News and Events

GSU will be closed from Monday, December 24 through Tuesday, January 1 for holiday break. Please call the Department of Public Safety at 708.534.4900 if you need to contact or visit the university during this period.

This is the last issue of The View before the winter break. The next issue will be on January 3, 2008.

Have a safe and happy holiday.

Great gifts are still available. Visit the GSU Library and choose from the unique array of art vended from the Art-O-Mat. Who doesn’t like tickets to a show? Pick from the list of great productions offered by the Center for Performing Arts. Visit the box office or www.centertickets.net. For a great year long present, give the Men of GSU calendar available at the Welcome Center while supplies last. And then, of course, there are the many GSU clothing and gift options on display at Folett’s Bookstore.

In response to several “Why Not?” suggestions to improve the user-friendliness of GSU’s student e-mail system, iMail will get a face-lift on Wednesday, December 26. Access will be unavailable from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.. While this upgrade neither adds new features nor affects existing e-mail, the navigation and “look and feel” will change to resemble those found in systems such as Outlook, Yahoo, and Hotmail.

The WebCT system will also experience occasional outages from December 26 through December 28 as the system is occasionally rebooted to accommodate patches and upgrades.

ITS will upgrade the Content Management System (CMS) for GSU’s Intranet (http://gsunet/) between December 19 and 31. Content contributors will receive additional information and specific instructions directly from IT.

Please contact Bruce Crooks (Ext. 2183) and Katie Cox (Ext. 2212) if you have questions.

The ACS Lab will also be closed during the holiday break and will reopen with the university on January 2, 2008. During this time, lab staff will re-image all of the PCs in the lab, install software for classes, clean the furniture and PCs, and, in general, prepare the lab for the Winter 08 Trimester.

For more information, call the Help Desk, 708.534.4357.

The Jenzabar CX system will be unavailable due to upgrades and maintenance during the holiday break. The system will be down from 1 to 5 p.m., from December 26 through December 28. During this time, online Jenzabar services such as online registration, student and faculty view, and online admission will also be unavailable.

As the winter holidays approach, I want to thank you for all that you do to make GSU a wonderful place. The positive momentum is palpable. Everywhere I go - in Illinois and across the nation - people are excited about Governors State University.

The Installation did great things for us strategically. Many, many thanks to all of you for working on the week of events and for participating. The ceremony itself, the buzz it created, the excellent press coverage, and the video on the webpage have significantly increased visibility for the university.

We broke all records in attracting philanthropic support for the GSU Promise. We now have a head start on establishing GSU as a sound philanthropic investment. Many, many thanks to Bill Nowlin for presiding over the Advancement Office during this exciting time. When Joan Vaughn arrives as our new Vice President for Advancement on January 7, she will be joining a winning team.

We received accolades from both Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s, resulting in excellent bond ratings. We are now moving forward on much needed renovations and repairs. As the New Year begins, we will literally be rebuilding the infrastructure.

We have added a new word to GSU’s vocabulary - PBAC (Planning and Budget Advisory Committee). The Strategic Planning subcommittee of PBAC is moving ahead under the leadership of John Stoll and Karen D’Arcy. Focus groups will begin in January. Please be sure to participate and let your voice be heard.

On December 4, IBHE approved GSU’s second doctoral program, the Doctor of Nursing Practice. Congratulations to Linda Samson and her colleagues in the College of Health Professions.

Overall enrollment trends continue to be encouraging. The final fall trimester, scheduled credit hours enrollment was up 7.26 percent. Headcount was up 4.4 percent. Winter ’08 enrollment is also looking good.

The “Why Not?” Campaign is alsogoing strong. Over 500 suggestions and ideas have been received to date and are under consideration.

As the calendar year closes, I want to wish you happy holidays and to express my appreciation to all of you for your dedication to GSU. We are well on the way to becoming a model twenty-first century university. Why Not?

Elaine P. Maimon, Ph.D.
President
Governors State University
e-maimon@govst.edu

Several "Why Not?" suggestions have been received regarding violations of parking, speeding, and traffic signage on campus.

The safety of our faculty, staff, students, and visitors is our primary concern. GSU police will ticket any motorist who does not comply with posted regulations. Tickets are processed through Will County and fines range from $25 for traffic violations to $250 for violations of handicapped parking. In addition, any motorists driving without a valid driver’s license or insurance will be arrested and processed by the Will County Sheriff's Department. 

