Here are your Monday Minutes for the week of January 4-8, 2021.

Please make a point of reading this email every Monday (or Tuesday), as it highlights key department announcements, opportunities, and events, particularly events hosted by one of the Department of Education’s student clubs. It covers everything you need to know in a single email message.

From the Department Head

Dear Faculty, Students and Staff,

I hope you had a good winter break and enjoyed socially-distant time with family and friends. While we have good news about COVID19 vaccine development and deployment, there are still many unknowns, such as when MSU employees and students will receive vaccinations and in what order. I am keeping a log of questions and you are welcome to send your questions to me. At this time, what you know is what I know, and I am committing to being transparent with communication- even if there is nothing new to report. 

Additionally, the Montana legislative session begins. I encourage you to visit the website and see ways in which you can participate. While Montanans are welcome to testify in person, there is now a mechanism to upload your testimony and accompanying documents. Your legislators also enjoy hearing from constituents by phone, email, or even fax! Your legislators don’t know your opinions unless you tell them, so I encourage you to engage in this process as an informed citizen of our great state. 

Have a great pre-spring 2021 semester week!

Take good care,

 Ann Dutton Ewbank's signature 

Dr. Ann Ewbank

From the Advising Office

  • The Education Advising Center is currently offering remote advising only.
    • Phone or Webex Appointments: M-F, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, as available. You can schedule appointments at www.montana.edu/education/advising/calendars.html.
    • And, as always, you can contact us via email or phone. We’re available to respond during normal business hours (M-F, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm).
  • Make sure to check the MSU COVID-19 webpage frequently as university and system-wide updates are available all in one place. 

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Resources

  • January 4 is World Braille Day. According to the United Nations, “Braille is a tactile representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols using six dots to represent each letter and number, and even musical, mathematical and scientific symbols. Braille (named after its inventor in 19th century France, Louis Braille) is used by blind and partially sighted people to read the same books and periodicals as those printed in a visual font. Braille is essential in the context of education, freedom of expression and opinion, as well as social inclusion, as reflected in article 2 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

    Writing Peace is a manual that invites young audiences to become aware of the interdependence of cultures through familiarization with contemporary writing systems, their history, and their mutual borrowings. It provides a concrete introduction to many writing systems, including Braille.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! 

Take care,

David Reese
Academic Advisor
Department of Education
Montana State University