Year: 2008

Change Workshops Filling Quickly

There are still a few places left in “Engaging Change,” a staff development workshop series planned for November and December.  If you are interested in learning new skills that will help you to navigate the currents of organizational change, join your colleagues for this four-session series sponsored by Human Resources, and led by Dr. Paul Porter.

Only one place is left in the morning series (9-12). There are four openings for the afternoon series (1:30-4:30). Dates are November 4 and 11, December 2 and 15, and registrants should plan to attend all four sessions. Please register here.

Administrators, Faculty, Consult with AACSB’s Chief Accreditation Officer

On October 9, a group of faculty and administrators participated in a conference call with Jerry Trapnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Accreditation Officer of AACSB.  This call was arranged by President Clara Yu to discuss the changes underway at the Institute and to identify the reporting requirements for AACSB’s accreditation process. This action was prompted by concerns expressed by students, alumni, and others about the impact of the impending structural reorganization on the AACSB accreditation of the Institute’s MBA program. Trapnell outlined the substantive change process that we need to follow in the coming months,  and reassured us that there were no inherent obstacles to continuing accreditation, but rather an overriding focus on program quality. Trapnell indicated that, while our reorganization appears to be a rational approach to the allocation of resources, AACSB will need to know the details and be reassured that MIIS can deliver on its promise of not only protecting but strengthening the quality of the business program. This call was the latest in a series of several conversations with Mr. Trapnell that began before the reorganization plan was anounced, and work is already underway on a substantive change report that will outline our plans for ensuring continuing program strength.

You can download a complete report on the call here.

Engaging with Change: a Workshop Series for Staff

As a community, the Monterey Institute is experiencing change on many levels, from integration with Middlebury to the reorganization of schools and services within the Institute. At the same time, as a society, we are facing  economic dislocations and uncertainty about the future of everything from the planet to our retirement accounts.

Change can be frightening, but times of change can also unleash powerful creative energies and offer opportunities for growth. To develop skills for constructive participation in a changing organization, the Human Resources department invites staff to take part in an exciting workshop series, Engaging with Change.

Dr. Paul Porter will facilitate the series of four half-day workshops designed to help staff members learn skills to assist with organizational change. Dr. Porter is a highly respected trainer, consultant, workshop leader, and speaker.  His background includes serving as a teacher, counselor, school principal, director of special education, university professor, and school district superintendent for 17 years.  He is well known for his practical and engaging style and work in the areas of change, leadership, team building, positive intent, organizational development and communications and has spoken to and worked with many public and private organizations in these areas.

The workshops will take place on November 4 and 11, and December 2 and 15. (There will be sessions from 9-12 and 1:30-4:30, and you can register for either the morning series or the afternoon series.)

We think you will find the workshops a positive and enjoyable learning experience. Not only will you acquire new skills to enhance your own career, but you will have a  chance to interact with other staff across departments.

The workshops will cover topics such as the following:

  • * Discovering and Utilizing Your Strengths
  • * Ideas and Techniques for Dealing Productively with Change
  • * Working Together Productively as a Team with Positive Intent
  • * Productive Utilization and Styles of Dealing with Stress
  • * Appreciative Inquiry
  • * Communication Skills:  the Key to Change

Staff members should check with their supervisors before signing up to make sure essential services are covered, but these workshops are considered part of the paid work day for those who participate. Each workshop builds on the learning from the previous session, so please check to make sure you can attend the entire series before you register.

Register HERE. (Enter your name and click “morning” or “afternoon.”)

Illustration: Plate from Metamorphosis of a Butterfly, Maria Sybilla Merian (1747-117)

GSTI Invites Papers for 2009 Monterey FORUM

GSTI invites translation and interpreting researchers, trainers, practitioners and students to submit papers for the 2009 Monterey Forum on “Principles and Practices of Assessment in the Training of Translators and Interpreters.”

The FORUM will take place April 3-4, 2009.

We invite papers addressing assessment practiced in translator and interpreter training programs, including the assessment of:

* applicants’ aptitude to enter a program

* in-class performances of consecutive and simultaneous interpreting by teachers, students and peers

* translation assignments

* qualifying and exit exams

Please submit your abstract (up to 300 words) by email to gsti@miis.edu. Include your name, affiliation and contact information. Submission deadline: December 15, 2008.

Program details will be announced in January 2009. Registration fees are: General -$150; MIIS alumni – $75. Please contact gsti@miis.edu to register.

Huddle Up! TLC & DMC logo release party

DMC and TLC logoThe Teaching & Learning Collaborative and the Digital Media Commons are excited to release our joint logo at an interactive, learning-centered, multimedia, cupcake infused, pinata busting Open House event.

