News and Events

On November 16, 17, and 18, a team of eight faculty members and administrators from other universities evaluated GSU on behalf of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association. The team has completed its review and will recommend to the HLC that GSU be reaccredited for the maximum number of years (10 years, with the next accreditation visit in academic year 2019-2020). The team’s recommendation is preliminary and will be reviewed by HLC staff and/or review committees. However, the university is optimistic that the visitation team’s recommendation will be the same as the Commission’s final decision.

The team evaluated the university on five criteria:

• Mission and Integrity
• Preparing for the Future
• Student Learning and Effective Teaching
• Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge
• Engagement and Service

All five criteria were met. The HLC team was particularly impressed by the clear commitment to the university’s mission, as expressed by numerous people throughout the visit, and the transparency of university decision making and strategic management, as exemplified by PBAC. The team especially praised GSU’s commitment to diversity, the high morale of the institution, and model achievements in engagement with external communities. GSU’s improved infrastructure was also recognized as a campus strength, although the team expressed concerns related to the E and F science wings and the need for immediate improvement in these facilities.

The team also recommended that the HLC approve GSU’s request to offer the nursing programs and the program in Addiction Studies fully online. The team did recommend, however, that the university develop, within three years, an institutional effectiveness plan which integrates the assessment of student learning, general education assessment, and institutional data for planning and improvement purposes. That plan will be reviewed by an HLC team.

President Maimon regards the visit as “highly successful” and another important step toward establishing Governors State University as an educational leader.  “We learned a great deal from the visiting team, and they acknowledged that they learned a great deal from us,” noted Maimon. “That kind of productive dialogue is a major purpose of the peer review system of reaccreditation.”

Special thanks go to Drs. Eric Martin and Ann Vendrely, the HLC Self-Study co-chairs; Dr. David Curtis, Interim Provost; Dr. Sandra Mayfield, HLC Self-Study Coordinator for the Provost’s Office; and Jill Stanley, the support person who managed the travel, meals, and schedules of the team visitors. Additional thanks go to the many members of the university community who contributed time and effort on various self-study committees over the past two years.

“As we look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to express my personal gratitude to this vibrant community. The evaluation team leader commented especially on our forward momentum as a unifying force in our region,” Maimon added.

In approximately six weeks, GSU will receive a copy of the written report that will be officially submitted to the Commission.

In response to Wednesday’s oral report, campus celebrations are already underway.

President Elaine P. Maimon recently joined a new Presidents’ Trust formed by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).

President Maimon and an esteemed national group of 81 other college and university leaders from around the country formed the Trust to make the case strongly and collectively for liberal education and its value in today’s world. The Presidents’ Trust is a leadership group within the AAC&U’s national initiative to promote Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP): Excellence for Everyone as a Nation Goes To College.

“At Governors State University, we believe that students benefit from strong preparation in writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving — the liberal learning clearly articulated by the Presidents’ Trust. It is essential that we combine liberal education with career education,” said Maimon.

Members of the LEAP Presidents’ Trust are leaders from all sectors of higher education and are committed to advocating for the vision, values, and practices that connect liberal education with the individual and societal needs of the twenty-first century. Through regional and national meetings and their own advocacy efforts, Trust members will engage with campus members and those outside of higher education about the core purposes and practices of liberal education. They are all also providing leadership for advancing reforms in the practice of liberal education both on campus and with other groups and organizations with which they are affiliated.

While the HIV/AIDS epidemic is not making the news as frequently or with as much urgency as it once did, the disease remains a growing and serious world health issue. World AIDS Day will be marked at GSU with an opportunity to learn the current statistics, facts, and answers about HIV/AIDS.

A panel discussion, with comments by those living with the disease and healthcare professional treating it, will be held at on December 1, at noon and again at 2:20 p.m., in the Cafeteria Annex.

An information fair will also held on December 1, from noon to 5 p.m., in the Hall of Governors. A variety of service providers will offer information on the spread, prevention, and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Both the information fair and panel discussion are free and open to the public.

This event is sponsored by the Academic Resource Center at GSU. For more information, contact Tamekia Scott at ext 2228.

The Teacher Quality Enhancement Recruitment (TQE-R) grant at Governors State University is offering scholarships, from $500 to $3,000, to students entering the university’s secondary education programs in biology, chemistry, English, or math.

