MISSION AND VISION our vision:

the institution of first choice for students and faculty with a passion for inquiry our niche:

a premier learning-centered research university our emphasis:

innovation and interdisciplinary learning and discovery that can change the world our commitment:

an ethic of stewardship, community, and intellectual and economic vitality our values:

a culture of inclusion, respect, understanding, and global citizenry our future:

a legacy of self-sufficiency, accountability, achievement, and pride

message from the office of the

provost

welcome back for fall 2014

GREETINGS FROM THE

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST!

 Fall has arrived and classes are underway. The University anticipates enrolling one of its largest classes of new students this fall – 3,650 students including more than 3,150 freshmen and 500 transfer students. These new first-year students are high achieving, with top-notch academic scores with a record number of them eligible for honors programs. Together with incoming transfer students this group also has the greatest diversity with a self-identified reporting 22 percent students of color. It is indeed an exciting time and opportunity for the entire community to come together with renewed energy and enthusiasm. It is our hope that we all give our best efforts to these students in terms of our teaching, advising, and mentoring. The Provost’s Office is committed to supporting faculty and staff in these efforts and has new initiatives underway to do so. The enclosed news provides just a few highlights of some essential progress initiatives in helping students succeed at URI and a few updates and announcements. Also, check out progress reports on the Academic Plan at: http://web.uri.edu/academic-planning/progress/

uri’s completMAKING STEADY

PROGRESS

URI is working with Complete College America and continuing to adopt proven strategies and practices that address issues that impede students in achieving graduation goals. Our first step was to identify our own institutional barriers; from the most common practices of registration and credit articulation agreements to the most complex matriculation issues and cultural myths. Our journey began with understanding our data and as a result, several exciting initiatives are happening now:

FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED

Finish What you Started, implemented for students who left the University, over the years, shy of just a few credits without completing their degrees. Students who enroll are connected with a degree completion advisor, on-the-spot readmission, and the potential to earn credit for out of classroom experiences. There have been over 800 inquiries and 200 students have enrolled. Over 60 students have now completed their degrees. The program has brought local, regional, and national visibility to URI for creating an integrative and innovative approach to advancing student degree completions.

Take 5, finish in 4  

Take 5, Finish in 4 is a campaign with new and returning students to remind and encourage them to take full time credits (15) each semester. Professional Advisors are being de-ployed through University College to work more intrusively with advisees and within colleges.

tion agendauri’s gateway to

completion  

URI’s Gateway to Completion (G2C) provides focused support in high failure courses – STEM and others while assisting faculty in using the most current and effective teaching strategies to support student success. Degree Maps provide a term-by-term course requirement sequence and milestones for each semester and have now been developed for every major at URI. These maps better ensure a clear path to fulfilling academic requirements, where students can better plan their courses and choices of major in conjunction with their career goals. Maps allow students to easily view requirements and understand and plan their coursework, relative to a major they may be transferring from or in conjunction with any courses they have already completed. The website is easily navigable at http://web.uri.edu/advising

Credit completion rates by student class are improving steadily per year, which should positively impact degree completion and other factors (student indebtedness, retention, etc). In 2013-14, nearly 71% of first-year students completed at least 30 credits as compared to just 45% in 2005. This substantial increase in credit completion reflects increasing student academic success.

TEACHING &supporting faculty

development with the

new office for

advancement of

teaching and learning  

After receiving feedback from faculty, staff and administrators, this new office will integrate the Instructional Development Program, the Online Learning Office, and the Student Learning, Outcomes Assessment, and Accreditation Office in providing an integrated network of faculty support for the advancement of teaching and learning at URI. In addition, the office will work closely with Media and Technology Services. It will provide professional development, research, scholarship opportunities, and support for all members of the teaching community at URI, at all stages in their careers. Diane Goldsmith oversees the new office.

active learning classroom

Over the next academic year, a new active learning classroom will be constructed near the Learning Commons of the Carothers Library. Scheduled for completion in the Fall 2015, the classroom will accommodate over 50 students at nine workstations that will support collaboration on projects and assignments. The instructor will be able to facilitate learning by developing opportunities for student interaction through use of the technology. In the spring 2015 semester, training will be available for faculty who would like to incorporate active learning strategies in their classes and use the new classroom. To learn more about the research behind active learning classrooms and their effectiveness in promoting learning in today’s environment, click here.

& LEARNING distinguished visiting artist

The Distinguished Visiting Artists Program at URI hosts one Visiting Artist per academic year to engage with students and faculty on a deeper level of understanding and appreciation of the arts in contemporary culture. This year’s Visiting Artist is Martin Keil, who with his collaborator Henryk Mayer from REINIGUNGSGESELLSCHAFT based in Germany, will develop a participatory project with students that is at the intersection of art, social action, and sustainability. Prof. Norbert Mundorf from the Communication Studies Department will host the visit.

