Directors Meeting Highlights

Directors from all over the world met last week at the home campus to celebrate consistency, collaboration and change.

A Welcome Home reception with President Beth Stroble on Sunday night was followed by three days of meetings and workshops in which directors got a chance to visit with one another and meet with relevant departments and administrators.

Chancellor Neil George presided over a formal luncheon on Wednesday that included the presentation of service awards. You can see photos of the conference at our 2009 Directors Meeting Photo Gallery.

Instruction Support @ Your Library

The library has a number of new resources to offer you this year, including:

--a new and improved library home page. Users now have easy access to search tools, research help, thesis requirements, news and updates from the home page. A drop-down menu of “Library Quick Links” at the top right takes you to some of our most frequently used pages.

--new databases in areas such as business, management, counseling, nursing, media communications, and international relations (click on “Library News” on the home page).

--new and updated “how to” videos (formerly the Passports Skills Video Series).

The library staff has a long standing commitment to supporting Webster faculty, students, and staff throughout all of our worldwide campuses. Please contact them by calling 800-985-4279 (800-WU-LIBRY) or visit their "Ask a Librarian" page.

New I-9 Available

The Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 has been updated. The new form, which expires in 2012, is available on the Human Resources Web site. There is also a link to it from our Extended Campus Administration page. Please make sure that you are using the most recent form; destroy all previous versions.

A note about calendars

The Registrar's Office publishes a calendar every year that includes all relevant dates for the academic year, including registration dates and deadlines for petitions to graduate. The Registrar's Calendar is used to update our Academic Affairs calendar, as well as the Academic Calendar. Each calendar appears in a slightly different format and highlights different information, but the calendars should agree.

Don't Forget...

...beginning with the Fall 2 term, adjunct faculty letters of appointment will only be e-mailed to the faculty member's Webster e-mail address. Therefore, it is important that faculty know and use their Webster e-mail address. We have provided a handy flyer that you may print and post to help prepare your faculty for the change.

Study Abroad Opportunities

The Office of Study Abroad offers students the opportunity to take their education to a new dimension with short term programs in several countries. Check out their Short Term Programs page for a full listing.

Also, the Department of International Languages & Cultures is offering an opportunity to study in Argentina next summer.

WSA News for Domestic Campus Staff

Staff Development Funds

The Webster Staff Alliance reminds us that Staff Development Funds are available for this budget year. These funds are available to all U.S. campus full and part time staff who have been with the University for at least one year (temporary and student employees are not eligible).

Opportunities include professional development classes, workshops, and seminars where funding for such programs is not otherwise included in departmental operating budgets. These funds may be used to cover program enrollment fees, transportation, parking, meals, and lodging during the program.

Funds are available on a first come first served basis and employees are only eligible to receive funds once per calendar year. Individual awards are limited to a maximum of $2,000. To apply, download the WSA Staff Development Policy and Application Form.

Compensation Survey

The WSA Compensation Committee will be sending out a survey to collect your opinions and concerns about staff compensation issues. The survey will go out via email on Friday, October 2. The survey link will be sent to all staff members that are currently subscribed members of the WSA listserv. If you have opted out of this list, you may want to re-subscribe so that you will not miss important WSA information such as this. In response to your comments, WSA is working on setting up a St. Louis WSA staff list so that extended campus staff are not bothered by announcements about St. Louis-only activities.

If you have any further questions regarding either of these opportunities, contact Terri Jones (terrij@webster.edu; 314-246-7953).

The Webster Family Tree

Welcome to those staff members who recently joined the Webster family:

Michael Dean, Lab Assistant, Ft. Leavenworth, KS

Lewis Jones, Academic Director, Kansas City, MO

Cyndi Kibler, Representative, Shaw AFB, SC, temporarily replacing Shentilla Ballard, who is on military leave

Sharon Leader, Department Assistant, Columbia, SC, replacing Jennifer Nottle

Kadara Williams, Department Assistant, Columbia, SC, replacing Ora Staley

Farewell to those departing:

None to report at this time

Congratulations to those staff members who have recently "branched out" within the Webster family:

Cassie Wilson, formerly coordinator at Columbia, has become Director of our new campus at Ft. Gordon, GA

We would like to hear from you!

Email the
Office of Academic Affairs
with your news, comments, suggestions, ideas, and insights.

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Next Issue

the week of
October 12, 2009