News for Ball State Faculty and Staff
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Stories of Gratitude
October 29, 2021
Last week, our University celebrated 95 years of Homecoming. We continued our tradition of welcoming our alumni and friends back to our beautiful campus, with in-person festivities and events. There was something for everyone: bed races, talent searches, parades, food trucks, and more.
This Fall’s Homecoming theme—“Fly Your Way Back Home”—set the tone in welcoming our Cardinal alumni and friends back to campus, especially after the challenges we’ve all faced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In that way, Homecoming this Fall was much like the heartfelt welcome I gave to our students, faculty, and staff during our Fall Convocation.
So much work goes into planning and carrying out Homecoming each year. The planning process began in February with the selection of the Homecoming Steering Committee. This group is comprised of eight students plus three advisors who are staff members of the University’s Alumni Engagement team.
The Committee worked with the Alumni Association to ensure that we planned successful events to involve students, faculty and staff, alumni, and the entire Muncie community. To that end, the Committee held weekly planning meetings and maintained office hours from March up until the week of Homecoming in October. The students volunteered their time throughout the eight-month process.
Many others also helped to make Homecoming enjoyable and successful. I am grateful to every person who played a role in making that happen. It felt especially good this year to continue this tradition of welcoming home our Ball State alumni and friends.
Sincerely,
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Ball State Response to COVID-19
All employees are strongly encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccination, and then attest to their full vaccination using our online form. For more COVID-19 information, plans, and resources for faculty, staff, students, and campus visitors, visit the Ball State Cardinals Care website.
On-campus vaccine clinic days in November
Ball State’s COVID-19 vaccine clinic days and hours at the Health Professions Building in November are Wednesdays, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-in appointments are welcomed. Alternatively, make an appointment at ourshot.in.gov and select “DCHD BallState WRiversideAve MVAX.” COVID-19 booster doses are also available. Call the Interprofessional Community Clinics at 765-285-4422 with questions regarding eligibility for a COVID vaccine booster dose.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Ball State University’s COVID-19 Dashboard is updated regularly with information collected from IU Health, third-party on-campus testing sources, and through self-reports by both students and employees at the University. See the dashboard.
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Strategic Plan Update
This report was compiled using data gathered from the strategic planning software, Cascade. This tool allows our academic departments, colleges, and divisions to align the “Priorities for Action” in their unit strategic plans with the University’s 2024 imperatives, and to report progress and outcomes regularly. Information was also gathered from the reports President Mearns receives from the vice presidents, who serve as champions for each of the plan’s strategic imperatives. Both sources are instrumental to monitor the progress of implementation efforts and celebrate the successes.
This annual report provides several examples of how the members of our University’s community are working collaboratively to achieve the goals of Ball State’s strategic plan. Some of the highlights include developing the First in Flight virtual program to engage first-generation students and their families; obtaining the State of Indiana’s 21st Century Talent Region designation for East Central Indiana; enhancing employee wellbeing; and raising $36 million in annual donor commitments—the third largest amount in the history of the University.
Ball State kicks off annual United Way Campaign
Ball State University’s 2021 Employee Campaign, to raise donations in support of United Way-funded programs, started Sept. 22 and runs through Nov. 30. The University’s campaign provides all active employees and retirees the opportunity to easily contribute to the important work being done in our community.
These local programs provide solutions to critical problems—such as breaking the cycle of generational poverty that leaves nearly half of the hard-working families in our region struggling to make ends meet. Research has shown that children from these struggling families tend to be nearly three grade levels behind in reading by fifth grade, which puts their future success at great risk.
Ball State donations help support United Way’s efforts of putting children, adults, and families on the path to lifelong success and stability by funding over 100 programs and organizations across our region. Through their major initiatives of the THRIVE Network, Campaign for Grade Level Reading, Access to Healthcare, and various volunteer programs, Heart of Indiana United Way fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community.
Ball State University is proud to support this worthy cause and help make our community the best it can be. Learn more.
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For Your Benefit
Mental Health First Aid course available to Ball State employees
Ball State is offering employees an opportunity to participate in a Mental Health First Aid course that offers training on identifying, understanding, and responding to signs of mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. This training will provide helpful skills and resources so employees can better serve our students who may be experiencing mental health challenges. Research shows that one in five University students is affected by anxiety or depression.
Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program is an evidenced-based education and prevention tool designed to increase mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and increase confidence to support someone who is experiencing a crisis or non-crisis situation. Similar to traditional First Aid or CPR, Mental Health First Aid provides help to a person developing a mental health problem or experiencing a crisis until professional treatment is obtained or the crisis resolves.
The course requires:
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- Two hours of pre-work (that must be completed prior to attending the virtual class)
- Attendance in a virtual class from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Register for the training and select from several dates available this Fall and Spring. Upon successful completion of the full course, participants will receive a certificate in Mental Health First Aid. Class size is limited so sign up early. Please direct all questions to Working Well at workingwell@bsu.edu.
QuickClinic offers care for common illnesses, minor injuries
The Ball State Employee QuickClinic provides medical care for common illnesses and minor injuries to Ball State employees, spouses, and their dependents older than 2 years who have Ball State University Anthem insurance as their primary provider. The QuickClinic is conveniently located on campus in the Amelia Wood Health Center.
To schedule an appointment please call the QuickClinic at 765-285-1106. Be sure to bring your photo ID and current insurance card to your appointment.
No deductible or co-insurance is required for employees, their families, or retirees under the age of 65 who use the BSU QuickClinic and are enrolled in the High Deductible Wellness Plan as their primary coverage. Individuals enrolled in the HSA Qualified Health Plan as their primary coverage are also encouraged to visit the clinic; however, your insurance will be billed and you will be responsible for charges incurred at the QuickClinic until your annual deductible has been met. No payment is required at the time of service.
Catch a bus tour of Ball State’s campus and downtown Muncie
Ball State’s popular bus tours are back in action for those who are new to the area or are longtime employees who want to learn more about the Muncie community. Each of the two-hour roundtrip tours includes stops all over campus and in downtown Muncie. The tours are led by Erin Moore, associate director of the Office of Community Engagement.
Upcoming tour dates and times are as follows:
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- Jan. 19, 2022: 1-3 p.m.
- April 20, 2022: 1-3 p.m.
- July 20, 2022: 1-3 p.m.
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Each bus tour will depart from the south end of the L.A. Pittenger Student Center, at the circle. Register for a tour at HR - Learning and Development and click on “View Upcoming Learning Sessions.” When using login credentials, please only use your login name, without “@bsu.edu.” Questions can be sent to Breanne Holloway, assistant director of Organizational Development and Learning.
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Upcoming Events
Latest ‘Our Call to Beneficence’ episode features Ball State graduate, Board Chair Renae Conley
The latest episode of the monthly podcast “Our Call to Beneficence,” hosted by Ball State University President Geoffrey S. Mearns, is available. In this episode, President Mearns interviews accomplished Ball State graduate Renae Conley, who serves as the chair of the University’s Board of Trustees.
Ms. Conley is the first woman to hold this Board position in Ball State’s history. Also, she was the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company in Louisiana. During her interview, Ms. Conley shares how her experiences at Ball State prepared her to become a corporate executive, and what she finds most gratifying about her role as a Ball State trustee. This episode is available online, as well as on multiple platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Subscriptions and reviews are also encouraged to help grow the audience for this podcast.
Bestselling Author Ashley C. Ford discusses memoir, Somebody’s Daughter, at Ball State Nov. 11
Don’t miss the final public, on-campus event with Ball State University’s Fall 2021 Writer-in-Residence Ashley C. Ford, author of the New York Times bestseller Somebody’s Daughter—a powerful memoir that explores her life coming of age in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with a single mother and an incarcerated father. The book was published in June by Flatiron Books under the imprint, An Oprah Book.
As part of this Somebody’s Daughter Book Club event, Ms. Ford will be joined by Ball State professor Jill Christman, who will moderate a lively discussion about Ms. Ford’s memoir. This free event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 11 in the Student Center Ballroom. Ms. Ford will be available to sign books afterward.
Experience this event in-person, or watch as it happens by visiting bsu.edu/live. After 7 p.m., free parking is available in most campus lots and garages.
Questions for Ms. Ford, about Somebody’s Daughter, can be submitted online prior to Nov. 11. As many submitted questions as possible will be included in the event.