Remember to bring your non-perishable holiday food items to help Student Life Unit create delicious holiday feasts for needy families. Please donate food items in the drop boxes strategically located around campus.

Donations will be accepted through December 19. For more information, call 708.534.4551 or email v-newby@govst.edu.

The challenge for every educational institution is creating a safe and tolerant environment in which students learn, share, and grow. The difficulties in creating this environment are many and varied and require unique insight and special skills.

The Metropolitan Institute for Leadership in Education (MILE) and the School of Extended Learning at Governors State University is sponsoring a Safe Zone Workshop on January 11, from 2 to 4:30. Dr. Patrick Finessy, professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, will present a training program designed to help educators create safer, more civil schools and communities in which gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students feel supported, encouraged, and safe.

Specific workshop topics include terms and definitions in sexuality and gender identity, a statistical review of affectional orientation and gender identity of youth in high schools, colleges, and universities, and effective methods of improving school climate. Participants will have the opportunity to learn, network, and problem-solve with other educators, and receive resources and tools to use and share when they return to their schools. Teachers, counselors, social workers, administrators, professors, and university students are encouraged to attend this free and important workshop.

For more information or to register for the free workshop, call (708) 534.4099.

Need a unique gift for someone special? Give them an Art-O-Mat experience. Visit the art vending machine, the Art-O-Mat, to purchase a one-of-a-kind piece of art. The Art-O-Mat is located just inside the GSU Library. Tokens are available at the Circulation Desk for $5. The Intellectual Life Committee and the University Library sponsor the Art-O-Mat.

Look for one more issue of the View on Thursday, December 20, before the winter break. Announcements for that issue should be submitted as soon as possible.

On January 1, 2008, the Illinois Clean Air/No Smoking Policy Law goes into effect. To comply with the new State regulations and with Governor State University’s own recently established guidelines, outdoor smoking areas will be relocated 25 feet from doors, windows that can open, and air intake vents. Signs and maps posted at all exits will provide directions to designated smoking areas.

To protect the environment and the university, smokers are encouraged to use the cigarette butt receptacles provided at the new smoking locations.

Recent reports have documented that cigarette butts flicked to the ground or in shrubs and plant beds pose a distinct environmental hazard. Contrary to popular myth, butts take as long as five years to disintegrate. Harmful chemicals from butts leach into the ground, are ingested by animals, and pose a potential fire hazard. Cigarette refuse also requires much time and energy to clean up.

If you have any questions, please contact Facilities Development and Management, 708.534.4515.

Help make the holidays brighter! With 50 families in need of a hearty holiday feast, the GSU Student Life Unit needs your help. Please donate food items in the drop boxes located at the F-wing entrance, DPS, Student Life suite A2100, the Recreation Center, third floor G-wing, and the Welcome Center. To help make the perfect feast, please donate the following non-perishable food items: canned yams, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, mixed vegetables, fruit, and ham, as well as, macaroni and cheese, stuffing mix, gravy mix, cornbread mix, instant potatoes, cake mix, and frosting.

Donations will be accepted through December 19. For more information, call 708.534.4551 or email v-newby@govst.edu.

On Friday, December 14, from 8 a.m. to approximately 11 a.m., Facilities will perform its quarterly testing of all emergency generators. A to G wings, OTS, and FDC buildings may be affected with two anticipated "blips" of power interruption as general commercial power switches to the generator.

The test will only affect circuits that are on emergency power, which includes specific emergency light fixtures and certain outlets only. Since most wall outlets are on the standard power panel, computer work should not be affected. However, just in case, users are asked to save work often.

For more information, call 708.534.4515.

Check out the careers and job opportunities in criminal justice, public safety, and community service at the Criminal Justice/Public Safety Career Fair in the Hall of Governors today, from 1 to 6 p.m. The Career Fair is sponsored by the GSU Office of Career Services and is open to current students, alumni, and community members. Information on internship opportunities for next term will also be available. Attendees are advised to dress professionally and bring plenty of resumes.

Hilary Burkinshaw, Director of The CenterPoint for Entrepreneurs at GSU, was recently honored by the Business Ledger, a regional business publication, in partnership with the National Association of Women Business Owners Chicago Area Chapter, as one of the area’s Influential Women in Business.

Each year, the publication identifies women who have succeeded in their careers and gone above and beyond to positively impact the community. The awards also draw attention to the challenges that women face in the business and professional worlds.

