1. Grants to assess student learning available

The Office of the Provost is providing mini-grants to encourage experimentation in approaches to assessing student learning. These grants may be used for assessment of student learning and to purchase instruments, such as tests, surveys or software. Learning more about assessment through the purchase of materials, travel or collaboration with colleagues or other allowable expenses is also an acceptable form of grant use.

More information and instructions on applying for the grants can be found on the assessment website. The deadline for the applications is Monday, Nov. 21. Contact Sharron Ronco, university assessment director, at 8-6390 for more information.

2. Last week to complete biometric screenings

Employees must complete the biometric screening for step one of the health risk assessment, by this Friday, Nov. 18. Health plan participants who complete both HRA parts — biometric screening and the online health questionnaire — receive a 10-percent discount for 2012 health insurance premiums.

Additional morning appointments are available for the health risk screening in the AMU. Tests completed by primary care providers between July 1 and Nov. 18 are eligible for the HRA. Primary care providers can complete a form and submit it to Aurora Health Care no later than Friday, Nov. 18.

To schedule an on-campus appointment for a health risk assessment, which is available to all employees, call 1-877-765-3213 and press “1.” Employees must complete their biometric screening by Nov. 18.

3. Gift tags still available for Holiday Giving Tree

Holiday Giving tags are still available. Gifts, ranging from $15 to $25, need to be purchased for those in the community who would otherwise not receive a holiday gift. A tag with three wishes will be provided to all participants, with complete instructions on the tag. Donations are also welcomed. Those interested can contact Kathleen Hawkins, chair of Marquette Volunteers.

4. University will test text messaging system Friday

Marquette will test its emergency text messaging system, ConnectEd, Friday, Nov. 18.

All faculty and staff with university-owned cell phones or who registered their own personal phones through MyJob will receive a message that says, “This is a TEST of the textMU system. This is only a TEST.” If you do not receive this message by 1:15 p.m., send an e-mail, including your cell phone number and your cell phone carrier, to security@marquette.edu. Speed of text message delivery may be affected by the user’s cell phone carrier.

The university will use the text messaging system, coordinated through the Department of Public Safety, when there is an imminent threat on campus. It will also be used in the event that severe weather causes class cancellations.

The text messaging system augments other forms of campus communication, including e-mail, voice mail, social media and/or the marquette.edu website, as the situation warrants.

All faculty and staff with university-owned cell phones have been automatically enrolled for text messages. Faculty and staff may also register their personal cell phone numbers in the “Personal Information” section of MyJob. Phone numbers submitted before midnight on Thursday will be included in the test.

5. Caring for the Caregiver conference to be held

The fifth annual Caring for the Caregiver Conference will be held Saturday, Nov. 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union. Lynda Marcut, an education and dementia specialist and workplace education coordinator for the Southeaster Wisconsin Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, will be the keynote speaker.

The conference seeks to help informal and professional caregivers of older adults learn how to provide better care for their patients, and to make sure patients are taking care of themselves. The cost is $10 per person. For more information or to register, call the Family Caregiver Support Network at 414-220-8600.

The Caring for the Caregiver Conference is sponsored by the Wisconsin Geriatric Education Center, housed in the College of Nursing.

6. $2,500 available for research on nonviolent peacemaking

The Center for Peacemaking is accepting applications for the 2012 Rynne Research Grants, two research grants of up to $2,500 for Marquette faculty and administrators to advance research on an aspect of nonviolent peacemaking. The awards are intended to fund work for a two-month period during the summer of 2012. Applicants are encouraged to submit a research proposal of their choice or on a topic in one of the center’s research areas.

The 2011 Rynne Fellows will present their work at an information session Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 5 p.m. in AMU 227.

7. New e-book collection available to Marquette community

The Raynor Memorial Libraries announces the acquisition of ebrary, a large e-book collection of more than 70,000 titles from more than 500 publishers. The content is arranged into 15 academic subject areas that may be browsed or searched individually. The collection will be added to regularly, meet the growing demand for resources from Marquette users, support distance learning and provide access to scholarly e-books anywhere at anytime. Each item in ebrary is cataloged and linked in MARQCAT to enhance discovery.

8. Helping Hands food drive to be held

Marquette Dining Services is kicking off its annual campus-wide Helping Hands food drive. Faculty and staff can get involved by signing up their department as a team to compete. The team that collects the greatest amount of non-perishable food items will win a premium continental breakfast for 20. Measuring the food items is based on weight.

