Monday Minutes

Here are your Monday Minutes for March 22-26, 2021. 

From the Department Head 

Dear students and colleagues,

March Mammal Madness originated at Mammals Suck...Milk, Dr. Katie Hinde's blog, where she founded MMM in 2013. Each year, the tournament has become more popular, elaborate, educational, and fun.

Inspired by (but in no way affiliated with or representing) the NCAA College Basketball March Madness Championship Tournament, March Mammal Madness is an annual tournament of *simulated* combat competition among animals. Scientific literature is cited to substantiate likely outcomes as a probabilistic function of the two species' attributes within the battle environment. Attributes considered in calculating battle outcome include temperament, weaponry, armor, body mass, running speed, fight style, physiology, and motivation.

Through the scientific information embedded in the bout descriptions, participants are educated about inter-species interactions, the importance of ecological context, how natural selection has shaped adaptations, and conservation management of endangered species.

Take good care,

Dr. Ann Ewbank

News and Announcements

• MSU has new processes for students to add or drop a class. Add-drop request forms will longer be used except in special cases. More information can be found on the Office of the Registrar website. View

• Our next department meeting is Tuesday, March 23, 12:15-1:30 in Ann’s WebEx room. The main topic will be doctoral course methods rotation, with general announcements and discussion at the beginning. Feel free to attend part or all of the meeting dependent on your interest. Our final meetings for the semester are on 4/6 (strategic planning process reflection) and 4/20 (department celebration). Spring workday is cancelled this year.
• Joe Hicks will present “Anonymous Anomaly: Nonresident Undergraduates on a 21st Century Land Grant Campus” on Wednesday, March 24, 10-11am as part of his doctoral dissertation defense via Webex. View
• Field Placement and Licensure Student of Excellence- Please nominate teacher candidates who will student teach in Fall 2021. Please email John Melick by March 26 with the student’s name, program and a brief statement. We will announce the Outstanding students at the TEP induction and Student Teaching Send-Off Ceremony on 4/5.
• Final Spring 2021 Curriculum & Instruction program meetings are March 30, and April 13 (12:15-1:30) in Nick’s WebEx room

ojed.org/jtse

lynchrj@appstate.edu

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Opportunities

• The next two Center for Bilingual and Multicultural Education webinars by Dottie Susag of Humanities Montana will take place on March 24 and April 7 2:00-3:30 (Mountain time).  She will discuss The Night Watchman and Native Poetry. Please see the attached flyer. All past webinars are available.

• Dr. Bryce Hughes and our doctoral student Amber King recently presented a workshop on microagressions. A recording of the workshop can be found here.

• Please join us for a workshop presented by Dr. Kristofer Olsen : Friday, March 26^th at 11:00am, Oborɔnyi Price: A Discussion of One Person’s Path to More Inclusive Language.
• In Ghana, people who identify as white are collectively referred to as Oborɔnyi (Oh-bro-knee), which could mean foreigner, lighted skinned individual, one who comes from the horizon, one who frustrates or who cannot be trusted. What words do we use that disrupt equitable interactions? I invite you to talk about what we say and how our words have implications beyond our intentions.

• Friday, April 2^nd, 11am-noon: Equity-Minded Classrooms: Using an International Approach and Inclusive Teaching Strategies facilitated by our PhD students Shihua Brazill and Marie Bathelot. They will share how to create equity-minded classrooms using an international approach and inclusive teaching strategies.

• Wednesday, April 14^th, 1-3pm:  A workshop facilitated by Colleen McMilin and Genevive Cox on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion integration into the classroom. More details to come.

• Last week, several people from EHHD attended the “How to be an Ally in Indian Country” workshop by the Native Wellness Institute. Living in a state and working at an institution where we have many Indigenous students, they do an excellent job of talking through the best ways we can support our students from diverse backgrounds.

• The University of Montana recently hosted Dr. Beverly Tatum, author of Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Check out the full talk here.

Professional Development & Engagement Opportunities

• All graduate students in the College of Education, Health and Human Development are invited to participate in a THREE MINUTE THESIS (3MT®) contest to showcase the wonderful research taking place in the college. The EHHD 3MT® 2021 event will be aired live on Wednesday, April 28, at 4:00 p.m. All faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the college are invited to attend and participate in voting for a People’s Choice Award Winner. A panel of judges will select a Runner-up and an overall Winner. All finalists and award winners will receive prizes! The Abstract Submission Deadline is Sunday, March 28, 2021. Finalists accepted for the EHHD 3MT® 2021 will be notified by Friday, April 2, 2021. Finalists will prerecord 3MT® presentations and submit by Thursday, April 22, 2021.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

• Our department’s success is determined by our collective accomplishments. Share your own accomplishments with pride! Or if you hear of a colleague or student’s accomplishment, please share. Please send accomplishments and kudos to ann.ewbank@montana.edu.