Category: News

MIIS news

Central campus information portal launched

There are many different sources of information on the Monterey Institute campus today, and it can be challenging to find the information you are looking for in a timely manner. In response to this problem, we recently implemented a new solution that uses RSS feeds to channel information into a single central campus information resource.

This new resource is a campus information portal located on our Moodle site at elearning.miis.edu. The revamped Moodle home page now incorporates the master events calendar and a list of the most recent articles published on our new campus-wide blog aggregator, the Monterey Institute Focus.  The Focus, located at www.miisfocus.com, collects posts from a wide range of campus-based blogs into a single, comprehensive information resource that also feeds directly onto the Moodle home page.

In the near future, Ashley Arrocha will be providing instructions to student clubs on how to set up blogs and/or submit stories directly to the Monterey Institute Focus.

The portal accomplishes many of our key goals regarding funneling campus information into a single point of contact for campus community members that will continue to be enhanced and improved.

Pizza Party Success!

The Pizza Innovation Process is off to a good start. 47 faculty, staff & students enjoyed some pizza and brainstormed ideas to help shape MIIS. To get involved, join the Pizza Process Social Network.

The party started with a small group icebreaker activity where teams created pizzas with a topping for each member and a name that described the whole pizza.  The pizza process was then introduced followed by great conversations about the definition of innovation, barriers and drivers to innovation, and some tips for success in the process.  The party ended with pizza for all and ideas shared with the group.

If you couldn’t make the party, you’re not out of the process!  Interested innovators can join our social network and form a pizza group.  To “officially” register your group, set up an appointment with Lynn McDonald.  Groups should be diverse, passionate and fun to work towards finding solutions and making a better MIIS.  Ideas will be shared with the entire community on April 16th at the Idea Fair.

Last years pizza process produced the DMC, CNS Second Life and Delcats along with some good ideas that just didn’t stick.  Innovation is a risk, but also an invaluable learning experience with idea sharing and organizational development.  Groups this year will be working on building community, connecting with alumni, understanding and incorporating competition, building a knowledge base and so much more!

For more information, contact Lynn McDonald at lynn.mcdonald@miis.edu or ext. 4633.  Join us for this pizza journey!

Third Community Retreat Looks at Advising

Fifty-nine faculty, staff and students helped to plan the new, unified advising function that will ensure future students a seamless educational experience at MIIS.

Held at the La Playa hotel in Carmel on Friday, February 27, the retreat provided an opportunity to build on conversations begun at the previous retreats on February 20 by creating road maps of the ideal student experience and describing the relationships we need to build in order to get there.

Notes from the retreat are posted in an online Reorganization Resource Center and members of the community are invited to comment or add their ideas.

Kropp Wins Award for Research on Entrepreneurship

Prof. Fredric Kropp has received an award from Emerald, a publisher of management research journals, for his article, “Entrepreneurial Orientation and International Entrepreneurial
Business Venture Startup,” published in the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour Research. His article has been chosen as a Highly Commended Award Winner at the Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2009.

Congratulations, Fredric!

Pizza Process 2009

It’s back!  The process that brought us the Digital Media Commons, CNS Second Life and DELCAT has resurfaced.  It’s back with the hope of finding innovative ideas to help shape the institute.  The kickoff event will be an innovation pizza party on March 3rd, 12 – 2 PM in CF 434.  Please RSVP.

People always ask me “can we really keep creating new programs?” to which I reply that innovation does not always mean invention.  We’re looking for new perspectives to solve old problems and keep the institute moving forward.  Nike innovated the running sneaker not because it invented the shoe but because it made us think of sneakers in a whole new way.  Apple’s iphone is innovative because it redefined what a phone could do.

We’re looking to form diverse groups, give them pizza, and see what amazing ideas unfold.  The goals of the kickoff event will be to clarify the process, understand innovation and brainstorm possible ideas.  You don’t have to have an idea to be part of this process!  We hope to inspire groups to tackle known problems at the institute to find collective solutions.

Join us on March 3rd to start this innovation journey.  If you can’t make it on the 3rd, stay tuned for updates and contact Lynn McDonald if you want to get involved or start a group.

More Information

RSVP for March 3rd

CNS Staff Speak Out on Iranian Satellite Launch

CNS staff members Liviu Horovitz and Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova wrote a letter to the editor of the International Herald Tribune regarding the West’s negative response to Tehran’s recent launch of its first domestically developed satellite into orbit. Horovitz and Mukhatzhanova cite President Obama’s pledge to “extend a hand to hostile nations if they are willing to unclench their fist” and suggest it is now time to introduce a more nuanced approach to Iran. Read the full version of the letter at http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/02/19/opinion/edlet.php.

MONTEREY INSTITUTE & NPS HOST AWARD-WINNING CYBER-ACTIVIST

–Founder of MideastYouth.com Harnesses Internet to Promote Human Rights–

The Monterey Institute of International Studies will host award-winning activist and writer Esra’a al Shafei beginning at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, in the Institute’s Irvine Auditorium in the McCone Building at 499 Pierce St., Monterey.  The event is being co-sponsored by the Naval Postgraduate School.

During her “Activism 3.0” presentation, Shafei will discuss her experiences as founder and executive director of Mideast Youth, and how cyber-activism can help to combat human rights abuses and foster peace.  Her accolades include the Harvard University’s 2008 Berkman Award, and her live podcasts and blogs from Gaza during the recent conflict there were featured on CNN.

This event is free and open to the public.  NOTE: Photography and videotaping will not be permitted at this event.  Audio recording is permitted.