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University News
R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning
Partnering with Englewood Community Development Corporation, the proposed location of the home is in the East Side neighborhood of Indianapolis. Student modeling supplies for this project will largely be funded by a 2021-22 Immersive Learning Provost Grant in the amount of $19,720. Englewood CDC and funding from donors and the U.S. Department of Energy will cover remaining related expenses. Other funding and sponsorships pay for the house.
Working with community and industry partners gives CAP students invaluable real-world, hands-on learning that prepares them for sustainability-related careers.
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Miller College of Business
More than 100 alumni return to participate in October’s Dialogue Days
Miller College of Business hosted Dialogue Days, an annual professional development and networking event, Oct. 19-21. More than 100 alumni returned to campus to participate in more than 50 panel discussions about careers, professional development, and in-depth business topics related to their majors.
Institute For Study of Political Economy hosts drug prohibition lecture
The Institute For Study of Political Economy hosted Dr. Audrey Redford of Western Carolina University on Oct. 18. Dr. Redford presented the lecture “Bath Salts, Brown Acid, & Bad Batches: Unintended Consequences of Drug Prohibition” as part of the Menard Political Economy Speaker Series.
‘Cutting Edge Conversations’ webinar set for Nov. 10
Miller College invites you to attend our “Cutting Edge Conversations“ at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 10. During this virtual webinar you will hear from Philip DeCicca, Phyllis A Miller Distinguished Professor of Health Economics Matt Marvel, director of the Entrepreneurship Center; and Rebecca VanMeter, associate professor of Marketing, who will share their insights and analyses.
Each professor’s talk is as follows:
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- “Assessing the Impact of Public Policies on Individual Behaviors: Issues and Applications”—Phil DeCicca
- “Does Entrepreneur Coachability Impact Product Innovativeness?”—Matt Marvel
- “Are Social Media Influencers Worth the Investment?”—Rebecca VanMeter
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College of Communication, Information, and Media
CCIM unveils its big changes
The College of Communication, Information, and Media (CCIM) made some exciting changes, which were unveiled Oct. 4.
Among the key changes, including new names listed in bold print:
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- The Department of Journalism has been renamed the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication.
- The Department of Telecommunications has been renamed the Department of Media.
- The Center for Information and Communication Sciences (CICS) undergraduate Computer Technology program has been fully redesigned and renamed Computer & Information Technology (CIT).
- The student-led Ball State Public Media initiative has been expanded.
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Letterman lecture series features Grammy, Oscar winner Tiara Thomas, ‘12
This year’s David Letterman Distinguished Professional Lecture and Workshop, “A Conversation with Tiara Thomas,” held Sept. 20, was an inspiring day of workshops, ending with an intimate lecture full of honesty, ambition, and hope. Visit the CCIM Digest to watch the lecture. A Ball State University graduate, Ms. Thomas earned a Grammy and an Academy Award earlier this year for co-writing two songs. She graduated from Ball State in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Telecommunications. Read more about Ms. Thomas, her career as a singer-songwriter, and her college days, in this Ball State online magazine article.
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College of Fine Arts
Arts Alive welcomes its first performing artist this season
The Arts Alive series, presented by the College of Fine Arts, welcomes its first artist of the 2021-2022 season this Saturday in Sursa Hall. The Wycliffe Gordon Quintet will perform in Sursa Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30. Ticket information for this show is available online.
Grants, Awards and Accolades
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- The Avis Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to Project Special Education, Arts, and Counseling (SEAC) which will bring together critical areas of education and community outreach across Teachers College and the College of Fine Arts. Project SEAC includes a team of interdisciplinary experts in the College of Fine Arts (School of Music and the Department of Theatre and Dance), Teachers College (Special Education and School Counseling and Educational Psychology), and strategic community partners—including Interlock, social work, health care, community support services—which will come together to enhance services for children, adolescents, and adults with exceptionalities, in East Central Indiana.
- Ball State University graduate and Muncie native Ken Dingledine ’93 was recently featured in The Muncie Star Press for his work as producer on Tony Award-winning Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
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College of Health
Associate lecturer to give presentation for Cultural Competence in Health Care Series
The North East Indiana Area Health Education Center is hosting a Cultural Competence in Health Care Series, with one session per semester. For Fall 2021, the subject will be Hispanic/Latinx cultural competence. This will be a hybrid (virtual and live) presentation conducted by Adam Ballart, Ball State’s associate lecturer of Spanish, Modern Languages & Classics, from 6-7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 8. The location and virtual links will be provided at a later date.
