Recently, our dining vendor, Aramark, conducted an intensive survey regarding our dining needs on campus called MarketMatch. They looked at foot traffic, distance between buildings and availablity of dining services, and hosted many interviews with students, faculty, and staff. This process took several months but the report is finally finished. Aramark has made many recommendations regarding the future of dining at UT. But they aren’t finished yet. Now they need to hear from the people who are most affected by their services – our students! This report only gives suggestions from the dining vendor. From here, UT will make decisions about what to fund and what isn’t really a priority to our students, and your feedback is REALLY important.
There will be a series of dining forums in the next couple days:
Thursday, February 18th at 3:00pm in the Ottawa East Multi-purpose Room,
7:00pm in the Student Union South Lounge, and
Friday, February 19th at 12:00pmin the Student Union Room 2591
Please come and share your opinions with them on dining and where UT Dining Services should move to in the future.
No I didn’t go to a hockey game today. But I did go to the International Student Association’s International Dinner! This is an awesome event that ISA hosts every year (this is the 34th year!). The I-Dinner consists of food, music, dancing, and a fashion show featuring all kinds of different nationalities and cultures. They had three speakers to open the festivities: Dr. Jacobs, Dr. Kaye Patten Wallace, and one of our newly appointed trustees, Linda Mansour. Dr. Jacobs was who described today as a hat trick because of Valentine’s Day, I-Dinner, and the Chinese New Year.
The dinner was a wonderful showcase of the diversity of our students on campus. Being there got me really excited for Diversity Week which is coming up April 5th-9th! Mark it on your calendars and watch out for more info on when and where all of the events for that week will be.
Congrats, ISA, for putting on such a wonderful event and thank you for sharing all of your differnent cultures with everyone!
I am dedicating my last post of this semester to someone who is always there for me – good or bad, who is the only person that understands what I deal with everyday, and who always has a smile for anyone that needs it.
Rachael,
Thank you so much for always being there for me when I need a friend, for being my partner in crime, and always bringing a little Christmas cheer into the office when we need it! I don’t tell you enough how much you help me get through all of the drama that comes with being in college. I’m so glad that you are my brother and my best friend. Love you lots! I’m gonna miss you over break.
You may or may not have heard about the UT Self Study, but here’s a little summary. In order for each of us to earn a degree, The University of Toledo must be accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. This accreditation has to be renewed once every ten years. We are currently in the “Self Study” stage, and that’s where you come in.
There are five teams working on five different criteria that must be included in the self study that we submit. The leaders of the self study think it is critical that we have dedicated students involved in this process. Thus they are taking nominations for student representatives for each of these teams. Here are the five criterion:
Criterion One, Mission and Integrity:
The organization operates with integrity to insure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff, and students. Criterion One Team is led by Dr. Charles Blatz, College of Arts and Sciences.
Criterion Two, Preparing for the Future:
The organization’s allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill itsmission, improve thequality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities. Criterion Two Team is led by Brian Pyles, Finance.
Criterion Three, Student Learning and Effective Teaching:
The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its education mission. Criterion Three Team is by Dr. Constance Shriner, College of Medicine.
Criterion Four, Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge:
The organization promotes a life of learning for the faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission. Criterion Four Team is lead by Dr. Charlene Czerniak, Judith Herb College of Education.
Criterion Five, Engagement and Service:
As called for by its mission, the organization identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value. Criterion Five Team is lead by Dr. Mojisola Tiamiyu, College of Arts and Sciences.
To learn more about the accreditation process check out the Self Study Website.
I think this is a really great opportunity for you to get involved in this process, learn more about UT, and have a valuable experience that will look great on your resume! Definitely a plus in this job market!! It is important to know that this is a two year appointment though, so you will need to be a student through Spring 2012. Here’s the nomination form.
Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll try to point you in the right direction!!