This is a renewable scholarship until Fall 2010 so students may reapply for the scholarship in subsequent terms. Applications for Winter 2010 must be submitted by December 1, 2009. Scholarship requirements and applications are available online.

 
This program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Applications for civil service scholarships are being accepted until January 16, 2010. Four applicants will be chosen to receive awards of $250 each. Applicants need be enrolled in a minimum of three credit hours and must be a civil servant at GSU or married to or a dependent of a member of the GSU civil service.

For more information and an application, contact Senantha Jenkins at ext 4484. 

This fall, Dr. Walt Henne returned to the GSU science labs where he first learned – and helped teach – college level chemistry and started his career in biomedical research. As a Professor of Biochemistry, he will guide a new generation of students toward an understanding and appreciation of how to conduct responsible, effective scientific research that helps change our world.

Dr. Henne is a proud GSU alumnus who received a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1996 and a Master’s in Analytical Chemistry in 1999. He has a remarkable story but much of it is familiar to thousands of other non-traditional GSU alumni who work long hours at multiple jobs to finish their education. It’s also remarkable that four members of his family are GSU graduates, and all attended the university at the same time.

Dr. Henne’s wife Kristene and his brother Jeff both received B.S. degrees in Biology in 2000. His sister Christina received a B.A. degree in Elementary Education in 2001 and his brother-in-law Jerry Kovach graduated that same year with a B.A. in Social Sciences.

A native of a small farming community near Streator, Dr. Henne started attending GSU in 1994 after completing an Associate of Applied Sciences degree at Kankakee Community College.

GSU’s flexible scheduling made it possible for Dr. Henne to go to school while working as an RN at a Kankakee rehabilitation facility. While an undergraduate, he started a second job as a teaching assistant, first in Organic Chemistry and later in Physiology, Analytical Chemistry, and Biochemistry.

After receiving his B.S., he continued his job as a teaching assistant while pursuing his master’s degree. Dr. Henne’s wife and brother also worked as teaching assistants in the science labs.

GSU School of Counseling Common Hour Series continues with the presentation Social Responsibility: Counseling Adolescents and Children in School on Wednesday, December 2, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., in Engbretson Hall.

Speakers include Raymond Piagentini, President of the Illinois School Counselor Association; Dr. Reginald Patterson, Elementary School Counseling, Chicago Public Schools; and Dr Joyce Brown, Secondary School Counseling, Chicago Public Schools.

The Illinois Counseling Association, GSU Chapter, and graduate students in COUN858 (Development of School Counseling Services) are sponsoring this event. It is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Each year an outstanding senior from each of the four-year degree granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is named a Student Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois.

This year’s Lincoln Laureate from GSU is Adam Taylor of Matteson. According to those who nominated him, Taylor exemplifies the characteristics of Lincoln Laureates who are chosen for their commitment to the principles of democracy and humanity as embodied by Abraham Lincoln. Taylor has been an active and contributing member of the GSU community through his work as president of the Student Senate, participant in the Brother 2 Brother program, and member of the Black Student Union. As a student at GSU, he has worked as a Student Life assistant helping plan and implement student activities on campus.

The Lincoln Academy of Illinois established the award in 1965. Each recipient receives the Student Laureate Medallion and a certificate of achievement. Taylor and other award recipients recently participated in a ceremony in Springfield, in the Old State Capitol. A luncheon honoring the recipients was held in the Executive Mansion following the ceremony.|

Taylor will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with teacher certification and will student teach at Collin Powell Middle School in Matteson next year.

Effective immediately, GSU has a No Tobacco Funding policy. According to the California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN), which helped develop the policy, GSU is the first university in the United States and the only university in Illinois to have such a strong university-wide statement against accepting tobacco money for research and sponsored programs.

Dr. Daniel Cortese of the College of Arts and Sciences, working with Dean Linda Samson, Interim Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Studies; Alexis Kennedy, GSU’s General Counsel; and Kimberlee Homer Vagadori of CYAN, developed the university’s No-Tobacco Funding policy. 

Visit the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research website to review the policy.

President Elaine P. Maimon and the GSU Community welcome the HLC Site Visit Team to GSU from today, November 16 through Wednesday, November18. 

As part of the HLC site visit, the team will host a series of open meetings for the GSU community. Attendees should expect to answer questions from the site visit team, but will also have the opportunity to ask questions of the team.

