Fall 2018 | Issue #11

From the Dean

Transformational Education

Welcome back, everyone. I trust your first few weeks have started off well. It has been busy so far, and there seems to be a certain buzz around the place. Certainly, the number of students in Arts & Science is up again this year, and we need to celebrate this fact, as it demonstrates the strength of our programs and the fact that the University has increasingly become a destination of choice for students doing science, social science and humanities. But we must not take this success for granted or become complacent, and we need to continue to build on our success. Already we are working on recruitment for next year’s cycle, and hope to roll out a strategic plan for the Faculty in the next couple months for discussion and feedback. 

One program within Arts & Science that has proven successful is our Global Citizenship Cohort, where students take a series of classes together around a common theme. The program builds on the principles of Liberal Education, with the School of Liberal Education contributing to its ongoing success (students not only take A&S courses but Lib Ed courses as well). This year, for the first time, we are offering two cohorts, one on the theme of Water & Sustainability, which we have offered over the last couple years, and the other on the theme of Identity & Politics. Between the two offerings, we have been able to almost double the number of students accepted into the cohort.

I have heard some wonderful stories of the impact this program is having. I had the privilege of meeting one of the new cohorts, two weeks ago, as I handed out certificates to participants of last year’s cohort. What a great group of students! During the break, I conversed with a couple new students for this year, who thanked me repeatedly for the program. Even at this early stage, I can see that the program is having an impact, helping students discover their passions, make connections and create bonds of friendship. As one student noted to me, it has brought them out of their shell, being as they are very quiet and reserved. I left the class thrilled! It reminded me as to why I entered the Academy and the important work we do as educators. It is these transformational aspects of University Education that we tend to forget, bound-up, as we often get, in the mundane aspects of University Life. And I need to remind myself of the privilege I have to teach, in that I, in a small way, can be actually part of such transformational experiences. When I reflect on that, I am humbled.

I had a similar feeling, when I attended in early September, UArctic Congress, where we presented our case for membership. We are now a member. In Oulu and Helsinki, Finland, I got to meet individuals and academics from various artic regions, like Russia, Norway, Finland and Alaska as well as elsewhere. I heard a wonderful plenary talk from an Anthropologist from the Netherlands on the impact of climate change on a particular Inuit community in Greenland. I was able to discuss and hear concerns that transcend one nation and affects all arctic nations: the accessibility of education, particularly higher education, in remote regions; the need for greater connectivity; the vital importance of retaining our youth in local communities, particularly among indigenous groups, and a concern for preserving traditional ways of life, like reindeer husbandry. All this sounds familiar to us in Canada, but hearing it from others reminds me of the urgency to address these issues here at home. And again Universities can take a lead in this, as we research and teach on things of vital importance and concern. Again, I was left with a sense that as an academic I can be a part of something transformational, even if only in a very small way. And again I was humbled.  

Many have read the postscript at the end of my emails: James Bryant Conant, President of Harvard, once stated "Education is what is left over after all that has been learnt is forgotten." I will paraphrase: if we do what we do well as academics, then “transformational education is what is left over after all has be learnt is forgotten”.

Enjoy the rest of the term and be transformational.
 

The University of Lethbridge Faculty of Arts & Science is pleased to recognize 
Dr. Bhagwan Dua (1936-2018) at our
2018 Wine & Dine: Arts & Science Scholarship Dinner.

Tickets are only available until October 8th, so be sure to reserve your seats today! 
Join us for an evening of great food, wine and conversation as we honour the memory of Dr. Bhagwan Dua.

Thursday, October 18, 2018
6:30-9:30PM

Sandman Signature Lethbridge Lodge
320 Scenic Drive S, Lethbridge, AB

Semi-formal / Formal attire

Individual Tickets $150 | Table (8) $1,000

Proceeds from the event will support a newly formed scholarship established in
Dr. Bhagwan Dua's name. Scholarships awarded to students are empowering gifts that assist in unlocking human potential. Financial support helps students BE students, allowing them to create, inquire and discover, and focus on their passion. It helps enlighten their minds to see the depth of possibilities available to them.

