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September 2006 A Monthly Update for Faculty and Staff @ Union Institute & University
@ the President’s Desk September 1, 2006 Dear Fellow Employees: Welcome to @UI&U, our new employee newsletter. We are happy to launch this monthly format to keep everyone informed about events at our centers across the country, to share good news from various departments and programs, to provide timely and accurate information about benefits and other aspects relating to our work, and to enhance communication among staff, faculty, and administration as well as improve our service to prospective and current learners, alumni, and the public. As the newsletter evolves, we invite you to contribute information to the various sections, and we hope you will find it helpful to spread good news about your university. Personally, it continues to be a privilege to work at Union Institute & University alongside innovative, creative people who care and serve others. As a national educational institution that approaches learning in nontraditional ways, we best define the culture of our organization through the relationships we establish with our learners and with one another. We must continually work to build a culture of respect for all who take part in the life of the university; a culture based on the concept of service leadership. Organizations that either foster or tolerate dysfunctional environments will not survive long in the competitive world of higher education. Today’s adult learners have multiple choices for convenient, independent study educational programs. Union is only one institution among many with similar offerings. What distinguishes these institutions is not always their programs; however, it is always their people. You often hear me say that “only people make a difference in an organization; only people are important in our lives.” The “people” I refer to are not just “us,” the internal staff and faculty, but everyone we touch everyday. Each person we talk with, each person with whom we interact, takes away an impression of our university. How we choose to serve our colleagues – learners, alumni, and fellow employees alike – will establish our success and propel UI&U to the greater heights we all seek. We have been through some tough years together. I am not aware of another university that has been simultaneously visited by the U.S. Department of Education, the Ohio Board of Regents, and the Higher Leadership Commission of the North Central Association, as well as multiple state agency reviews. The fact that we have met those challenges is clear testimony to the strength and integrity of the people who choose to work at Union Institute & University. Even in the face of adversity, we have reconnected with our founding mission to propose, design and implement a number of new programs and initiatives, including the new Ed.D. and Psy.D. programs, and the reinvigorated Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies program. We received provisional authorization for the Psy.D. program and are now recruiting with a goal to admit 20 learners by January 2007. We hope to launch our Ed.D. program within the year. In addition to the doctoral programs, we have a newly designed online M.A., a growing Virtual Vermont undergraduate program, strong undergraduate offerings in early childhood education and criminal justice in our California and Florida centers, an M.A. with a concentration in psychology, and promising developments for an online criminal justice program. Our M.F.A. programs continue to attract talented learners who will soon make their mark in the literary world. Add in a recently approved Faculty Council, an active Learner Council that represents the entire learner population, a developing national Alumni Association, and a Board of Trustees committed to the university’s financial and academic stability, and you can see that we’re on the path to reinvigoration and newfound success. All of this bodes well for UI&U’s future. Of course, much of our success depends on each employee and the critical role he or she plays in our continuing development. Each time you provide answers to a learner’s questions in a timely, respectful way, you build trust in our future. Each time you speak of Union in glowing terms in the community…each time you volunteer in your community or individual organizations…each time you greet your colleagues warmly and respectfully…each time you refuse to engage in counter-productive discussions, you build trust in our future. Each time that you ask questions about UI&U, you build trust in our future. To a great extent, our shared future belongs to all of us, and we have collective responsibility for the stewardship of this unique organization. As we progress toward the divestiture of the property in Vermont and Cincinnati, we will no doubt experience many changes. Let’s work together to take advantage of the opportunities ahead to build trust in our future and make good decisions that will help chart the course for a strong and vital university dedicated to service and innovation. We Make the Road by Walking, a wonderful book by Myles Horton and Paulo Freire, provides a source of inspiration to me each day when I arrive on campus. This book and others, along with your vital support and hard work, show me that together we will determine our own future; we will determine the future of Union Institute & University. Under our watch, we will serve as great stewards of the university, elevating UI&U to its just position in innovative American education. Emerson reminds us of a very fitting adage: “Do not follow where the path may lead—go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” All of us can blaze this trail together. Thank you all for walking with us over the last few years, and thank you for your many contributions every day to the life of the university. Your creative energy and commitment has served the institution well in the past, and will provide the continuing vision to carry us into a bright future. Roger H. Sublett
@ the Water Cooler Coping with Skyrocketing Costs of Healthcare Benefits It’s a fact of life: The cost of gas has spilled over to $3.00 per gallon; the cost of bread has risen to more than $2.00 a loaf. We can all point to dramatically rising costs that affect us everyday — and healthcare is no exception. On average, healthcare costs nationally rose more than 12 percent annually for the last five years. These increases are due to the rising cost of supplies, labor, medications, and new technology. We all want the least invasive testing, cutting-edge treatments, and the latest technology so that our physicians can make the best diagnosis. All this improves healthcare for us, but it comes at a price. These advances affect employee healthcare plans as well. Every year, employers who offer health plans face increased costs based on the rising healthcare cost index, the cost of plan administration and the amount of utilization by employees. In recent years, knowing that wages have held static, and in some cases, rolled back, Union Institute & University has absorbed much of these increases and not passed them along to employees. This year, the university has experienced dramatically increased utilization. It is comforting to know that our health plans have provided much-needed care for employees and covered family members. However, this utilization has exceeded the projection of our health insurance provider, Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, by 18 percent. Coupled with a usual 12 percent annual increase in healthcare costs, this 18 percent increase in utilization could lead to significant increases in the cost of these policies to the university and to our employees. Some costs can be off set by changes in the design of our health plan coverage. If our benefits provider presents a renewal plan that passes on these high increases, we will need to examine options for plan changes, which might include increasing co-pays and deductibles or eliminating coverage for high-risk/high-cost procedures. We will know more in September and will keep you well informed as we receive information. If we need to modify the plan design, we will share the alternatives that we would consider, and seek opinions from employees who use our health plan as to how we should accomplish the goal of mitigating the cost for both the university and employees. @ First Glance Samantha M. Aronson, B.A., Assistant Director, Vermont College M.F.A. in Visual Arts Program, Montpelier Campus, 7/3/2006 Alan J. Bertison, M.S., Part-Time Faculty, College of Undergraduate Studies, Miami Center, 7/17/2006 David A. Carslaw, Custodian, Vermont College Facility Operations, Montpelier Campus, 7/24/2006 John Doucette, Custodian, Vermont College Facility Operations, Montpelier Campus, 7/24/2006 Robert W. Fifield, Maintenance Specialist, Vermont College Facility Operations, Montpelier Campus, 7/24/2006 Francis Francois, B.A., Enrollment Counselor, College of Undergraduate Studies, Miami Center, 8/23/2006 David J. Gifaldi, M.F.A., Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College M.F.A. in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program, 7/15/2006 Brent C. Hartinger, B.A., Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College M.F.A. in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program, 7/15/2006 Laban Hill, M.F.A., Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College Undergraduate Program, Brattleboro Weekend Option, 8/4/2006 Uma Krishnaswami, M.F.A., Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College M.F.A. in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program, 7/15/2006 Jane E. Kurtz, M.A., Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College M.F.A. in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program, 7/15/2006 Julie Larios, M.F.A. Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College M.F.A. in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program, 7/15/2006 William D. Lax, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) Program, Brattleboro Center, 7/1/2006 An Na, M.F.A., Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College M.F.A. in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program, 7/15/2006 Zayda Y. Rodriguez, Senior Secretary, College of Undergraduate Studies, Los Angeles Center, 7/5/2006 Frank Scala, M.Ed., Full-Time Professor/Faculty Advisor, College of Undergraduate Studies, Miami Center, 8/28/2006 Leda D. Schubert, M.F.A., Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College M.F.A. in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program, 7/15/2006 Melissa Taggart-Evans, M.A., Human Resources Generalist, Cincinnati Campus, 8/21/2006 Peaco Todd, M.F.A., Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College Undergraduate Program, 7/18/2006 Lynne M. Vallone, Ph.D., Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College M.F.A. in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program, 7/15/2006 Jacqueline A. Woodson, B.A., Part-Time Faculty, Vermont College M.F.A. in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program, 7/15/2006
@ Close Up This Month: Office of Human Resources, Cincinnati, Ohio Deb Eamoe, vice president of human resources, ext. 1124 Chris Ulmer, HR manager, ext. 1122 Melissa Taggert-Evans, recruiter/HR generalist, ext. 1287 Michelle Fletcher, records coordinator, ext. 1274 Tina McClintock, secretary, ext. 1121
@ Attention New Doctoral Learners Begin Journey in Cincinnati This July the Graduate College faculty and administration welcomed their first cohort of learners in the revisioned Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies program. This socially charged, praxis-based, low-residency model features biannual nine-day residencies in which individual learners meet with their cohort, a group of doctoral learners entering into the program simultaneously. Cohorts meet first during an Initial Academic Residency, but they remain in constant communication with one another throughout each semester. In between and during academic residencies, learners are allowed time for professional development, which reinforces the connection between theory and practice.
Assistant Dean Elliot Robins, Ph.D., 2nd from right, accompanies doctoral learners on field trip to Cincinnati’s Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Designed for a learner to reach completion in three years, the program centers on ethics in social justice, the creative process, and engaging differences, with three core concentrations: Ethical and Creative Leadership, Public Policy and Social Issues, and Humanities and Society. The concentrations themselves overlap academically, which leads to one of the university’s core values: interdisciplinarity… Read more
@ Union this Month
Doctoral Seminars
@ Our Best
From UI&U’s Athletic Department… Vermont Governor Jim Douglas and UI&U Provost Rich Hansen prior to the August 2, 2006 playoff game between the Vermont Mountaineers and the Holyoke Giants. As a sponsor of the game, UI&U had the opportunity to throw out the first pitch. Dr. Hansen deferred to the governor, who threw it right over home plate.
@ Your Service This first issue is the prototype for what we hope will evolve into a useful monthly communication for the people who make a difference at UI&U. We need your input to make it meaningful to all employees, so please send your text, photos, or Web links to news and information to us @UI&U by the 10th of the month preceding publication (e.g., September 10 for the October issue). Many thanks for your solid efforts each day @UI&U!
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9/8/06 - 9/10/06 9/9/06 - 9/10/06 9/14/06 - 9/22/06 9/19/06 7:00 PM 9/22/06 - 9/24/06 9/23/06 - 9/24/06 9/29/06 - 10/1/06 Doctoral Seminars 9/8/06 - 9/12/06 9/13/06 - 9/17/06 9/27/06 - 10/1/06
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