Open Meeting Schedule 
Sherman Music Recital Hall (E1530)

Monday, November 16
Civil Service Staff  - 2 to 3 p.m.
Faculty - 3 to 4 p.m.

Tuesday, November 17
A&P Staff - 9 to 10 a.m.
Students - 2 to 3 p.m.
Faculty - 3 to 4 p.m.

For more information, read GSU's self-study online.

As GSU enters the last two weeks of the Campus Community Campaign, the university needs your help to achieve its goal of raising $100,000 (or more!).

In addition to helping the university, the incentives to donate are even greater this year. Prizes include: 

• Grand Prize – Designated parking spot in lot of winner’s choosing for one year
• 1^st Prize – One year member to the GSU Recreation and Fitness Center
• 2^nd Prize – Overnight hotel accommodations at the Matteson Holiday Inn; 2 tickets to The Millers at The Center for Performing Arts; and dinner for two (TBD)
• 3^rd Prize – Overnight hotel accommodations at the Empress Casino in Joliet and a certificate for two to the buffet
• Additional Prizes - Guest passes for two at the East Bank Club; A $50 gift card towards a meal at Maxwell’s; Cooper’s Hawk wine tasting for ten; and lots of theater tickets.

Be sure to turn your Campus Community Campaign Employee Contribution Form in to your CCC volunteer or contact Jackie Small in Institutional Advancement at ext. 2188. Any questions or concerns may also be directed to Jackie. The campaign will officially end on November 30. 

GSU CenterPoint for Entrepreneurs will sponsor Global Entrepreneurship Week from November 16 to 20. Daily events during the week will connect students, educators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, non-profit leaders, and government officials through activities designed to help them explore entrepreneurship and innovation. CenterPoint is inviting GSU students, faculty, and staff to participate in the week’s events.

A free Business Clinic will be held November 16 to 20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the CenterPoint offices, Room C3300.

Participants can take part in an Artrepreneur Blog on Monday, Nov. 16.

Tuesday events include Doing Business in a Multicultural Society, from 4 to 6 p.m., and Meet the Entrepreneur – Art Lubinski from 6 to 7 p.m. Both will take place in the Hall of Honors.

The Veterans Entrepreneurial Boot Camp is scheduled Wednesday, Nov. 17 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., in E-Lounge.

Trivia Competitions are slated for Thursday, November 19. The Global Entrepreneurship Week Open House will take place Friday, November 20.

For more information, visit the CenterPoint website or call 708.534.4927. 

The Office of International Services is celebrating International Education Week with a host of activities to introduce students to the world outside of GSU.

Posters on bulletin boards around campus list how to say please and thank-you in Chinese, Spanish, and Hindi. Everyone is encouraged to learn these common words that can open the door to communicating with people from other countries.

On-the-spot processing of applications for new or renewal of existing U.S. passports is available on November 16, 1:30 to 3 p.m., in the Hall of Governors. Proof of citizenship, a valid photo ID, and payments by check are required.

Films and information about Israel, Jordan, Greece, and Turkey will be shown on November 17, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., in Engbretson Hall. Refreshments will be served.

The Global Trade Center and the Office of International Services will present Doing Business in a Multi-Cultural Setting, on November 17, from 4 to 6 p.m., in the Hall of Honors. Refreshments will be served.

Learn about study, internship, volunteer, and employment opportunities abroad at a discussion on November 18, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., in Sherman Recital Hall.

For more information about becoming a host family for a student from another country, attend an information session on November 19, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., in Sherman Recital Hall.

The Office of Career Services is sponsoring a career fair for healthcare workers. Current students, alumni, and community members interested in finding employment in the field of healthcare are invited to attend. More than 35 potential employers will be present. Fields represented will include OT/PT, nursing, healthcare administration, and non-profit agencies.

The Healthcare Career Fair is on Tuesday, December 8, from 4 to 6 p.m., in The Center for Performing Arts lobby. The event is free and open to the public. For more information about the career fair, call ext 3974.

Your child deserves the best. The Family Development Center offers full and half day pre-kindergarten programs with certified teachers in a state-of-the-art educational facility on the GSU campus.

Tuition discounts available to qualified applicants. For more information, visit the FDC website or call 708.235.7300.