Cluster hire

initiative

New Cluster Hiring Proposals being accepted now!  A new opportunity as part of the interdisciplinary faculty cluster hiring initiative will fund one new cluster proposal. Any and all interested faculty are encouraged to work with other faculty to submit a proposal for a new cluster topic - all topics must fall within a specific strategic theme area of the Academic Plan (listed below). Cluster topics should help position the University for excellence in areas of existing or emerging societal importance and potential for URI contributions relevant to learning and discovery. Multiple proposals for each theme area are encouraged and expected, although funding only exists to support one compelling new proposal. The deadline for submission is Friday, October 17, 2014 to uriofficeofprovost@gmail.com. A panel of URI faculty & staff will be formed to review the submissions and make recommendations in regard to the newest cluster.

faculty laptop initiative and

professional development

More than 200 faculty received new laptops this summer. A series of workshops was offered over the summer to assist faculty in Sakai integration, Google Docs collaboration, video usage, flipped classroom techniques, and other pedagogical techniques. Forty faculty participated in the training. The Office for Advancement of Teaching and Learning will be offering additional workshops on using technology in the classroom this coming academic year. Watch for announcements so that you can participate!

INTERNATIO 

Global education and learning  

A reorganization integrating the Offices of International Education, directed by Dania Brandford-Calvo and Global Strategies and Academic Partnerships, directed by Nancy Stricklin, has occurred, which will allow greater visibility and synergy in support of URI’s broad-based global agenda. The offices seek to enhance global learning opportunities, expand opportunities for international students, international partnerships, and globally focused faculty research. Both of these areas will now report directly to the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs in the Provost Office. The Global Steering Committee will continue to provide guidance on global initiatives and strategy.

distinguished visiting international scholars

Four Scholars will visit URI this coming year, two in the fall and two in the spring

prof. humberto miranda of the Institute of Philosophy in Cuba and prof. miguel coyula from the Group for the Comprehensive Development of Havana will discuss economic reforms in Cuba as well as the sustainability of economic, urban, and social strategies being created and implemented in Cuba. Prof. Richard McIntyre in Economics will host their visit.

Fall semester

NALIZATION

dr. hamed el-said, Chair and Professor of International Business and Political Economy at the Manchester Metropolitan University Business School in the United Kingdom will share his interdisciplinary research and teaching on economic reform and political stability in the Arab world, as well as his work investigating new approaches for countering terrorism. Prof. Katrin Jomaa in Political Science will host Dr. El-Said’s visit.

fall semester

spring semester

dr. joao ferreira, Professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering at the New University of Lisbon, Portugal, will share his interdisciplinary research in marine science and engineering and his ecosystem approach to the management of marine systems. Profs. Marta Chiarri-Gomez and David Bengtson in Fisheries, Animal, and Veterinary Sciences and Mercedes Hudec Rivero in Chemical Engineering will host Dr. Ferreira’s visit.

dr. luky adrianto, Director of the Center for Coastal and Marine Resources at Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) in Bogor, Indonesia, will discuss his trans-disciplinary research on the sustainability of inland waters fisheries in Indonesia. Prof. Laura Meyerson in Natural Resources Science will host Dr. Adrianto’s visit.

GLOBAL ININDONESIA 

 

URI welcomed the first 7 out of 25 staff members from the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, who are enrolled at URI to get Master’s or PhD’s. This is the result of a 5-year partnership that URI signed this year with the Indonesian government to help train future marine and fisheries leaders for their country. Five more will arrive in January 2015. URI faculty are continuing to visit Indonesia to set up future field sites for students in fisheries, water resource management, coastal management and environmental sciences. Three CELS faculty traveled in June, and three will be going in the fall. One of URI’s partner universities in Indonesia, Universitas Paramadina, hosted faculty member Katrin Jomaa for a summer of research on political thought and the Islamic religion.

BRAZILIAN SCIENTIFIC MOBILITY PROGRAM

URI is a host institution for this program and in the second year of hosting students from all over Brazil. The numbers of Brazilians coming to URI to study for a year is continuing to increase, with 51 Brazilian students here this year. Some study intensive English for a few months, others go directly into classes.

NITIATIVES THE ACE ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTITUE

In its third year, this fall the most diverse group of students yet, representing China, India, Syria, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Brazil and Libya, is being hosted at URI. Undergraduate international student enrollment continues to increase. URI is expecting approximately 51 freshmen and transfers for fall 2014.

EXPANDING INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT

URI has begun it first partnership with Education Service Providers to internationally assist with international recruitment of undergraduate students. This will enhance our ability to reach out to students in more countries.

FULBRIGHT TEACHING ASSISTANT

URI is hosting its first Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant. She is from Egypt and will be a TA in the Arabic program. With expanding interest in Arabic classes, URI students will benefit from her assistance with their cultural and language development.

web.uri.edu/provost