DATE: Thursday, October 16, 2008
TIME: 12-2pm
LOCATION: Kade Building, Upstairs

The Open House Program will feature collaborative ‘huddles’ highlighting faculty, staff, and student conversations, projects, and services helping to shape Institute culture.  Come learn more about the work of the TLC and DMC!

12:00 – 1:00pm Huddles
1. Anna Bellerson, TLC Instructional Design Assistant: Project Development – It’s a Conversation…
2. Rebecca Walters and Rob Horgan, Campus Recruiting: Facebook and Foreign Language Social Networking
3. Lab & Media Services Technicians: Getting to know your Digital Video Camera
4. Ryan Gonzalez and DeVan Hankerson, DMC Media Developers: Mini Podcasting Tech Demo
5. Kelly Calvert and Matthew Robinson: FlipVideo and YouTube Student Project

1:00 -2:00 pm Huddles
1. DMC Consultant Presentation: Mini Podcasting Tech Demo
2. Lorraine Githioria, current IPS student: Zoho Notebook & Video Project
3. Sai Hernandez, Lab & Media Services and DMC Media Developer: Wireless Support
4. Seda Sevas, Student Council President: The new Foghorn
5. Jeremy Robinson, DMC Manager: YouTube and online video

International Education Day Brings High School Students to MIIS

The Office of Student Services, in conjunction with Peter Shaw and other student and staff facilitators, will host an International Education Day on Friday, November 21st.  Our mission is to celebrate the benefits of international education and foster interest in international education in the younger generation.  We will do this by introducing and exposing a group of 60 local high school students to the international environment that makes up the Monterey Institute community’s daily lives and by sharing insights of the international experience. We plan to have a fun-filled morning of interactive activities exclusively for these high school students.

New Faces in Classroom Services, Grounds and Security

A new Classroom Services/Grounds organization has been established, with responsibility for the appearance of the classrooms and common areas, event set-up, and campus landscaping.  Marty Goss, who has been the Security Account Manager on campus for the past 18 months, has been selected as the Classroom Services/Grounds Supervisor. Marty is knowledgeable about Institute facilities and has extensive experience in landscaping.  His office is located in A102 of the Morse Building and he can be reached via e-mail at marty.goss@miis.edu.

Kirk Eckhardt has been hired as the Classroom Services/Grounds Assistant and will report to Marty.  Kirk brings a wealth of experience in landscaping and we are looking forward to the transformation of the campus appearance over the next few months.  Charles Hunter will also become part of this organization and will continue with event set-up and classroom appearance.  A revised Event Request form will be published very soon, and should be routed directly to Marty for action.

Effective today, Monday, October 6, Jeremy VondenBenken will assume the duties of Security Account Manager. Jeremy replaces Marty Goss.  Jeremy has been on the security staff since January and is very familiar with the entire operation and the Institute as a whole.  Jeremy’s office is located in the Business Office and can be reached at x6519 or on his cell phone at 402-2653.

Website for Structural Change

In an effort to increase communication, collaboration and transparency, we have created a website to hold all the resources for the structural change and planning process here at MIIS.  The website includes the videos made by the students, the memos to the community, the strategic planning process (including the student group findings in 2006), Monterey Way 2.0, a schedule for upcoming meetings/events, and an FAQ section.

There is also an area for “items to be considered”, which will continue to grow as working groups identify key areas to focus on in the planning process and these areas will be tracked for progress.

This website is a work in progress and can only continue to grow with your help.  Please coordinate any work groups  with Lynn McDonald (lynn.mcdonald@miis.edu or ext. 4633) so she can continue to best represent this process online and keep the communication lines open.

This is an opportunity for real exciting change – let’s keep communication open and work together on this large task for the upcoming year!

http://sites.google.com/site/montereyinstituteorg/

Mapping a Changing World

New tools for spatial thinking, and for analyzing and visualizing spatial data, are indispensible for 21st century professionals.  On November 10, TLC will host a presentation by Diana Stuart Sinton, Director of Spatial Curriculum and Research at the University of Redlands, on “New Ways to Map a Changing World.”  Diana headed a national initiative to integrate GIS and spatial thinking across the curriculum for 100 liberal arts colleges, and is an outstanding teacher/presenter on both Geographic Information Systems and lower threshold web-mapping tools such as Google Earth. Diana will do a strategy session for faculty interested in incorporating mapping and data visualization into their teaching, a public presentation on the latest trends in mapping, and a hands-on workshop using Google Earth.

GSIPS Welcomes new Career Development Officer

Please join us in welcoming Ms. Edy Rhodes to the Monterey Institute’s
Career Development Advising Team!

Edy Rhodes, new Career Development Officer for GSIPS, recently earned her
graduate degree from San Francisco State University (SFSU) in Career
Counseling where her intercultural focus was on East Asian international
students.  She had two internships as part of her program, one as a
Graduate Advisor at SFSU Graduate Studies and the other as the Career
Counselor Intern at the Stanford Career Development Center, where she met
with graduate and undergraduates students and led a Career Development
Group for the spouses of international students.  She has a BA in the
Creative Arts and loves to sing.  She has worked in administration and
management in the private and non-profit sectors locally, on the East
Coast and in the Caribbean where she resided for 7 years.  She is excited
about joining the GSIPS team and working with Monterey Institute students
on reaching their career development goals.

Edy’s office is located in McCone 218, and her extension is x4627. Please
feel free to stop by and introduce yourself!

(Thanks to Jen Hambleton for contributing this item.)

The Foghorn Goes Digital

If you haven’t seen the “reborn” Foghorn student newsblog, it’s worth a look.  In fact, it’s worth an RSS subscription!  Recent post include:
* A “spotlight” piece on Sunder Ramaswamy, in which he talks candidly about his vision for the Institute
* An open letter to faculty from the “Queers and Peers” group. This article reminds faculty to consider the potential discomfort created by assignments that ask students to share romantic or other personal stories, and suggests culturally sensitive alternatives.
* Interviews with, students, staff, and president Clara Yu on the MIIS reorganization plan.

President Holds Office Hours

President Clara Yu will hold open office hours on Tuesday, October 7 from 12:00PM – 2:00PM in the President’s Office in the Segal Building.  Individual meetings will be scheduled with her for every 15 minutes on a first-come, first-served basis.  If you have a desire to meet with Clara, please e-mail Barbara Burke (barbara.burke@miis.edu), with the time that might work best for you during the two-hour period.  Barbara will respond confirming your scheduled time.

International Policy Studies Curriculum Revised

On September 22, Dean Ed Laurance announced the first major curriculum revision for international policy programs since 2001. There will be three international policy degrees:

MA in International Policy Studies (MAIPS)
MA in International Environmental Policy (MAIEP)
MPA in International Management (MPA/IM)

The MA in International Trade Policy has been integrated into the MAIPS as one of three tracks: International Trade, International Development and International Security.

Other key features of the new curriculum are: optional focus areas within each track, individualized study plans, a portfolio process that demonstrates the acquisition of core competencies, and an exit evaluation.

Based on a year long review, this streamlining of policy programs is not directly related to the reorganization at the school level announced a week ago, but is consistent with the aims of the reorganization. Laurance notes, “The addition of the MBA program to the MAIEP, MPA and the three tracks of the MAIPS will only further the direction of these changes in the [IPS] curriculum, creating even more opportunities for the student to shape his/her program into one that creates the optimum opportunity for job placement upon graduation.”

Read the full text of the curriculum revision announcement.

Sunder Ramaswamy Outlines Process for Administrative Appointments

In a message to faculty and staff, President-designate Sunder Ramaswamy thanked the community for its participation in discussions of the administrative reorganization announced last week, and described the process he will follow for making administrative appointments. In case you missed the message:

Dear Colleagues:

I would like to thank you for your time during last week’s Town Hall meeting. Clara and I appreciated the opportunity of being able to present the roll out of the administrative reorganization and take questions.  I would also like to thank members of the community who sent follow up questions and comments. I very much look forward to being a part of this community and to work with all of you to build on the positive momentum gathered in so many areas of the Institute.

With regard to the process of next steps, let me spell it out in a bit more detail.  A finalized version of the organization will be presented to the MIIS Board of Trustees during their October meeting.  Once that is approved, I will begin in earnest the search for a number of the key administrative (both academic and non-academic) positions. As I mentioned at the Town Hall, I will look at current administrators, some external and other internal nominees.  In a process that is more aligned with the Middlebury practice, I plan to vet my decisions with the faculty representative group, the Senate.  As we all know, the current Faculty Handbook in many ways does not reflect the unfolding reality of MIIS becoming a part of the Middlebury, starting at the level of the Board of Trustees, and including the appointment of the President and other administrators. We will have time and opportunity to work through governance issues in a timely and methodical manner to meet the integration timeline of June 30, 2010 that we have set forth to NEASC and WASC.

I will be back on campus third week of October but in the meantime, please do not hesitate to e-mail me any questions you might have.

Sincerely,
Sunder Ramaswamy