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Under the Arch March 7, 2005 Volume VI, Number 26
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GANNON TO HOLD GRAND OPENING FOR NEW CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE Gannon on March 18 will hold a grand opening celebration for its new Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. The grand opening will include a ribbon cutting by Gannon President Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D., as well as demonstrations of the center’s technology and innovation. The ceremony will be held from 3-5 p.m. The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) is located on the first floor of the Palumbo Academic Center, 824 Peach Street, in space previously occupied by Gannon’s registrar’s and cashier’s offices. Both relocated to 150 West Sixth Street (formerly Courthouse Commons) after the university purchased the property. The Center will have two main components: a model classroom with eight workstations and new state-of-the-art technology, and a large, open area to facilitate discussion and exchange of ideas regarding teaching and learning. CETL also will have a small conference room, other individual work spaces, and a library. CETL primarily will focus on providing professional development opportunities for Gannon faculty through various workshops and seminars. In May, the center will host a week-long training program to help eight faculty members learn how to use technology as a tool in the classroom. The faculty, from both of Gannon’s academic colleges, will focus on incorporating multi-media and other technology into their classes. That training will be repeated with additional faculty over the next several years. In addition, other workshops directed at the enhancement of student learning will be offered periodically. As such, the center also will provide a significant benefit to Gannon students. The center’s focus will extend beyond technology. Open faculty discussions on pedagogy – the art, science, and profession of teaching – and related teaching and learning issues also will be a major emphasis. In addition, the center periodically will bring in outside guest speakers to address with faculty topics of interest. “Overall we see the center as being a tremendous resource for the faculty,” said Virginia Arp, director of academic and end user technology and interim director for CETL. “Our goal is for it to be a place where they can meet, collaborate, and share ideas with colleagues. “The center’s pedagogical aspect is significant,” Arp continued. “By providing faculty a setting where they can discuss teaching and learning, this will be much more than a sophisticated technology lab.” CETL in part is funded by a federal Title III grant the university received from the U.S. Department of Education in fall 2004. The grant, made from the Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions Program, totals $1.824 million over five years and is the largest grant ever received by the university. The university is also funding part of the cost of the center, including hardware and software and staffing. CETL will be managed by a director and supported by an instructional designer and instructional technologist. The Title III grant also has allowed the university to expand the operations of its Academic Advising Center by hiring an additional academic advisor and by providing funding for assessment tools to be used in evaluating the needs of new students. Specifically, surveys will be completed by incoming freshmen during summer orientations, enabling the university to both better assess student needs – in areas like academics – and develop an individualized program for each new student. Administrators are optimistic about the opportunity to strengthen student retention and graduation rates through data collected from the surveys.
OUR FOLKS Please remember all in your prayers as regretfully we announce the deaths of:
OUR EVENTS
THE PRESIDENT'S SCHEDULE Wednesday, March 9 – Senior Salute; City Council hearing on pre-release center. Thursday, March 10 – Downtown Improvement District meeting; student hour. Friday, March 11 – Gannon Service Recognition Ceremony.
CURRENT BIRTHDAYS Peter Zonca. Anthony DiVecchio. Mary Anne Rivera. Dan Giannelli. Emily Frank. Lisa Karle. Ted Marnen. Elizabeth Vanstrom. Jim McGivern. Jorja Rogala. Janice Whiteman. Debra Rastetter. Sandra Storer. Rev. Joseph Gregorek. John DeAngelo. Wook-Sung Yoo. Doug Brougham. Sue Grippe. Steven Overholt. Renee Lamis. David Johnson. Michael Messina. John Seifert. Thomas Monagan Jr. Johnson Olanrewaju. Lori Grossholz. Arthur Weindorf. Edmund Cieslak. Rose Digello. Nickolaus Miehl. Ariel Weissbach. David Smith. Rick Hammar. Deb West. Stephanie Domitrovich. Miles Vida. John Knauer III.
HEARD ON CAMPUS
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