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College of Sciences and Humanities
New minor offers options to students across many majors
The Department of Environment, Geology, and Natural Resources will offer a new minor in Environmental Outreach and Interpretation. This minor will help students across many majors work toward competencies in broad environmental outreach and interpretation knowledge and skills. This minor will also be attractive to other science majors (and education majors) hoping to develop their skill set toward educating the public about general nature and science topics.
Grants, Awards and Accolades
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- Dr. Bikram Sharma, assistant professor in the Department of Biology, received extramural funding in the amount of $428,961 for the period of three years (9/01/2021 to 8/31/2024) from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to study mechanisms of coronary vessel development. With this funding, Dr. Sharma hopes to engage numerous undergraduate and graduate students in his research and publish their findings in high quality peer reviewed journals with students as co-authors.
- French professor Dr. Dorothy Stegman has been selected by the American Association of Teachers of French of Indiana as Collegiate Indiana Teacher of the Year 2021. This award recognizes her accomplishments, leadership, and dedication to teaching the French language. The award will be presented at the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association Conference in November.
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Teachers College
Indiana Academy earns top ratings in Niche 2022 school rankings
The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities is the No. 1 Public High School, and the No. 1 College Prep Public High School in Indiana, according to Niche 2022 school rankings. Nationwide, the Academy placed in the Top 50 Public High Schools and faculty are ranked No. 12 in the category of Public High School Faculty.
Teachers College Dean’s Lecture Series starts Nov. 18
Dr. Scott Hall, professor of Early Childhood, Youth, and Family Studies (ECYFS), will kick off the 2021-2022 Teachers College Dean’s Lecture Series on Thursday, Nov. 18, from 2-3 p.m., in Teachers College Room 1008. Dr. Hall’s presentation is titled: “What I Learned About Working for a Family Services Agency: My Externship with the Children’s Bureau, Inc.”
Research Spotlight, Published Articles, and Awards
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Honors College
Honors College Lecture Series returns to in-person format in November
The Honors College Lecture Series resumes its monthly in-person format with “Medievalist Landscapes and Soundscapes: Roxy Music’s Avalon” (1982) at 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 8, in the Ball Honors House, Room 117. This presentation and discussion, led by Dr. Alexander Kaufman, Reed D. Voran Distinguished Professor of Honors Humanities, is open to the entire Ball State University community.
Honors College hosts national conference
The Honors College hosted the sixth annual National Society for Minorities in Honors Conference (NSFMIH) on campus Oct. 14-16. Titled, “Beyond Diversity: Antiracism & Intersectionality in Honors,” the conference was open to faculty, administrators, staff, and students of Honors Colleges and Honors Programs for which NSFMIH is of interest.
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Multicultural Center
University holds ribbon-cutting for new Multicultural Center
President Mearns and Ro-Anne Royer Engle, vice president for Student Affairs, led the Oct. 23 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the University’s Multicultural Center at 1120 N. McKinley Ave., east of Bracken Library.
The 9,500-square-foot Multicultural Center provides a welcoming space for students to find a sense of belonging and to engage. The center offers programs and services such as Unity Week, EXCEL and REACH mentoring programs, VOICES: race and ethnicity support group, and The Lavender Door, which provides free and discreet access to gender affirming clothing.
Take a virtual tour of the Multicultural Center.
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University Libraries
Temporary changes in place following flooding in Bracken Library
The lower level of Bracken Library experienced flooding in early September and recovery efforts require that area to remain closed for an extended period. Impacted library areas include Education, Music and Media (EMM) collections, Cataloging and Metadata Services, Collections and Resource Acquisition Services, Metadata and Digital Initiatives, and the Assistant Deans Office.
During the closure, most materials from the EMM collection, including music books, scores, youth books, CDs, and DVDs have been relocated in the General Collection. Circulating digital equipment and other resources are available upon request by visiting the Main Circulation desk on the first floor of Bracken Library or by calling 765-285-5143. Area reference, research assistance, library instruction, course reserves, on-shelf holds, and curbside pickup also continue to be available.
Services and operations from other affected library units are continuing or will soon resume as personnel are relocated to temporary locations. For assistance, please consult the unit staff directory or call 765-285-5143.
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