Dean’s Update 9/1/23
Dean’s message
This fall, we are working on our life skill of flexibility, it seems. We had to move our FACS welcome back picnic indoors due to stormy weather but were excited to see so many of you there! As soon as our outdoor space along Cedar Street is completed, we will have a pop-up get together there.
We are moving ahead with two programs aimed at enhancing faculty well-being and human capital: the Faculty Leadership Fellows Program (Fellows will be speaking at our fall college assembly) and our Mentoring program for faculty in all types of appointments, prior to the first promotion. I’m looking forward to the first meetings of the Faculty Advisory Committee and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee.
It has been a great semester so far, with much more to come.
Homecoming tailgate
We recently made the difficult decision to cancel our plans for hosting a homecoming tailgate this fall. At present, we do not have an alumni director in place to lead and coordinate the necessary efforts to ensure the success of the tailgate. However, we do hope to announce a new alumni director very soon, so be on the lookout!
We understand the significance of the homecoming event for our alumni and apologize for any disappointment this decision may cause. Our commitment to fostering a strong bond between the alumni and the college remains unwavering, and we will continue to explore opportunities
Donor-Scholar reception
Please save the date for our annual Donor-Scholar celebration on Thursday, Oct. 19 from 4-6 p.m. at Mahler Hall in the Georgia Center. This unique event is designed to recognize our generous donors and the students they help support.
Please RSVP by Oct. 16. Contact Kathy Adams at facsevents@uga.edu with any questions. A registration link is forthcoming.
UGA FACS-Extension VITA received national award
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program recently won the “Champion of Training” national award from the IRS. The IRS is excited about what we are doing and the collaborations that have been formed.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension partners with Extension offices in over 20 counties to offer both virtual and in-person tax training and tax preparation. They not only train Extension agents and student volunteers, but they recruit and train taxpayers who are coming in for assistance, thus gaining additional volunteers for their sites.
Disability History Symposium
The sixth annual Georgia Disability History Symposium will be held on Oct. 3 from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries.
The symposium will focus on “The Road to ADA: Section 504 at Fifty,” featuring a reflection on the changes in education, employment and community living for people with disabilities. The event is free and also will be available via Zoom, but you must register via the links below.
Guest speakers include Joe Shapiro with NPR News; Carmen Jones, a disability leader, consultant and advocate; and Dom Kelly, founder, president and CEO of New Disabled South. Mark Johnson, activist and community builder, also will offer his reflections.
The event is sponsored by the Institute on Human Development and Disability and the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies.
FACS is one of several co-sponsors.
Study Abroad Program Development Grants
The Office of Global Engagement is inviting proposals from faculty to develop and lead UGA study abroad programs for undergraduate students. Up to $4,000 per program will be awarded. Due dates are October 1, 2023 or March 1, 2024.
The FACS Undergraduate Research Opportunity gives undergraduate FACS students a $1,000 award and the opportunity for mentored participation in research conducted with a FACS faculty member, stimulating student interest and involvement in scientific inquiry.
The mentoring faculty member will be given access to up to $1,000 for related research costs. Application deadline for the 2023-2024 academic year is September 15. More information and application instructions can be found here.
The Jan Hathcote Social Science Academic Support Fund and graduate research grants program is for FACS M.S. or doctoral students who have identified their research project, have the support of their major professor and have a strong interest in the social sciences in the various departments of the college.
A two-page proposal, brief statement of proposed research plan and budget request for funds are due September 15. Current FACS students should consult with their faculty advisors. Up to $1,500 is available each academic year. The application can be found here.
Requests to use Student Technology Fee funds for tech related to academic outcomes or instructional objectives are due September 30. The form can be found here. Email requests to Karli Cotton facsassocdeans@uga.edu
eLC Academic Honesty Instructor Toolkit
Please continue to encourage your faculty to review A Culture of Honesty and discuss expectations with their students. On September 1, all instructors of record in Fall 2023 will be enrolled in an “Academic Honesty Instructor Toolkit,” a standalone course on eLC, which contains information and resources on a range of key topics.
All incoming students registered for Fall 2023, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional (excluding law) students, will be enrolled in academic integrity modules on eLC.
AI syllabus statements
Guidance and tips for instructors can be found at the CTL site here.
Call for faculty Academic Honesty panelists
The Office of Academic Honesty is still in need of faculty panelists to review materials related to alleged violations and decide whether a violation occurred. The total average time commitment is no more than three hours once or twice a semester. Virtual orientation sessions are being offered Thursday, September 7 at 2 p.m. or Friday, September 8 at 9 a.m. Please contact honesty@uga.edu if you have faculty who are willing to serve.
FACS events calendar
Just a reminder to please add your upcoming events to the events calendar on the FACS website. Adding an event is easy and helps us bring more awareness to your event.
To see the events calendar, visit https://www.fcs.uga.edu/events. Please contact Jimmy Hansen if you have questions about utilizing this feature of our website.
Upcoming events
September 2 -UGA vs. UT Martin, Sanford Stadium
October 3 – Disability History Symposium, Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries
October 19 – Donor-Scholar Reception – Mahler Hall
October 25 – FACS College Assembly – Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries
December 15 – FACS Fall Convocation – Mahler Hall
Sincerely,
Anisa M. Zvonkovic
Dean and Georgia Athletic Association Professor in Family and Consumer Sciences