Shared Governance. (Insert shudder here). Yes most of us on college campuses shudder when we think of the Shared Governance debate discussion. This is not because anyone is opposed to the idea, but rather we differ in our opinions of the effective execution of the idea.
This weekend, four members of UT’s Student Government (including myself) had the opportunity to attend a conference hosted by the Ohio University’s Student Government. This was for the Ohio Student Government Association, a collective organization representing all of the state universities in Ohio. It was a wonderful experience and a great way to learn more about what other institutions are doing.
One thing that was brought up was the idea of a university-wide body that consists of students, faculty, staff, and administration. I heard about it from the delegates representing Ohio State. At OSU, “The Senate is a body of one-hundred-thirty-seven members representing three constituencies: faculty, administration, and students.” That description comes from their website for the University Senate. Thier University President serves as the presiding officer, but the membership consists of a majority of faculty (70 members) - representing all of the colleges and regional campuses, 26 administrators, and 41 students.
There has been a lot of information out about the flu this year. Here is one more try to convince you to get the vaccine.
I was one of those people who wanted to hold off on getting vaccinated until the shot came out but I gave in today and got the FluMist (the nasal vaccine). Many people are nervous about getting the nasal vaccine because it is a weakened live virus.
However, unless you have certain conditions, you are just fine to get the nasal spray. Those that cannot get the nasal spray are: people with asthma, pregnant women, women who are breast feeding, and a few others (more info on utoledo.edu/fluprep or cdc.gov).
I was finally convinced to get it today when I heard about how few doses are currently available. There was a problem with the manufacturing of the vaccine which has slowed down production and thus limited the supply. There are currently about 400 doses left of the FluMist on our campus and there is only one other clinic scheduled for Lucas County to get the shot. No one knows currently when we will get more doses.
So I figured that it is better to just give in, trust the CDC, and get the shot! Here’s a pic:
I feel just fine and the clinic is open today until two. So run over to the Student Union 3018 and get your vaccine!!
Here’s a video some of my fellow pharmacy students and I made:
And here is another from physicians on the health science campus:
NEW INFO!!!!!
This was just posted within the last hour on the CDC’s website. It covers the flu clinics that will be available through the Lucas County Health Department this week. Click Here to view it.
That’s right! All UT first year students have the chance to be on a new reality TV show -- The Freshmen 15. Interested? Watch the video below and check out the Freshmen 15 website for more details.
Casting is THIS SUNDAY, October 18th so make sure that you register soon to reserve your spot!!!
Everyone knows that smoking is harmful to your health. It causes lung diseases like hypertension, vascular disease, stroke, and of course cancer. And the list just keeps getting longer.
Personally, I have seen the effects of smoking not only on the smoker but on the family who must deal with the consequences. My grandfather (I called him Papa) smoked like a fiend when he was younger. He eventually quit, probably for my Gramma (yes that’s how we spell it), but never the less, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He fought it but died shortly after with several brain tumors and cancer all over his body. Was it worth it?
As a student in the College of Pharmacy, I have been exposed to many different therapies that are available for patients to stop smoking. I have also learned about the physiological process that cause stopping to be so difficult. What I have not had clearly explained to me is why, with all of the knowledge that is provided to us from grade school D.A.R.E. to commercials on TV, do people my age (or any age) start?
Anyways, that philosophical question is not the debate I am referring to in the title of this blog. What I am talking about is the Smoking Ban on Campus Debate. Some campuses are against it (see an article from Carnegie Mellon) but never the less (that seems to be my phrase of the day) it is a growing trend.
Whenever this proposal is brought up, people who oppose it are quick to argue that it is an “infringement on our rights”; or “where do the bans end? Will we ban trans fats next?” (Hmm… I wonder if my diets would turn out better if they did ban trans fats…); or, this is my favorite, “smokers are actually less expensive to society because they die sooner.” Yes, that last one was actually used at a Student Senate meeting last year. Talk about “Improving the Human Condition” huh?