Those interested can sign up online through Wednesday, Nov. 16. Bins will be provided for donations, and food will be picked up and weighed periodically throughout the food drive. The drive runs from Monday, Nov. 7, to Saturday, Dec. 10. The winner will be announced before Dec. 15, and the prize will be awarded at the beginning of the spring semester.

9. TIAA-CREF consultants available for free financial counseling

In conjunction with TIAA-CREF, Marquette will offer individual and confidential financial counseling sessions for faculty and staff. The 45-minute sessions will answer three common questions asked by participants: am I saving enough for retirement, am I properly allocated and what are the options for taking distributions from my account? One-on-one sessions are available Nov. 15, 16 and 17, and Dec. 1, 2, 15 and 16.

To schedule an appointment, call (312) 345-5605 Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

10. DPS reminds pedestrians to use caution, obey traffic laws

Marquette University Department of Public Safety wants to remind students and staff to practice caution and to observe pedestrian and traffic laws when traveling around campus.

The Milwaukee Police Department will be in the Marquette area in the coming days enforcing traffic safety laws for pedestrians and motorists. Citations range from $63 to $76.

To stay safe and avoid a citation, the campus community is reminded to:

• Cross only at intersections and crosswalks.
• Obey traffic signals. Even if it appears that there is no traffic approaching, vehicles can enter intersections quickly.
• Pay attention to all that is going on around you. Don’t become distracted by talking on your phone or playing your iPod at a high volume when walking around the campus neighborhood.
• Look left, right and left again for traffic before stepping off the curb. Watch especially for turning vehicles. On 16th Street and other one-way streets, look both ways; cars sometimes turn into these streets not realizing they are one-way.
• Be especially careful during rainy or snowy weather, when streets are often slick, making it difficult for vehicles to stop suddenly.
• When crossing multi-lane streets, don’t blindly accept a driver’s offer to cross as there may be a vehicle in the adjacent lane that does not stop.

11. Pure Dance Marquette to perform free showcase

Pure Dance Marquette will present “Nature,” their 10th annual showcase of their semester’s work, Saturday, Nov. 19, and Sunday, Nov. 20, at 2 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium. Admission is free.

12. Cutting-edge spinal injury technologies to be discussed

Dr. Kenneth Lee, chief of the spinal cord injury division at the Clement J. Zablocki Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center, will present “Spinal Cord Injury Technologies,” Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Cramer 038.

Dr. Lee will discuss his personal rehabilitation from war injuries sustained in Iraq and provide information on the new cutting-edge technologies being utilized for acute and long-term patients in the Milwaukee Spinal Cord Injury Center.

This event is sponsored by the College of Health Sciences Alumni Association.

13. Registration now open for bowling league

There will be a faculty and staff bowling league at the Annex on Mondays at 5 p.m. The league will begin in January and last approximately 10 to 12 weeks, with exact dates and duration to be determined by the number of registered teams. Teams should consist of three people, with a maximum of two substitutes. The cost is $8 per person for three games, which includs shoe rental and a contribution to the banquet fund.

Registration ends Nov. 30. Those interested in participating, but are without a team, can contact John Kratzer, general manager of the Rec Plex, at 8-7778. Early registration is recommended, as the league is limited to 12 teams.

14. Workshop to address plagiarism offered

In addition to one-on-one consultations and department-specific programming, the Center for Teaching and Learning is offering a workshop, “Copyright and Plagiarism,” Thursday, Nov. 17, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Raynor 320h.

To register, email Mary Grant, CTL office associate, at the Center for Teaching and Learning.

15. Department of Biological Sciences to hold seminar

The Department of Biological Sciences will host a seminar Friday, Nov. 18, at 3:30 p.m. in Wehr Life Sciences 111. Dr. Carl Schroeder, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Field Operations, will present “Microbial Risk Assessment and its Role in Food Safety Policy.”

16. Law School to hold information session

The Law School will hold an information session for prospective students Friday, Nov. 18, in Eckstein 263. The session will cover admissions, financial aid, curriculum, intellectual and student life, and information from current students.

The session begins at 11:45 a.m. and lasts approximately one hour, followed by a brief tour. Register online.

17. Homelessness in Milwaukee to be addressed

As part of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month, Midnight Run will host a discussion of homelessness in Milwaukee Monday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. in AMU 252. The topic will be presented by Kari Lerch, Continuum of Care Coordinator.

For more information, contact Angie Macias.