Award recipients were nominated by area business owners and executives and are chosen by a panel comprised of Business Ledger staff and previous winners.

In her role at the CenterPoint for Entrepreneurs, Burkinshaw is responsible for creating and managing support services and resources for entrepreneurs in the region. The CenterPoint for Entrepreneurs provides free one-on-one counseling and affordable training programs on a variety of topics including global trade, government contracting, and financing solutions.

For more information about The CenterPoint for Entrepreneurs, call 708.534.4929 or visit www.centerpointgsu.com.

The steady stream of “Why Not?” suggestions are making their way from submission, to consideration, to response, and, if warranted, action. The “Why Not?” team is busy processing each suggestion and distributing the “Why Not?” awards.

Several submissions have addressed the need to replace the tattered, orange carpeting in F Wing. While new carpeting is certainly needed, “Why Not?” was able to explain why it has not been installed. Several years ago the decision was made to not replace the carpet in anticipation of the extensive renovations planned in E and F Wings. The project is pending the release of the funds by the State. It would not be appropriate to use public funds to replace the carpeting prior to the renovation.

Additional “Why Not?” suggestions advocated the need for an emergency and crisis response plan in cases of inclement weather such as tornadoes and ice storms, and emergency situations, such as power failures. The Administrative Team at Governors State University recognized the need to alert and communicate with students, faculty, and staff during times of emergencies. Executive Vice President Ejigu formed a Crisis Response Team. The team will establish a clear chain of authority for determining campus closures and the responsibility for communicating with the entire university community. The team will also ensure that the university community is informed once the emergency procedures are established.

Looking for a good read for the holidays and the long winter nights ahead? Buy a book for yourself, a stocking stuffer, or a gift for Santa. The University Library is hosting a used book sale now through January 11, 2008. For a twenty-five cent donation, a great paperback book can be yours. Hardcover books are only fifty cents.

Calling all counseling students, faculty, and guests! It is time to put on your dancing shoes, dust off your talent, and join the fun at GALA 2008, sponsored by the GSU chapters of the Illinois Counseling Association and Chi Sigma Iota. Gala 2008 includes an Italian dinner, DJ, dancing, and a talent show on January 12, from 6 to 11 p.m., at the University Golf Club, 23520 Crawford Avenue, University Park.

Tickets are $10 for one or two for $15 and must be purchased by January 7, 2008. Tickets may be purchased in offices G304 and G306 daily or from organization representatives in counseling classes.

For more information, or to register for the Talent Show, call 708.372.6443 or email harrison1020@sbcglobal.net.

As a reminder, Aramark's last day serving our campus will be December 15. Vending will be replaced next week. The food service operation in the cafeteria will be closed beginning December 17 and will not reopen until the January trimester.

GSU would like to thank to Aramark for their service and professionalism over the years.

As the first step toward assuming management of our cafeteria, Sodexho will hold open interviews for all positions on Wednesday, December 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in A1121 and A1122. All interested individuals are encouraged to stop in at any time that day.

For additional information regarding Wednesday’s interview, call Jerad Garrison at 708.235.7445.

When it comes to the movies, everyone is a critic. Now you will have the opportunity to exercise your thumbs, voice your opinion, and rate a movie. The Monthly Movie Reviewers Roundtable, sponsored by the Governors State University Library and the Friends of the Library, will meet each month to discuss a movie from the Library’s collection. Reviewers comments and the grade the group gives the film will be included in the Library Newsletter and on the Movie Reviewers Roundtable blog.

The first meeting of the roundtable is on January 24, from noon to 1 p.m., on the library balcony. Bring your lunch and enjoy the show!

Earn cash for the holidays by selling your textbooks back to the bookstore this week. Follett’s GSU Bookstore will be buying back books from Monday, December 10 through Tuesday, December 18. Buyback times are as follows:

• Monday, December 10 & Tuesday, December 11 - 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 12 & Thursday, December 13 - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday, December 14 - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Saturday, December 15 - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Monday, December 17 & Tuesday, December 18 - 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Learn about the careers in criminal justice and public safety and meet with prospective employers at the Criminal Justice/Public Safety Career Fair, on Thursday, December 13, from 1 to 6 p.m., in the Hall of Governors.

The Career Fair is free to all current students, alumni, and community members. Remember to dress professionally, bring plenty of resumes, and be prepared to meet more than 40 prospective employers.