In celebration of our 50th Anniversary, the University of Lethbridge officially recognizes one of the few female founding faculty members of the University of Lethbridge,
Dr. Wilma G. Winter.

October 12th, 2018
3:00-4:00PM

Please join us in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport & Wellness in the atrium outside the athletics office for the dedication of the Wilma G. Winter Hall. 

Fall 2018 Open House

Saturday, October 20th, 2018

11AM – 2PM | uHall Atrium & uHall

Fall Open House is coming up and we would like to thank everyone who has volunteered their time to this important event, we know that our weekends are valuable and busy! However, this particular recruitment activity has a very good record of attracting and retaining students, so your time here will be very well spent. The purpose of Open House is to introduce prospective students to the university and give them an idea of the people and activities that they might encounter. This is the largest prospective student event we host on campus and this is our time to shine! Open House is designed for current high school students, prospective graduate students and transfer students considering uLethbridge for Fall 2019.

PUBlic Professor Series

The PUBlic Professor Series is back for another season! The upcoming lectures are sure to be thought-provoking and encourage open conversation. No matter what, there will be something for everyone. See the lineup below.

Transitioning to the new Science and Academic Building

The excitement is palpable at the University of Lethbridge, as construction of the new, state-of-the-art Science and Academic Building is now 97% complete. Over the past two years, we have spent a lot of time explaining how the SAB will be a game changer for the University of Lethbridge, with shared, interdisciplinary teaching and research laboratories, new auditoriums and SCALE-UP classrooms for all disciplines, dedicated outreach spaces, Agility innovation zones, informal learning environments and the pièce de résistance - the magnificent atrium overlooking the coulees.

The keys will be turned over from PCL to the University of Lethbridge this coming January, so that building systems can be tested in advance of the move-in stage, which begins in May 2019. With construction ahead of schedule, we are going to be in great shape for our Grand Opening next September.  With this timeline in mind, here is some less exciting information you need to know before we make the transition to the new facility:

As the leaves change colour and the snow begins to fly, it is inspiring to think that by the time the leaves have fully re-emerged, the first investigators will be moving into the new building.

Quietly tucked away in the Career Bridge office in Anderson Hall sits one of the hidden gems of this institution. We are the Co-operative Education and Applied Studies programs. Our expertise lies in all things WIL (work-integrated-learning), and our wheelhouse is the place where theory and practice meet.

Our students shine:

In the 2017 academic year, uLethbridge students:

• Completed 20,000 community placement hours in their respective Applied Studies courses
• uLethbridge co-op students earned $4.7 million dollars
• 1000+ undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in our co-op program
• Active 1st year co-op students achieved an 86% placement rate (they landed discipline-related jobs straight out of their first year of study)

How we (WIL) help you:

We are committed to a community of practice that includes students, faculty, and employer partners. We can assist you and your program in the following ways: 

Consider the Applied Studies Advantage

• Supervise an Applied Studies student or work with a coordinator to develop a cohort course which assists you in your research and teaching agenda.
• Identify and collaborate with students who are engaged and poised for academic success.
• Engage in a teaching model which reflects and supports the uLethbridge strategic plan.

Co-op Means Connection

• Co-op coordinators are faculty. We are happy to support your teaching, ask us how.
• We have links to community, government and industry partners. Let’s help each other and our students achieve great things.
• Do you have contacts in industry that would benefit from hiring a uLethbridge student? Let us know!
• Hiring a co-op student is a great way to support your research. Your research grant likely supports hiring a co-op student as an eligible expense

Want to learn more? We are happy to attend department meetings.
Sometimes we bring donuts.

career.bridge@uleth.ca | 403-329-2000 | AH151 | ulethbridge.ca/career-bridge

Connect with us on Social Media!

The Faculty of Arts & Science now has almost 1,500 followers on our social media network. This is the best place for us to help share and promote Arts & Science events and stories. If you have something you would like to share, please send an email to alix.redmond@uleth.ca.