SUBJECT: Winding Down From Fall and Revving Up for Winter

Dear Colleagues;

As the semester winds down and we are approaching the winter holiday break, I want to express my appreciation for all the great work and outstanding individuals we have on campus. The December 1st panel on mental health, “Supporting Each Other through Mental Health Challenges,” was a reminder of the difference we can all make in the lives of our students and each other in making everyone feel valued and heard. Many of your accomplishments are highlighted in The Reporter on a regular basis, and it is a real pleasure to learn about them. Our staff continue to amaze me with everything they do and I want to give kudos to all the staff who were honored at the Chancellor’s Staff Recognition Awards ceremony.  A huge shout out goes to everyone who made possible the wonderful Friendsgiving event which saw over 300 side-dish kits given out to students. This event was such a success and shows the whole campus community’s commitment to our students. I look forward to hosting our new President Santa Ono on our campus this Friday, December 9. There are so many positive things and accomplishments that we can all share with him!

Today, I’d like to share a few important items and upcoming events before finals and the holiday break:

• The search for our new Registrar and Director of Academic Operations is on its way. I want to thank the members of this important committee for lending their time and expertise to the search process: Cathy Boatin, Stein Brunvand, Lisa Remsing Hall, Brian LaGoe, Soraya Patton, Molly McCutchan, Sheila Smith, Mitch Sollenberger and Melissa Stone, with the invaluable support of Terry Ebenhoeh.
• Commencement: Saturday, December 17. For more details, please read this Reporter article.
• Final exams will take place December 12-16. You can find here the Fall 2022 Final Exam Schedule. Please remember that all instructors must submit final grades within 48 hours of the final exam or no later than the posted deadline date. It is vital that instructors adhere to the 48 hour deadline as failing to do so will have a significant impact on end of term processing, including managing the awarding of degrees for graduating students; academic probation/dismissals; degree honors; athletic eligibility recertification; financial aid and Satisfactory Academic Progress reporting, among other processes.
• Please be aware of the informal and formal reporting processes in the Academic Code of Conduct. The code provides faculty multiple mechanisms for handling academic misconduct matters that may arise. Informal reporting can be utilized when a faculty wishes to resolve misconduct at a classroom level, if the student has accepted responsibility, and if agreement is reached on restorative measures. Formal reporting means the student will have a record in the University’s academic misconduct database. Please don’t hesitate to contact Ryan Neloms, Assistant Director of Student Conduct, at [email protected] with questions.
• Following up on the HEDS 2020 survey, this fall we surveyed our students, with a custom-made questionnaire in order to understand what they thought about course modality options and the way in which course scheduling is meeting their needs. The results can be found in this report. A follow up student focus group will be conducted by the Hub for Teaching & Learning in the early winter term.
• The Mardigian Library is providing extended study hours and de-stress programming during finals. Please share this information with your students. 
  In-person study hours are:
  • Wednesday, December 7, 9am - Midnight
  • Thursday, December 8, 9am - Midnight
  • Friday, December 9, 9am - 9pm
  • Saturday, December 10, 10am - 6pm
  • Sunday, December 11, Noon - Midnight
  • Monday, December 12, 9am - Midnight
  • Tuesday, December 13, 9am - Midnight
  • Wednesday, December 14, 9am - Midnight
  • Thursday, December 15, 9am - Midnight
  • Friday, December 16, 9am - 7:30pm
  • For more information go to: Mardigian Library
• The deadline for submitting nominations for the faculty awards is Friday, January 27, 2023. Please refer to my November 2 email announcement for more details.
• Campus break is December 26th through January 2nd! Please be on the lookout for an email regarding building closure schedules/access from Carol Glick.
• As you all prepare for the upcoming winter term, I want to remind faculty to utilize the UM-Dearborn Syllabus Template and include in your Canvas course shell a few required components:

-  Standard Course Syllabus – ideally placed under the syllabus tab on your course page
-  Assignments/Quizzes with due dates and point values, regardless of submission
   type (in-class or online)
-  Gradebook with accurate points and weights for all items, consistent with the course
   syllabus, and set up at the start of term.

I encourage you to use the numerous Canvas tools available to enhance your teaching, improve students’ learning experience, and save time and effort for all. For more information or UM-Dearborn specific faculty support for Canvas see the Academic Canvas for Faculty page or consider Canvas Course Templates, developed by the Hub, with dates already entered to save you that step (video instructions can be found here).

• The final exam period for the Winter 2023 is Thursday, April 20 - Friday, April 21 and Monday, April 24 - Wednesday, April 26. The Winter 2023 Final Exam Schedule can be found on the Final Exam Schedule webpage of the Registrar’s Office website and here is the Guidance on Scheduling of Final Exams in Winter 2023. All classroom assignments for in-person exams will be assigned later in the winter term. If faculty need to adjust a final exam date or time, please refer to the Final Exams and Study Days policy and contact the Registrar’s Office at [email protected].

I wish you all a productive end to the semester and a relaxing break! Happy Holidays!

Gabriella

Gabriella Scarlatta
Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs