We're gearing up for a great ASR Staff Event! As a reminder, the event is on Wednesday, May 21 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. in Science Teaching & Student Services (STSS). Check-in any time between 8-8:30 a.m. outside of STSS 230. The morning will kick off with an update from Sue Van Voorhis, ASR Director & University Registrar, followed by a keynote address from Dr. Danita Brown Young, Vice Provost for Student Affairs & Dean of Students.
Staff will then head off to a breakout session followed by two mini-breakout sessions. Lunch from The Lunch Cube will be served at noon in STSS 412.
A few reminders:
- The River Walk tour is rain or shine - pack an umbrella if needed!
- Both River Walk sessions are first come, first served and capped at 50 people. If you plan to attend either River Walk session, please mention it to staff at check-in.
- If you plan on attending the "Apply Your Strengths" breakout session, you must have completed the StrengthsQuest assessment before the session begins. If you need to do so, please contact Christa Nicols at nicol072@umn.edu.
The full agenda, including session details and speaker bios, can be found on the ASR Intranet. Copies of the agenda, including session locations, will be available at check-in.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
New Astra Schedule tutorial available
Once you or others in your department or organization have submitted a room request, you may want check on the status of your request. To learn how to do so directly in Astra Schedule, a new tutorial is now available on the Astra Schedule homepage and on the Office of Classroom Management (OCM) website. Please feel free share these links with anyone else who may be interested.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Student grading process to improve
When ESUP goes live in spring 2015, the University will begin utilizing a new process to assign grades. The new process is simple, intuitive and should make the grading process easier for all involved, but it is a significant change.
Currently, faculty need to utilize four separate systems--UM Reports, the Final Grade System, the Supplemental Grade System, and the Midterm Alert System--in order to assign grades and notify students. When ESUP goes live, all of these tasks will be completed in one location: the Faculty Center. In addition to the consolidation of these functions, faculty using Moodle will be able to import their final grades from Moodle into the Faculty Center!
There are two steps for submitting final grades. First, the grades will be entered, uploaded from a file, or imported from Moodle into the Faculty Center by those with grade-entry access (e.g., faculty, teaching assistants, other designees). After a review for accuracy and completeness, the second step is to submit the grades. Once the grades are submitted, they will be posted to student transcripts and available for students to view in the new myU the next day.
Currently, if faculty do not enter a student grade, it displays as blank on transcripts. This will be changing. Any final grade not entered within the timeframe established by policy (Duluth policy) will be administratively posted as “NR” (Not Reported) to the student’s transcript. An NR grade will act the same as a blank grade does now (i.e., generally no impact on GPA calculations, but does impact other calculations such as satisfactory academic progress for financial aid). As the Faculty Center is also where grade changes will be made, changing an NR to a permanent grade will be straightforward.
ESUP staff are hard at work creating materials that will guide faculty and students through these changes. If you are interested in learning more about what’s changing with ESUP, see the “What’s Changing” page.
Currently, faculty need to utilize four separate systems--UM Reports, the Final Grade System, the Supplemental Grade System, and the Midterm Alert System--in order to assign grades and notify students. When ESUP goes live, all of these tasks will be completed in one location: the Faculty Center. In addition to the consolidation of these functions, faculty using Moodle will be able to import their final grades from Moodle into the Faculty Center!
There are two steps for submitting final grades. First, the grades will be entered, uploaded from a file, or imported from Moodle into the Faculty Center by those with grade-entry access (e.g., faculty, teaching assistants, other designees). After a review for accuracy and completeness, the second step is to submit the grades. Once the grades are submitted, they will be posted to student transcripts and available for students to view in the new myU the next day.
Currently, if faculty do not enter a student grade, it displays as blank on transcripts. This will be changing. Any final grade not entered within the timeframe established by policy (Duluth policy) will be administratively posted as “NR” (Not Reported) to the student’s transcript. An NR grade will act the same as a blank grade does now (i.e., generally no impact on GPA calculations, but does impact other calculations such as satisfactory academic progress for financial aid). As the Faculty Center is also where grade changes will be made, changing an NR to a permanent grade will be straightforward.
ESUP staff are hard at work creating materials that will guide faculty and students through these changes. If you are interested in learning more about what’s changing with ESUP, see the “What’s Changing” page.
ESUP - Student Systems Town Hall
Attend a town hall meeting to learn how the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP) will change the way students, faculty, and staff interact with the University. The changes discussed will be implemented in February, 2015 - less than a year away!
