Sept. 25, 2002
Issue14

Mayo Symposium at NMU Oct. 4

Northern Michigan University will present a “Mayo Clinic Symposium” featuring diagnostic genetics on Friday, Oct. 4. Six representatives from Mayo Clinic – including two recent NMU graduates who were hired after their clinical internships – will make presentations during the day-long event. This is the latest symbol of a formal affiliation involving the renowned Rochester facility and NMU. The two entities have partnered in several laboratory science programs, including clinical laboratory scientist (CLS), CLS-microbiology and diagnostic genetics (including cytogenetics and molecular biology).

The symposium is sponsored and hosted by Northern’s diagnostic genetics program, an interdisciplinary effort involving the departments of Biology, Chemistry and Clinical Laboratory Sciences. Mayo Clinic provided additional support.

“Current and prospective students will have an opportunity to attend sessions presented by recognized scholars in the field of diagnostic genetics and to meet with directors and supervisors of the clinical internship program,” said Lucille Contois (Clinical Laboratory Sciences). “Another benefit is that it strengthens the relationship between both institutions as we continue to explore other educational opportunities. It also communicates to the external community that both institutions are committed to the program, that there is a great need for graduates and that exciting and varied options await those who have graduated and become certified in the field."

Registration begins at 8:20 a.m. in Mead Auditorium. The program begins at 8:45. Morning presentation topics include “Molecular Genetics: A Case-Oriented Approach,” “A Challenging and Rewarding Career Choice in the Field of Medicine,” “A PCR-based Assay for the Detection of the Filipino and Thailand Alpha-Thalassemia Deletions,” and “Utility of DNA Fluorescent Probes for Detection of Subtelomere Abnormalities.”

Afternoon presentations will focus on “Molecular Genetics Laboratory: A Virtual Tour” and “Sequencing in the Clinical Laboratory.” Attendees are invited to visit with the symposium faculty from 2:25-3:15. The event will end with a 3:30 tour of the Seaborg Science Complex. For more information, call Clinical Laboratory Sciences at 2855.

AQIP Survey Ends Friday

Faculty and staff who have not completed the online AQIP survey are reminded that they have until Friday, Sept. 27, to register their input. This is the first step in the Vital Focus self-evaluation phase of the reaccreditation process.

The ideas from this survey and subsequent Campus Conversation on Nov. 1 will suggest university priority projects for the next three to five years.

The NMU Bookstore will be offering significant discounts on selected items during its Employee Appreciation event the week of Oct. 7. The amount of the discount will be based on overall university survey participation and will be announced after the survey is completed.

All NMU faculty and staff are being given the time necessary to complete the survey. See your supervisor for more details. The questionnaire is available at AQIP Survey.

Golf Outing Results Announced

The 22nd annual President’s Open Golf Outing for faculty, staff and retirees was held on Sunday, Sept. 22, at Wawonowin Country Club in Ishpeming. Twenty-one teams participated in the scramble tournament.

Congratulations to these top four finishers: Dean Ellis, Tina Simula, Ivan Fende, Mary Bourdeau and Steve Specker, 1st place; Mike Kuzak, Shelley Russell, Steve Oates, David Cooper and Bill Robinson, 2nd place; Charles Gross, Jim Rainey, Steve Van Der Kamp, Doug Sams and Mike Keller, 3rd place; and Fred Hume, Michael Hellman, Mike Molby and Brandon Sager, 4th place.

Leadership Change Addition

One name was inadvertently omitted from the leadership changes outlined in the last issue of CAMPUS. Maureen Heaton is interim head of the Practical Nursing and Surgical Technology department. Heaton was hired by NMU in 1987 as a faculty member in the department of Nursing. She later served two years as a clinical nurse specialist at the Health Center before joining the Practical Nursing department in 1996.

Homecoming Event for Faculty/Staff Alumni

To about 300 faculty and staff, Northern is more than a place of employment; it is also their alma mater. The Alumni Association is inviting employees and retirees who earned degrees from NMU to a new Homecoming event in their honor.

An informal reception is scheduled from 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, in the Peter White Lounge of the University Center. Join the alumni staff for complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres and visit with colleagues who were once students, too.

At the reception, you’ll receive a Homecoming 2002 button that will admit you free of charge to other Homecoming events, including the Friday night alumni reception and Saturday’s pre-game tailgate party and football game. For a complete rundown of events, go to Homecoming Schedule.

TLAC Announces Workshops

Chuck Bonwell, an active learning specialist, will present two workshops for NMU faculty on Thursday, Oct. 3, and Friday, Oct. 4. The workshops are offered by the Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee.

The first, “VARK and Active Learning: A Learning Styles Starter Kit,” will be held from 2-5 p.m. Oct. 3, in the Erie Room. VARK stands for Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinesthetic, and is based on the sensory modalities humans use to process information. The workshop will help faculty choose teaching strategies that meet their students’ needs.

The second workshop is “How to Teach Critical Thinking Using Active Learning” and will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 4, in Jamrich 226. This workshop will explore varied definitions of critical thinking, how course structure can promote critical thinking, and how to assess critical thinking.

Bonwell has directed Centers for Teaching and Learning at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Southeast Missouri State University. As an instructional consultant, he has facilitated more than 190 workshops nationally and internationally for faculty and teaching assistants on active learning and critical thinking.

TLAC will also offer a conference session titled, “Teaching and Assessing for Critical and Deep Thinking,” which will be facilitated by Jon Davies (Education). It is scheduled from 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, in LRC 311. Online registration is available at TLAC Workshops.