Additional Administrative Reorganization Decisions Announced

For the last few months, we have focused our discussion about the reorganization of the Institute on the creation of two new graduate schools and a new dean of advising.  However, several other changes are occurring to facilitate a better flow of communications and services to our faculty, staff, students, and the external community.  In some cases these will affect supervisory responsibilities and lines of reporting.

Last September, the Office of Alumni Relations was moved into the Institutional Advancement Office.  A new Executive Director of Communications position was also established and subsequently, Jason Warburg was hired into that position.  Recently, Anne Marie Steiger, the Institute’s webmaster, has been moved, so that she now reports to Jason.

We are also combining those activities related to a student’s enrollment at the Institute.  As part of these changes, the Financial Aid Office will join with our Admissions Office and Enrollment Management Office to become the Office of Admissions, reporting to Jill Stoffers, Director of Admissions.  These moves will become effective as of March 1, 2009.

Finally, in a move designed to strengthen the services provided to students during their time at the Institute, the Dean of Advising, Careers, and Student Services will oversee three areas:  Records, Office of Student Services, and a new Academic and Career Advising Center.  The goal of this consolidation, which will become effective as of June 1, 2009, is to provide our students with enhanced services, especially those involving academic advising and career assistance, so that students engage a seamless support system during their time at the Institute.

CNS Staff Member Briefs Local Audiences on Disarmament Initiatives

CNS staff member Kenley Butler was the luncheon speaker at this week’s meeting of the Salinas Rotary Club where he briefed approximately 80 in attendance on recent global initiatives to move towards nuclear disarmament. In recent months, Kenley has spoken to several local groups, including the Carmel Foundation, the Sons in Retirement of Pebble Beach, and the Rotary Club of Carmel Valley.

MIIS Staff Members to Attend WeAreMedia Workshop

Next week, Kristen Byers and Rob Horgan will be attending a two-day intensive workshop on social media and non-profits sponsored by the Non-profit Technology Network in San Francisco. TLC and Recruiting have generously provided the funding for this. The conference requires that two people from an organization attend: one broader marketing staff member and one person in charge of technical implementation.

They will be keeping a blog to record their participation and implementation of a media project.

The goal of the conference is to provide participating teams with an understanding of how to craft a social media strategy and to experiment with tactical approaches. Thanks to some advice and input from Caroline Mansi, Lynn McDonald, and Bob Cole, Rob and Kristen have decided to explore the merits of using Twitter for promotion, recruitment, marketing and information sharing at MIIS. Kristen has extensive experience in new media projects and is a regular user of Twitter. Rob recently created a Twitter account for the Recruiting Department: http://www.twitter.com/miis

The workshop aims to help participants plan and effectively integrate their media project (in this case, Twitter) into their organization’s overall web communications. They hope to return to campus with some ideas for implementation.

Google Search Now Live at MIIS!

Have you ever tried to find something on the MIIS website only to be given a PDF campus map as a search result?  You’re not alone and hopefully now those days are over!  The www.miis.edu website now has incorporated a google search function into the website.

Little known fact: MIIS actually is running 5 separate websites – the main site and one for each school.  With our old search function, you had to be on the right site to find what you needed.  Searching for language programs in the Fisher site would have produced less than ideal results.  Our old search function also seemed to give priority to PDFs and menu items rather than actual pages.  The google search function now covers all of our sites and has the google relevancy to help prioritize our search results.

Thanks to Chris Norris and his staff at Middlebury for sharing their Google Search Appliance with us, configuring it to index our sites, and writing the code to make it all run.

In a recent google webinar, it was reported that 50% of the duke.edu web users were using the search function in place of the menu navigation.  This new search function should allow our constituents the ability to find what they need more easily and tap into the google search habits of digital natives (aka most of our students).  The google search function also allows for all google search conventions and has an advanced search function where you can search by program, sort by date, or narrow your search.

This is part of a larger website redesign project that a dedicated group of MIIS staff and faculty members have been working on since November.  To see what we’ve been up to, check out our wiki space.

If you’re interested in giving more feedback about the website or joining our group, contact Lynn McDonald

Staff Advisory Team

The votes are in and the working group dedicated to creating a staff council structure will now move forward in creating a proposal for the 6-person staff advisory team.  56 staff members voted and gave important insight and feedback into the staff council structure.  The working group will now create a proposal that incorporates your ideas to share with the administration.  Stay tuned for more information!

Karen Weiss
Priscilla Lorenzo
Toni Thomas
Lynn McDonald
Susan Wolfe
Erika Johnson
Kenley Butler

Announcing the New and Improved Samson Center Dining Room!

Over the semester break, the Samson Center Dining Room has undergone renovations designed to provide students with a more comfortable and efficient environment for both dining and study.  The newly revamped Dining Room will re-open on February 2nd, with expanded seating and an exciting new food service vendor, “The World Cafe”.

“The World Cafe” will initially be open Monday – Friday from 7:30AM to 7:00PM, serving a variety of menu options, including breakfast cereals, grilled items, roasted chicken, fish, vegetarian options, and Mexican and Asian cuisine, among others.  “The World Cafe” will also feature cappuccinos and espressos.  Stop by and try them out soon and keep your eye out for additional postings of their menu and other features.

***Please note that the two rows of tables closest to the food service area will be reserved for “dining only” from 11AM – 2PM Monday through Friday.***

New renovations in the Dining Room  include:

•    Three newly installed countertop workstations and accompanying new seating, with additional electrical outlets for laptops.
•    Four new cafe-style tables and new seating.
•    New, comfortable four-inch seat cushions on all chairs in the Dining Room.

MIIS@work Milestone

The preceding story was our 100th post!  Thanks to all of you who are sharing your news with the community!

Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystalflickr/190713106/