendation

Faculty Food for Thought: The Future of Academic Libraries
Thursday, September 15, noon-1 p.m., University Club, AU111
 This is a hot topic in academic settings as some institutions are questioning the need for an actual library building and services. Join Butler librarians to discuss how librarian roles have changed from being the gatekeepers of information to playing a key role in teaching information literacy, how libraries are leading the way in digitizing unique university collections and faculty scholarship, and how library spaces are evolving to meet student learning needs. So that we can be best prepared, please RSVP by clicking here.

University 101: Jamie Comstock, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
 Wednesday, September 14, 4-5 p.m., PB156
 Join us for the premier session of our new University 101 series, with a presentation by Dr. Jamie Comstock, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. University 101 is a special year-long series focused on understanding how various administrative areas of a university work together. We've invited the vice-presidents to talk with faculty about their respective areas and explain what, at times, may seem mystifying: What are the trends in higher education and do we have to pay attention to them? Who actually manages the endowment? What do your students do when they are not in class? How do you recruit students to come to Butler? This is a terrific opportunity to come together in conversation to learn more about how a university works.

 Please mark your calendar for the following conversations this semester:
Thursday, October 6, 4-5 p.m., PB156 -- Levester Johnson, Vice President for Student Affairs
Thursday, November 17, 4-5 p.m.,PB156 -- Bruce Arick, Vice President for Finance

 The series will continue in the spring semester with the remaining administrative areas.
For a convivial atmosphere, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and snacks will be provided.

New Faculty Orientation: Guiding Class Discussions and Getting Students Engaged
 Wednesday, September 14, noon-1 p.m., AU111
 New faculty academic-year orientation session on guiding class discussions, engaging students in classes, and employing active learning techniques for your classes.   

Faculty Coffee Break Kick-off!
 Wednesday, September 14, 9-11 a.m., JH109
 When you need that mid-morning boost, come on over to JH109 - we'll have coffee, tea, and a variety of breakfast pastries. A terrific opportunity to join friends and colleagues from across campus for conversation and camaraderie. Mark your calendar for other upcoming faculty coffee breaks this semester as well, on Monday, October 17 and Friday, December 9.

Earth Project Event: Networks for Life
September 13, 6:30 p.m., Clowes Memorial Hall
 Entomologist Doug Tallamy returns to Clowes Hall to discuss the scientific basis for biodiversity conservation. Biological diversity is essential to sustaining human societies, but throughout the U.S. we have fragmented the habitats that support biodiversity. These isolated habitats cannot support healthy ecosystems, from which we receive a wide variety of necessary services. We can reconnect viable habitats by changing the landscaping paradigm that dominates our residential and municipal landscapes. This strategy could create 20 million acres of connectivity in support of biodiversity. But we must act now. Click here for more information.

Earth Project Event: Food Con II
Friday, September 2, 5-9 p.m., Harrison Center for the Arts (1505 N. Delaware Street)
 In 2010, the Harrison Center hosted FoodCon, an unconventional convention and first-of-its-kind showcase and exploration of the art and culture of food in Indianapolis. The event attracted over 2000 attendees. Propelled by the interest and enthusiasm surrounding the 2010 event, the Harrison Center, in partnership with Butler University and others, announces FoodCon II. Click here for more information.

Click here for more information on the Earth Project and to view a calendar listing of other upcoming Earth Project events.

New Faculty Academic-Year Orientation Session
 Wednesday, August 31, noon-1 p.m., University Club, AU111
 All new faculty are invited to this first academic-year orientation session - this is a time to reconnect, look at the semester ahead, and ask and get answers to questions that may have arisen from the start of classes.

Fall Faculty Workshop "What Our Teachers Do Best"
 Wednesday, August 17, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Reilly Room, Atherton Union
 Please join your colleagues for the annual Fall Faculty Workshop, focused this year on your best teaching practices. The Provost's address will be followed by concurrent sessions of Butler faculty presenting on their best teaching practices. Morning refreshments and lunch will be provided. To RSVP for the workshop, please click here.    

New Faculty Orientation
 Monday, August 15 and Tuesday, August 16
 All faculty new to Butler in Fall 2011, full- and part-time are expected to attend in order to assist in their transition to Butler. Ongoing orientation sessions occur throughout the academic year. Click here for more information.

FYS Summer Workshop
 Thursday, August 11-Friday, August 12, JH174
 The faculty development team of the FYS advisory committee is happy to announce a FYS workshop for faculty teaching in the program this year. The workshop is scheduled for August 11 and 12 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) For faculty new to teaching in the program, you are also invited to attend a half day session on August 10, from noon-4 p.m., to learn more about the course goals.

Lunch, refreshments, and materials will be provided. If you have not already done so, please RSVP to Laura Cobb by clicking here. Location information is forthcoming. Please contact Shelly Furuness (sfurunes@butler.edu) with any questions.