The GSU Student and the CenterPoint for Entrepreneurs are sponsoring Notes at Night, an entrepreneurship workshop. Prospective business owners looking to learn the basics of starting a small business are invited to attend this informal session on Thursday, December 13, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., in Engbretson Hall. The event is free to GSU students. For additional information, call Karen Mayo at 708.575.2099.

GSU Trustee William D. McGee passed away on Friday, November 30, after a long illness. Bill was a wonderful colleague, a true friend to all who knew him, and a champion for the interests of our students.

He served on the GSU Board of Trustees for many years, including ten years as Vice Chair. In recognition of his contributions to the university and his dedication to GSU students, the Hall of Honors was renamed the William D. McGee Hall of Honors in February 2007. At the time, the Board noted, "he served with great distinction and commitment to the mission and goals of the university, to provide an education of the highest quality to our students, and to establish an academic community committed to excellence, accessibility, and intellectual rigor."

A memorial service will be held at the university on Saturday, January 5, in the Center for Performing Arts, at 2 p.m.

The GSU Holiday Party is Friday, December 7, from 3 to 5 p.m., in the Hall of Governors. All faculty and staff are invited to partake in the merriment.

The Office of Admissions reminds students of its new non-sufficient funds policy. Students who pay for admission application fees with checks drawn on accounts without sufficient funds will have their accounts placed on hold. The Admission Non-Sufficient Funds (ADNSF) hold will prohibit those students from registering for classes, receiving transcripts, or checking out books from the University Library until all fees are paid in full. For more information, contact the Admission Office at 708.534.4490.

Just in time for finals week, tutors from the Writing Center will be available during extended hours. Tutors will be available in the University Library from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, December 7 through Sunday, December 9. Visit the Writing Center webpage for more information.

Students are encouraged to complete applications for scholarships offered through the GSU Foundation and Alumni Association. The deadline to submit application is Monday, December 17, at 4 p.m. Scholarship information and forms are available through all Dean’s Offices, the Office of Financial Aid, and Student Life as well as on the web at www.govst.edu/foundation.

The Friends of Mysteries will be meeting on December 11, at noon, in the Cafeteria Annex. The group will be discussing The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Samson. The Friends of Mysteries is open to the entire university community. Contact the University Library for additional details.

PBAC IT (Policy and Budget Advisory Council: Information Technology Subcommittee) has learned from Blackboard, who acquired WebCT last year, that WebCT Campus Edition 6 will no longer be supported in 2009. Consequently, GSU must move to a different course management system. PBAC IT would like to brand the online course management system with a unique GSU name which does not reflect a particular commercial vendor or software platform.

A “brand name” will help people remember where everything is located. At some schools it’s “OnlineU” or “OnCourse”, while at others it is named after a mascot. What should GSU’s online learning system be named?

To elicit the best suggestions for a new name, GSU is having a contest. Please send your entry, along with your name and contact information, via email to Diane Dates Casey (d-casey@govst.edu), Dean Library Services and Academic Computing, by December 20. The winner will be announced in January and receive a $100 Borders gift card.

The Family Development Center is hosting its Annual Scholastic Book Fair. Find the perfect gift from the shelves of books that deliver dreams, ideas, and joy to young readers. The Book Fair runs through December 7, from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., in the Family Development Center and from December 10 to 13, from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., in the D-wing entry atrium.

All proceeds benefit the FDC classrooms and libraries. Cash, check, or charge will be accepted.

Help make the holidays brighter! With 50 families in need of a hearty holiday feast, the GSU Student Life Unit needs your help. Please donate food items in the drop boxes located at the F-wing entrance, DPS, Student Life suite A2100, the Recreation Center, third floor G-wing, and the Welcome Center. To help make the perfect feast, please donate the following non-perishable food items: canned yams, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, mixed vegetables, fruit, and ham, as well as, macaroni and cheese, stuffing mix, gravy mix, cornbread mix, instant potatoes, cake mix, and frosting.

Donations will be accepted through December 19. For more information, call 708.534.4551 or email v-newby@govst.edu.

The amazing response by the GSU community has taken us pleasantly by surprise. We received more than 500 suggestions since the program’s inception in September 2007. Because of the overwhelming response, we are currently improving our procedures and the website. All submissions have been sent to the appropriate department for consideration and discussion. More than 150 respondents have been awarded prizes of “Why Not” t-shirts and gift certificates to the bookstore and cafeteria, and there are more to come.