And that takes me back to UT. We can look at other schools and benchmark all we want but what really matters to me is what happens in little old U of T. I know that this discussion brings up a lot of emotions because we discuss it in terms of extremes, no smoking or smoke all you want.
Well I have to admit that I, personally, am in the no smoking extreme. I think it would be great if production of cigarettes stopped and the world was made of cotton candy and licorice. But I understand reality. And I can see the other side of the argument. The most compelling of the “other side’s” arguments, to me, is that people LIVE on our campus. Their home is their dorm room. We cannot tell people what to do in their houses, so how can we tell them what to do where they live during college?
So my conclusion, as someone who is trying to find a solution for all of the students, is to propose a compromise. For those of us who don’t enjoy walking through a cloud of smoke on our way to class, ban smoking on campus. But, for those who are going to smoke anyways and don’t appreciate being regulated in their homes, allow smoking on the south side of the river (and map out an area that includes the Quad as well).
So now I’m throwing this idea out to all of you. I want to hear what you think about this debate. Please keep your responses respectful and include a UTAD email (which is shown on the the website – only to me) so that we don’t have any anonymous posters with bogus email addresses. I really want to know what people are thinking so if I can’t get back to you, then I won’t be able to effectively carry forward your opinion.
Homecoming is UT’s oldest traditions, and one of my favorite. It’s such a great event because it brings together the current students, our alumni, faculty, staff, and the community. This year will be nothing short of heroic with the theme: Homecoming of Heroes.
This year is a little different because Fall Break falls during the same week as homecoming but that isn’t stopping our Homecoming Commission from creating a wonderfully jam-packed week of fun.
Wednesday – Heroes and Hamburgers Cookout and Dan Adhoot
Thursday – Battle by the Fire
Friday – Alumni Homecoming Gala
And finally on Saturday, the Homecoming Parade will begin at 2:00pm and go down Bancroft St and into Old Orchard. The Homecoming Parade is hosted by Blue Key so that’s what I know the most about. I promise we have been working super hard, so get excited for another great parade!
Of course we will have the big game on Saturday night. Come watch our Rocket’s defeat the Western Michigan Broncos in the Glass Bowl at 7:00!! Oh and don’t forget to vote for Homecoming King and Queen!!!
This Thursday, September 17th we will be celebrating the birthday of our Constitution in the form of a debate between the top two Mayoral Candidates for the City of Toledo. I can’t tell you who will be debating yet as the results are yet to be determined, but I can tell you that it’s going to be a heated race. The debate will be this Thursday at 2:00 pm on the steps of the Student Union (facing Centennial Mall).
The theme of the debate will be centered on topics that are relevant to students and young people in general and, of course – The Constitution!!
Candidates will be given two minutes for opening statements, one minute answers for each question, thirty second rebuttals, and a two minute closing statement.
We will have free birthday cake and pocket Constitutions to hand out as well!
Please help us by sending in your questions for the candidates to krystalyn.weaver@rockets.utoledo.edu! We will also be accepting questions from the audience at the debate on Thursday. Look for a table with note cards and write them down for us.
Let’s show the candidates just how important the students at The University of Toledo are to the City of Toledo and have a big crowd for the debate.
Any questions – get in touch with me. See you there!!!
Krystal is a senior in the College of Pharmacy and is working towards completing the PharmD program. She is currently the Student Body President, a Student Trustee, and involved in several other organizations and committees. If you have any questions about Student Government, want to get involved, or just have a concern, please email her at krystalyn.weaver@rockets.utoledo.edu
For anyone applying, don't forget that Blue Key apps are due today at strictly 5pm to the Office of Student Involvement! Ba Ba Ba Blue Key!! 2010/03/19
So my conclusion, as someone who is trying to find a solution for all of the students, is to propose a compromise. For those of us who don’t enjoy walking through a cloud of smoke on our way to class, ban smoking on campus. But, for those who are going to smoke anyways and don’t appreciate being regulated in their homes, allow smoking on the south side of the river (and map out an area that includes the Quad as well).