B Y: G L EN D A HE N S L E Y
DE C E M BE R 1 0 , 20 1 2
Special Report --- ‘tis the season to share and to serve
Community Service Leave---USE it before you lose it!
As we approach the end of this calendar year, many employees have not
taken the opportunity to use their 2012 Community Service Leave. This
Holiday Season provides us the perfect opportunity to serve our local
schools, community service organizations, homeless shelters,
elderly/retirement communities, hospitals, etc.
We request your assistance in reminding employees that “Tis the season” to
use their 2012 Community Service Leave. We also would like for you to let
us know about your employees who are engaging in volunteerism and
community service so we may feature them in our newsletter and blog.
Contact Sondra Chavis; sondra.chavis@osp.nc.gov or at (919) 807-4863
Front Line
FYE Message Board
Special Issue – Focus on FINALS -- please share with your students!
WEB GRADING HAS BEEN TURNED ON! Contact: Larry Hammer, University Registrar (828) 227-2408
The deadline for final grade submission into MyCat is Monday, December 17, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.
Grade Release Prior to Grading Deadline: Early release of grades to students who completed their course
evaluations will not begin until approximately 8:30 a.m. Monday, December 10 once the CoursEval file is
processed.
Instructions for Web Grading are posted on the Registrar’s web site. QuickRef - Registrar.wcu.edu > Information
for Faculty & Staff > Web Grading > Web Final Grading Instructions.
SPECIAL REMINDER: (this is not new but it's easily overlooked)
Grade of “UWF” – Unofficial Withdrawal Failing: If you are unable to assign a passing grade to a student
because he/she stopped attending class and did not officially withdraw, you are to assign a grade of “UWF”. This
is due to compliance with Title IV Federal Funding Regulation regarding students who fail to make a passing
grade. UWF's on the web gradesheet roll to F's on the transcript. They are not W's.
The CORE – looking ahead to how we make a difference at WCU
Service Learning - 2013
As you’re finalizing your plans for the upcoming semester, please consider joining the Center for Service
Learning for one of our events, or including one or more of our projects in your syllabus. We are always available
for class presentations, and we’re also happy to help faculty, staff, and students find service opportunities in the
community. Here are a few of the events that we have scheduled for the spring:
 8th Annual Community Service-Learning Fair: ---Tuesday, January 29th. The event, which is free and open
to the public, will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the University Center Grandroom.
 MLK Days of Service: Monday, January 21st, and Saturday, January 26th --The projects will be scheduled
between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on. They are open to everyone, and we will provide transportation to
those who need it.
 Citizenship & Civility: The interdisciplinary theme for 2012-2013 is still going strong! The spring
semester will have a range of activities being designed and implemented by the Student C&C committee
and the Faculty/Staff C&C committee. There will be an emphasis on personal stories and reflection,
hunger and water needs, discovering civility in self and others, identifying what it would be like living
without citizenship as we know it, and a continuation of the anti-bullying campaign started by WCU
student Jessica Nipper.
 ‘Brown Bag’ Sessions focusing on community engagement: Please keep your eyes and ears open for
the Center for Service Learning and Coulter Faculty Commons’ February and April ‘brown bag’ sessions
on community engagement as a teaching strategy, as an engaging learning experience for students, and
as a pathway for scholarship and publication.
If you would like more information about any of these opportunities, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Center for Service Learning
828.227.2595
Toolbox – Learn + Experience + Service = Synthesis
Alternative Spring Break Trip to Jamaica
March 21-31, 2013
Please share this with your students – what a wonderful
opportunity!
Trip cost: $1999.37
(Includes transportation, lodging, food, & insurance)
For more information, contact the trip leaders:
Mike Corelli, Leadership Programs
Mike McDonald, Political Science
Rebecca Lasher, Social Work
Vicki Faircloth, Education
Perspectives on Gratitude
Dance Marathon
As we prepare to enjoy the holidays with loved ones, it is heartwarming to know that our campus
is already looking forward to what we can do for others in the spring with Dance Marathon!
Please share this with others (faculty, staff, students, and community members) who may want to
participate in some way – and there are many. Please see the letter below to learn more:
Dance Marathon will take place on March 9, 2013 in the CRC from 12pm – 12am. Last year WCU had over 300
participants and raised over 8,000 dollars for the Children's Miracle Network. Our goal for this year is to double
that, but we cannot succeed without your help.
The Children's Miracle Network is a non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 children's
hospitals. They are the only national children's charity committed to having 100 percent of the funds raised stay
local to support the children from our communities. Donations to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals create
miracles by funding medical care, research and education that save and improve the lives of 17 million children
each year.