Stay tuned to hear the announcement of the “Why Not?” Trimester Winner early next year.

  "Why Not" suggestion: "I may be wrong, but I have heard that GSU does not pay for lower level classes for the employees. If this is true, Why not?" This is not true. As you know, Governors State University is an upper-division university offering classes at the junior and senior level and above. A fulltime employee can take up to six credit hours per semester here at GSU, or Northern Illinois University and Chicago State University tuition free. NIU and CSU have four- year programs as well as graduate programs, which are covered under this reciprocal agreement. A Civil Service employee can take up to six credit hours per semester at any state university (includes 4-year institutions) tuition free. Fees and related service/lab charges are not covered expenses under this plan. We are proud to offer status employees this wonderful benefit and opportunity to advance their academic careers.

“Why Not?” suggestion:  “Civil service employees are recognized monthly for the outstanding services that they provide. Other employees who are not civil service do not have the same opportunity on a monthly basis.” We feel all of our employees are special and contribute to the success of GSU. Of the three major employee groups at GSU, all employees have the opportunity to be recognized to some degree:  Administrative/professional group, Faculty, and Civil Service all recognize extraordinary efforts of employees through events and award programs like the Baysore Award, Civil Service Employee of the Month/Year, and Faculty Excellence Award. Some awards occur more frequently than others. Perhaps you might outline some specific suggestion or the kind of award programs you feel will be more supportive of a specific group and we’ll take a close look at it.

“Why Not?” suggestion:  “Why not offer some computer classes that anyone can attend not just upper graduate students. I have very little college credits but would love to learn some new software programs...this might also be helpful in my job.” The library offers beginner and intermediate workshops in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for students, faculty, staff, and community members at no charge. Check the library website for the next available workshops.

Dr. Mort Maimon, husband of GSU president, Dr. Elaine P. Maimon, was honored recently at the annual meeting of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) in San Francisco, California. Maimon was one of the four spouses of college and university presidents to be publicly recognized and thanked for their service to higher education, their universities, and their communities.

Honoring the spouses who support the presidents and chancellors is a long-standing tradition at AASCU annual meetings. Individuals who are recognized are additionally honored by essays written by their husbands or wives.

In her essay, Dr. Elaine Maimon wrote, “How lucky I have been to share life’s journey with Mort Maimon. We both grew up in West Philadelphia at a time when it took real maturity for men to encourage their wives to pursue high-powered careers. Mort went far beyond encouragement, as I moved through the professional and administrative ranks. We built a strong marriage and raised two children together.”

During his career as an educator, Dr. Mort Maimon has taught every grade level from grade school to graduate school. His book, Stories of the Inner City, a high-interest, low-reading level book, has helped over 500,000 high school students enjoy reading fiction. He is currently a full-time writer and contributes a regular column to the Arizona Republic newspaper.

ITS is working to implement the installation of Microsoft Office 2007 on all campus computers by mid-January. Office 2007 includes updated versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher, FrontPage, and Info Path.

If you have not yet installed Office 2007, please do so by following the instructions below.

ITS has created a webpage that enables faculty and staff to load Office 2007 without the assistance of an ITS associate. To install the programs, visit http://office2007/ and select "Click here to install Microsoft Office 2007 now!"

A pop up window will ask users to run or save the file. Selecting the run option will start the installation process. The process can take 10 to 30 minutes depending on individual computer settings.

ITS associates are available to assist with installation, as well. Contact the Help Desk at extension 4357 with questions or for additional details.

Express your concerns and ask your questions at the Provost Forum, on Wednesday, December 5, from 1 to 3 p.m., in the Student Commons, A2140. Student leaders and administrators will be on hand to listen and respond. Pizza and pop will be served. Please RSVP to the Provost Office, 708.534.4980, by Monday, December 3.

Enjoy celebrating the holidays with friends and colleagues on December 6, from 3 to 6 p.m., in the FOC Atrium.

The Civil Service Day festivities on December 14 include the usual great show, lunch, and games but new twists, turns, prizes, and surprises have been added.

Everyone is invited to the Hall of Governors to enjoy the awards program at 10 a.m. followed by “A Night in Chi-town.” Reserve seating is for civil service employees. After the show of shows, lunch will be served to civil service employees at approximately 11:45 a.m. The Scotty G. Game Show Extravaganza will begin as lunch is served. Civil service employees are asked to RSVP by December 6 to r-jackson@govst.edu.