News for Ball State Faculty and Staff
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Stories of Gratitude
November 19, 2020
With Thanksgiving just days away, gratitude—one of Ball State’s seven enduring values—is in our thoughts.
As I reflect on the Fall semester, we should be thankful. Through hard work and perseverance, we weathered unprecedented circumstances, safeguarding on-campus instruction and delivering meaningful educational experiences despite the ongoing pandemic.
For their critical role in our Fall success, I want to express my deep thanks to our colleagues at the Health Center.
Since the beginning of 2020, the Center has supported more than 10,000 visits, often serving students after regular business hours and on weekends. Even when on-campus instruction ended in March, our colleagues continued to offer virtual and phone consultations.
Furthermore, with help from Working Well, the Health Center executed a successful campaign to deliver flu vaccinations to students, as well as to our employees and their spouses and dependents. Public health experts have stressed the importance of getting a flu vaccine to reduce strain on the health care system. During a drive-through clinic in October, the center administered 239 doses in just three hours.
Our colleagues in the Health Center are doing their part, and we must continue to do ours.
Show our healthcare providers your appreciation by wearing a mask, maintaining physical distancing, washing your hands frequently, and observing all the other recommendations that we know help mitigate the spread of infection.
I wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving.
Sincerely,
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Ball State Response to COVID-19
Testing Information
On-campus instruction for the Fall semester will conclude on November 25, and on-campus instruction for the Spring semester is scheduled to resume on January 19.
During that interim period, on-campus COVID-19 testing for symptomatic faculty, staff, and students will continue through our partnership with IU Health. After using a symptom checker at iuhealth.org/covid19, symptomatic faculty, staff, and students will be referred to the appropriate medical service, including scheduling COVID-19 testing at one of the IU Health testing sites.
Additionally, COVID-19 testing will be available at:
- Open Door Health Services
333 S. Madison St.
Muncie, IN 47305
To schedule: 765-286-7000 or opendoorhs.org. - ISDH/Optum
401 N. Country Club Road
Muncie, IN 47303
To schedule: 888-634-1116 or lhi.care/covidtesting.
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Student Pre-Arrival Testing Protocol
The University will require all students to be tested for COVID-19 before returning to campus for the Spring semester in January.
For the latest updates and complete information about Ball State’s array of safety protocols, please visit bsu.edu/coronavirus. Our COVID-19 dashboard provides additional, relevant information to the Ball State community and to the public.
Get Your Flu Shot
The Employee Quick Clinic is administering flu vaccines now while supplies last for employees, spouses, and dependents with Ball State insurance as their primary insurance carrier. Employees may call the Quick Clinic at 765-285-1106 for an appointment. Get more information.
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Strategic Plan Update
Making a Difference in STEM Education
Ball State has joined the ASPIRE IChange Network, a group of 60 colleges and universities sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The group has three goals:
- Prepare current and future STEM faculty to be inclusive and effective in their undergraduate teaching, research mentoring, and advising.
- Diversify the national faculty through effective recruitment, hiring, and retention of STEM faculty from underrepresented groups.
- Foster cultures that value inclusivity and diversity.
Joining ASPIRE is one example of the many ways Ball State is applying Inclusive Excellence in the STEM area, an effort led by Associate Vice President for Inclusive Excellence, Marsha McGriff, and Vice Provost for Research, Susan McDowell.
McGriff and McDowell also served as panelists for a session about retaining and supporting minority STEM students at the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Annual Research Conference.
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For Your Benefit
Resources for Retirement Plan Changes
November 20 is the final day to make investment elections before new contributions are made to the Ball State University Alternative Pension Plan (APP) 403(b), and 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan.
Here are resources to assist you:
If no action is taken, future contributions will go to the State Street Target Date fund most appropriate for your age. Also, the default beneficiary on your account will be your estate. You may continue to make investment and beneficiary changes after November 20, 2020, but you are encouraged to make them now while an increased number of Fidelity Retirement Planners are available to assist.
This does not affect PERF or TRF. Those participants do not need to take any action unless they also participate in a voluntary TDA, 457(b) retirement plan, the TRF supplement, or would like to begin participating in one of the voluntary retirement plans.
Learn Resiliency, Healthy Coping Skills
Working Well is offering employees a four-week, self-guided resiliency program.
The program includes activities and resources that encourage self-care, managing daily stressors, and building healthy coping skills. Email Working Well to sign up.
Are You a Proud Veteran?
We salute our veterans and thank them for their service.
Help us measure how well we are doing in recruiting and providing opportunities for protected veterans and qualified people with disabilities by completing the confidential, voluntary self-identification form in Self-Service Banner.
Prepare for the New Year
As we approach the end of 2020, now is a good time to review your personal information in Self-Service Banner (SSB) via myBSU to ensure it's up-to-date.
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| Recent and Upcoming Events
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Inclusive Excellence Roundtable
The University is hosting a series of Inclusive Excellence roundtable discussions with alumni, faculty, staff, students, and members of the local community.
The first roundtable will be filmed this month and will be available online in January.
Its availability online coincides with the Winter issue of our Alumni magazine, which is dedicated to telling stories about Inclusive Excellence on our campus. Look for more information in future issues of Together We Fly.
Recognizing Outstanding Women
When referring to the Ball family, we often focus on the five Ball brothers and their legacy. With the Ball Family Leadership Legacy Fund for Women, the Ball State University Foundation honors women who are visionaries and contributors to our community.
The new fund recognizes the history of outstanding women who have served Ball State. It awards professional-development scholarships to eligible female-identifying administrative, support, and service staff members to further sharpen their skills, talents, and leadership abilities.
Winners for 2020, and the fund’s first honorees, are Debbie S. Kirby, administrative coordinator in the Department of Nutrition and Health Science, and Tania Said, director of education at the David Owsley Museum of Art.
Watch Cardinal Compass, November 20
Cardinal Compass: Campus and Community Conversations returns Friday, November 20 to Indiana Public Radio and WIPB-TV at 6:30 p.m.
This month, President Mearns and Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour will discuss how Muncie and Ball State can work together to improve the entire community. You can also watch the program online, once it becomes available.
Thanksgiving Reminder
The University will close offices at noon Wednesday, November 25, 2020, to provide our employees more time to prepare for the holidays.
As previously communicated, classroom instruction will move online from Thanksgiving Break through the end of the Fall semester, Friday, December 18.
During the period of online instruction, the University will remain open. Employees currently reporting to work at their on-campus office should continue to do so and work with their supervisors if any adjustments are necessary.
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R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and PlanningThe CAP lecture series is virtual this year.
On December 7 at 4 p.m., you can watch Michael Key, vice president of construction operations for Milhaus. Key oversees projects across the United States and is president of the Ball State University Construction Management Advisory Board.
New Inclusive Excellence Site
CAP has launched a new Inclusive Excellence website. The new site provides an easier way for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and website visitors to get connected and learn more about CAP’s inclusive excellence work, including community impact, curriculum, and dedicated resources to help support each individual's social and equity journey. See the site.
Miller College of Business
Research on Cookies and Consumers
The research includes work from undergraduate students in a business analytics research class. The resulting paper, "Cookies in Online Advertising and Their Impact on Shopping Behaviors," will be published in the Issues in Information Systems Journal.
Paper Earns Awards
A research paper by Stephen Ferris, the Bryan Dean of the Miller College of Business, has earned accolades.
His paper, "An International Analysis of CEO Social Capital and Corporate Risk-Taking," published in European Financial Management, was recognized by the European Financial Management Association with the Best Paper Award, Editors' Choice, and Top Download Award.
The study documented a relation between CEO social capital and aggregate corporate risk‐taking. Further, it found that CEOs with large social capital prefer riskier investment and financial policies.
College of Communication, Information, and Media
Faculty and Student Recognition
- Journalism professor Jennifer Palilonis was recognized by the Mid-American Conference for her work in shepherding the next generation of communication professionals. Read more.
- Communication studies professor Kathy Denker was elected the second VP of the Central States Communication Association.
- Ball State hired Dan Marino as director of a new Esports program that is competing in the newly created independent Esports Collegiate Conference.
- CCIM students earned 14 nominations for ACP Pacemaker Awards. Many of them were named 2020 Pacemaker Award winners.
Publications
- Photojournalism professor Martin Smith-Rodden co-authored an article on COVID-19’s effects on visual storytelling published in News Photographer Magazine (PDF).
- Journalism professor Gabriel Tait authored an article in Visual Communication Quarterly titled “Seeing Liberian Culture Differently: A Portfolio from Sight Beyond My Sight (SBMS) Participants.”
College of Fine Arts
See “The Gift,” November 22
The Department of Theatre and Dance will present “The Gift,” a holiday-inspired performance via livestream on November 22 at 7:30 p.m.
This event features an original, cast-written production by the Department of Theatre and Dance with music, dance, and student-inspired holiday stories. Learn more.
Visit DOMA Virtually
With the transition to online instruction after Thanksgiving Break, the David Owsley Museum of Art (DOMA) will close to the public at noon on November 25 and reopen on January 19, 2021.
Now and during this closure, DOMA is offering new virtual ways to engage with the museum. Visit the Exhibitions page for 360-degree views and a self-guided tour of “20/20: Twenty Women Artists of the Twentieth Century.” You can also check out the Collection page for images and information on more than 1,000 popular works from the DOMA collection.