Join the rest of Western Carolina University by contributing to Dance Marathon's efforts to raise 16,000+ dollars
to make miracles in a child's life! There are numerous ways to donate and sponsor Dance Marathon. Our
dedicated committee of 16 students and 2 professional advisors will happily accept any monetary donations
given towards the purchasing of items needed. Sponsorship items below:
Sign up to be a dancer - http://www.helpmakemiracles.org/event/dancemarathonwcu/
 Items prior to March 9:
Benefit Dinner Silent Auction (February 23, 2013) – Tickets will be on sale in January. (All
proceeds go towards our fundraising goal)
 Items for March 9:
Food, Beverages, Water bottles, DJ, Entertainment Activities, Glow Lights, Face Paint Artist
If you have any questions or concerns please contact me: WCUDanceMarathon@email.wcu.edu.
Jennifer Spaugh, Sponsorship Chair
(336)671-5786 Office of Leadership & Student Involvement
CEO Reminders
CALENDARS
Student Life Calendar: For a complete listing of what's going on for students from intramurals, to concerts and
lectures, to organizations, arts and culture, and so much more....
Events Calendar: Information on arts and culture at WCU - plays, concerts, art exhibits, films, and more...
Service Learning: Current Events
ACE: Arts and Cultural Events Calendar
IT Training & Workshops: Calendar - For upcoming training and events, including Black Board, eBriefcase, and
more and make sure to note Blackboard day on September 6th
Potty Times: PEAKS communication with FY students. For more information, contact Laura Ansley.
EVENTS
Are you ready to teach in a Learning Community at WCU? Do you want to access
best practice tips from experts across the state? Here is an opportunity for you!
Learning Communities Today
Date: 14 February 2013, Joseph S. Koury Convention Center, Greensboro, NC
The meeting, co-sponsored by WCU and UNC-Greensboro, will be an informal gathering of current and future
learning community practitioners to discuss what works, what doesn’t and grand ideas to help build successful
and sustainable learning communities. Participants will be asked to put forth potential focus topics of interest to
generate an inclusive guided conversation. The expertise will come from the participants attending, based on their
current campus projects.
Attendees of the 2013 Lilly Conference at Greensboro: $50 per-conference fee
Non-Attendees of the 2013 Lilly Conference at Greensboro: $100 mini-conference fee
To access registration and accommodations information, please visit the website:
http://learningcommunities.uncg.edu/current/conference.php
OPPORTUNITIES
Living in the Village
Do you sponsor an organization or learning community that would benefit from a
greater connection between the classroom and living room? The Village is not intended
for first-year student housing, but let’s face it – by the end of this year you will have
become mentor and teacher to next year’s sophomores! Here is an invitation from the
Department of Residential Living for your consideration!
“My name is Miles Basehart, and I am the Resident Director for the Village. For those
who may not be aware, the Village is a residential community that accommodates a vast
array of diverse student groups and themed houses here on Western’s campus. Some of
the themed houses that currently represent the Village include Band of Brothers,
Leadership, and many Greek letter organizations. The purpose of this email is to
encourage any academic program or student organization that may be interested in
obtaining a house in the Village for the 2013 - 2014 academic year to apply. …… “
You may contact Miles Basehart, Resident Director, for an application and to answer any
questions.
mbasehart@email.wcu.edu. phone: 828-227-3230
fax: 828-227-7304
http://housing.wcu.edu
Resource File
Blackboard --- reference and participate in the Transition Pathways Course site....
Education Briefcase – resources and information for students and for faculty and staff looking to use eB in
your course.
First-Year Seminar: Liberal Studies – resource guide for faculty teaching the first-year seminar …
Transition Pathways: An instructor resource - resource guide for FYE transition course instructors …
CFC on the Web --- help with teaching, technology, and more--- helping you do what you do better!
FYE on the Web --- many resources and network links to help you along the way …..
QEP on the Web --- discover the possibilities - find the resources you need - find your path.....
OrgSync -- https://orgsync.com/login/western-carolina-university --- the place for student clubs and
organizations and other co-curricular opportunities ..
FYE Message Board – A weekly e-journal for students with content provided by WRCS
students. The intent is to engage students in the conversation of learning and experience –
with each other!
TRANSITION PATHWAYS: The Blackboard Commons: If you teach an FYE Transition course, you will see it
on your Blackboard menu under organizations. Questions: contact Glenda Hensley at ghensley@wcu.edu
The Education Briefcase (eB) is now open to ALL undergraduate students!
For information please contact Nory Prochaska, Chair of the eBriefcase Implementation Team.
For general information about eB, visit the website.
The next regular publication date is January 7, 2013 --- please let me know if you want to share updates
about programs, events, or other opportunities for teaching and learning in FYE!
Glenda Hensley, FYE Director