This meeting will focus on the student system--a key component of this multi-year effort to upgrade the University's systems and reexamine business processes. It covers admissions, financial aid, student finance, student records, and more. You will hear leaders of our student system talk about the changes and improvements that will happen as result of ESUP. We will also hear from a representative of the new myU portal effort on their progress. There will be time to ask questions or voice concerns about the student systems upgrade effort.
ESUP - Student Systems Town Hall
Thursday, May 15
2-3:30 p.m.
Locations:
4 Hill Hall (Crookston)
520 DAdB (Duluth)
7 HFA (Morris)
397 USq
114 STSS (Twin Cities, East bank)
B35 Ruttan (Twin Cities, St. Paul)
Online option for those on other campuses (R.S.V.P to be sent details).
Please R.S.V.P. so the team can ensure adequate accommodations.
This meeting will focus on the student system--a key component of this multi-year effort to upgrade the University's systems and reexamine business processes. It covers admissions, financial aid, student finance, student records, and more. You will hear leaders of our student system talk about the changes and improvements that will happen as result of ESUP. We will also hear from a representative of the new myU portal effort on their progress. There will be time to ask questions or voice concerns about the student systems upgrade effort.
ESUP - Student Systems Town Hall
Thursday, May 15
2-3:30 p.m.
Locations:
4 Hill Hall (Crookston)
520 DAdB (Duluth)
7 HFA (Morris)
397 USq
114 STSS (Twin Cities, East bank)
B35 Ruttan (Twin Cities, St. Paul)
Online option for those on other campuses (R.S.V.P to be sent details).
Please R.S.V.P. so the team can ensure adequate accommodations.
GRE Search Service
The Graduate School will host a lunch and workshop to discuss the GRE Search Service, a recruitment tool that can be used to reach prospects who have demonstrated graduate-level readiness through their GRE® test performance, on May 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Campus Club. RSVP required.
GSSP staffing change
Stacia Madsen has accepted the position of lead business analyst for the Academic Advisement module, effective immediately.
Stacia's skills and knowledge of graduate education will make for an easy transition to her new role. She is still located in 160 Williamson Hall.
Staff, students, faculty and others can continue to contact GSSP through established communication channels.
Stacia's skills and knowledge of graduate education will make for an easy transition to her new role. She is still located in 160 Williamson Hall.
Staff, students, faculty and others can continue to contact GSSP through established communication channels.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Commenting On & Grading Student Writing: A Workshop for Teaching Assistants
The Center for Writing will provide a pre-fall workshop for graduate student teaching assistants:
Commenting On & Grading Student Writing: A Workshop for Teaching Assistants
Monday, August 25
12:30-4 p.m.
STSS 312
FREE
Beverages and snacks provided
Important information related to registration:
Brief description: In this interactive workshop, teaching assistants new to grading and commenting will have opportunities to become familiar with strategies and resources supporting effective and efficient practices.
Participants will...
Co-facilitated by Center for Writing staff and experienced TAs from disciplines including Mechanical Engineering, American Studies, and Writing Studies.
Please forward this message to any interested graduate student TAs.
Looking forward to a lively workshop!
Commenting On & Grading Student Writing: A Workshop for Teaching Assistants
Monday, August 25
12:30-4 p.m.
STSS 312
FREE
Beverages and snacks provided
Important information related to registration:
- Registration is required: http://z.umn.edu/2014taworkshop
- Registrants are expected to attend the full session
- TAs must register themselves, and
- A letter of participation will be provided for those who complete the workshop.
Brief description: In this interactive workshop, teaching assistants new to grading and commenting will have opportunities to become familiar with strategies and resources supporting effective and efficient practices.
Participants will...
- become familiar with the attributes of MINIMAL marking
- practice commenting on a diverse sampling of student writing
- recognize the functions of comments in provoking revision
- discuss methods for identifying and using fair grading criteria and for working with criteria supplied by others
- practice assigning grades to an array of of student writing from social sciences
- sciences, humanities, in accordance with the discipline in which they will be teaching
- learn strategies recommended by experienced TAs
Co-facilitated by Center for Writing staff and experienced TAs from disciplines including Mechanical Engineering, American Studies, and Writing Studies.
Please forward this message to any interested graduate student TAs.
Looking forward to a lively workshop!
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