College of Health
Virtual Reality
The Northeast Indiana Area Health Education Center is partnering with the College of Health Simulation Labs, Indiana Wesleyan University, and Indiana University Fort Wayne to provide access to a virtual reality platform that will allow students, faculty, and staff to create and experience virtual clinical simulations. The program kicked off on October 1. Anyone interested in participating should contact Dr. Justin Tobyas.
Faculty Recognition
- Lindsey Blom, professor of sport and exercise psychology in the School of Kinesiology, was named president-elect for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.
- Nicole Koontz, associate lecturer of exercise science in the School of Kinesiology, received grant funding of $4,339 from the Provost Immersive Learning Pilot Grant for the Henry Gets Moving project.
College of Sciences and Humanities
Biology Team Discovers “Molecular Tow Trucks”
Associate professor of biology VJ Rubenstein and several of his current and former students were recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Their research led to the discovery of two "molecular tow trucks," which clear up blockages in tiny tunnels that reside within the body's cells. Without them, according to Rubenstein, our cells could become sick and damaged. The research could help develop new treatments for diseases. Read their research.
Cultivating Understandings of Race
Associate professor of English Emily Rutter and her students have formed the Student Antiracism and Intersectionality Advisory Council (SAIAC). The mission of SAIAC is to develop strategies that will cultivate understandings of race and intersectionality while dismantling racist ideologies. Learn more about SAIAC.
Teachers College
Supporting Social Justice Research
Teachers College Higher Education faculty Robin Phelps-Ward, Amanda Latz, and Thalia Mulvihill created a fund to support research at Ball State that addresses systemic racism and anti-Blackness. The goal is to provide two $500 awards per year to students enrolled in the EdD in Higher Education program whose research involves social justice imperatives.
Student and Faculty Recognition
Honors College
Apply for an Honors College Faculty Fellowship
The Honors College is looking for successful and creative faculty not currently teaching Honors College courses to be named the next Ball Brothers Foundation Honors College Faculty Fellow.
The Fellowship is a two-year, part-time load (three credit courses per academic year), competitively selected assignment. It is an opportunity to pursue interdisciplinary scholarship and research made possible only in partnership with Honors College.
Applications for the Fall 2021–Spring 2023 Fellowship are due January 19, 2021.
Immersive Learning
Submit Your Proposals for Fall and Spring Immersive Projects
Do you have an idea for an immersive learning course in Fall 2021 or Spring 2022? If so, consider submitting it during the Spring 2021 Provost Immersive Learning Grant call for proposals.
You can submit a pilot/one-time grant to test a new idea or apply for a three-year sustained course grant to help your department establish a permanent course. These grants pay for supplies, materials, a faculty buyout, minor equipment, travel, consultants, software, and other project expenses.
Completed proposals are due on or before 5 p.m. Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
If you are new to the Provost Grant program and would like assistance, the Immersive Learning staff can help.
Athletics
Cheer on your Cardinals
This month brings good news for fans of the Ball State Cardinals athletics programs.
The delayed 2020 football season is off to a strong start. The Cardinals opened by battling defending league champion Miami to the final possession on their home field. In the victory over Eastern Michigan on November 11, Ball State racked up 536 yards of total offense and the defense made some critical stops down the stretch.
After a pair of strong runs to open the season, cross country is set to take on the MAC Championships on Saturday, November 21, at Bowling Green.
Among Winter sports, Ball State swimming and diving began on November 6 with a home sweep of Eastern Illinois University. Furthermore, seasons for men’s and women’s basketball are expected to begin soon. Men’s volleyball, indoor track and field, and gymnastics hope to compete during their normal Winter seasons.
Finally, the Mid-American Conference recently announced a plan that will allow our women’s volleyball, women’s soccer, and women’s field hockey—traditionally Fall sports—to compete this Spring.
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| Achieving Academic Excellence
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Defending Humans in a Digital World
Dr. Rebecca Hammons is making sure people don’t get lost in cities.
Not in the literal or physical sense. She can’t help you find the nearest pizza joint.
Instead, Hammons is helping society navigate the complexities of “smart cities” and making sure that new technologies prioritize the needs of humans over corporations.
A smart city is one that uses information and communication technology to collect data from citizens, devices, and assets. Insights gained from this data are used to manage resources and services more efficiently.
“There are a lot of industries that have grown up over the years, like automobiles and aviation, that were unregulated initially,” she said. “It wasn’t until people were harmed that legislation came about. We are hoping to stay in front of technological changes to smart cities — and to try to prevent the need for that kind of oversight through responsible self-regulation.”
Worldwide, smart city technology spending reached $80 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow to $135 billion by 2021 according to a report from the International Data Corporation. That growth coincides with expanding urban populations. By 2050, 70 percent of the world’s population will be living in cities.
In her research and in the classroom, Hammons stresses the need for corporate social responsibility.
"We would like to see the standards be people-centric and be focused on protecting the privacy and identity needs of people rather than vendor-driven globally,” she said.
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