Wednesday, July 11, 2018

The offices of Educational Outreach, ACCESS and Information Technology Services are collaborating to bring Blackboard Ally to your Blackboard courses this fall. 

Blackboard Ally is a product that provides students with alternate formats for uploaded PDF, Word, PowerPoint and HTML content. For example, it can convert a text document to an audio file. It also assists faculty in making content more accessible by pointing out where formatting can be improved or providing alternative file types.

By mid-July, you will notice new indicator icons in your courses that will show how your content measures up to web accessibility standards. If you click on these icons, Blackboard Ally will guide you through steps for improving content. Although it might seem overwhelming at first, starting with low-effort tasks like adding alternative text to images is a good way to begin tackling the larger goal of creating accessible course content. Since accessibility is a key factor in student success, we hope that faculty devote the time to design courses with all students in mind.

Please take the time to review this overview of the Blackboard Ally tool and how it will function in your course. You can also refer to this quick start guide. If you would like additional training, please register for one of the training sessions, or contact us at idlt_center@siue.edu.

The SIUE Office of Undergraduate Admissions will host 50 high school students participating in the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) Camp College program through Friday, July 13.

Through Camp College, students will learn how to navigate a college fair, write an essay and identify which college is the best fit for them.

Please help us welcome these students to campus! If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at 650-3705.

We are continuing our exciting tradition of welcoming the incoming Class of 2022 to SIUE by hosting our Annual Convocation Parade to the Cougar Statue.

This year, we are inviting more individuals to participate in the parade to make this initiative expecially exciting and meaningful for our campus partners and incoming students.

Please register here by Tuesday, July 31, wear your SIUE apparel and join us along the parade route on Friday, Aug. 17.

We have created zones for faculty, staff, student organizations and more:

Zone 1: Faculty 12:15 p.m.
Zone 2: Athletics 12:15 p.m.
Zone 3: Community members 12:20 p.m.
Zone 4: Alumni 12:25 p.m.
Zone 5: Student organizations 12:30 p.m.
Zone 6: Staff 12:35 p.m.

Also, here's how to play along in the 8th annual Catch the Cougar Spirit contest:

• Appoint a Spirit Captain for your department. Register here.
• Wear your SIUE apparel on Friday, Aug. 17 and join us for the Annual Parade to the Cougar Statue!
• Take a group photo of everyone in your department decked out in their Cougar spirit gear. Creativity may be rewarded. Submit it to tarmoor@siue.edu by noon on Monday, Aug. 19.
• Enjoy the fun and help us welcome the Class of 2022 with this awesome new tradition!

This University-wide tradition will help us send a heartfelt welcome to our newest Cougars as they transition into the SIUE community. Feel free to bring “pompoms” and “welcome signs” to boost even more SIUE spirit!

As a thank you, all faculty and staff participants will receive a special discount on SIUE apparel (courtesy of the Cougar Store), and a chance to win complimentary basketball tickets to a game of your choice for your department (courtesy of Cougar Athletics, based on availability).

Questions? Contact Tarsha Moore in the Office of Student Affairs at ext. 2020 or tarmoor@siue.edu.

Accessible Campus Community & Equitable Student Support (ACCESS) and the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion invite you to take part in the newly revamped BUILD mentoring program by becoming a mentor to a student registered through the ACCESS office.

BUILD stands for Bridging Universal Inclusion & Leadership Development, and we are actively seeking qualified SIUE faculty and staff to help make BUILD more than a name and more of a tangible result afforded to our students!

By participating in BUILD, you can help students needing accommodations, due to diagnosis or disability, solidify goals and gain confidence in their academic aptitude, as well as provide additional motivation to continue their path to career success. BUILD is a flexible program, working within the confines of your schedule and time constraints to allow you the freedom to set up monthly meetings between you and your mentee at a time of mutual convenience.

Faculty and staff participants will undergo a dynamic mentor training session prior to the start of the fall semester jointly facilitated by ACCESS, and the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion. Please complete the online Mentor Application Form by Friday, Aug. 3. Once we receive your application, we will do everything we can to match you with a student who has an interest in your career field. 

If you have questions about BUILD or would like more information, feel free to contact us at myaccess@siue.edu or call Dominic Dorsey at 650-3726.

Al Holliday and the East Side Rhythm Band is the featured artist for Lovejoy Library’s “Night in the Stacks” annual fundraiser.

6 p.m.
Saturday, August 11
Lovejoy Library, Main level

Part of the fundraising efforts will consist of a silent auction that will include items from performers of the Mississippi River Festival, as well as other unique items.

Sugo’s Spaghetteria will provide dinner, and there will be a cash bar for the evening.

Tickets are $65 per person or $500 for a table of eight. To purchase tickets, contact Erica Vandiver at ervandi@siue.edu  or 618-650-2713.

For more information, to contribute an auction item, be a sponsor or make a donation, please contact Jeff Brown, director of development at Lovejoy Library, at jefbrow@siue.edu or 618-650-2714.

Read more in SIUE News.

Register now for The Mississippi Project Workshop VIII: The Value of the Humanities in Teaching and Learning about Sustainability:

9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 15
SIUE Center for Spirituality and Sustainability (The Fuller Dome)

The workshop is free to educators in the region, and will be co-facilitated by Connie Frey Spurlock and Lisa Martino-Taylor. Register at cfrey@siue.edu.

The year's resource experts bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the workshop. SIUE's Shelly Goebl-Parker will help participants think about how art can be incorporated into the sustainability curriculum.

SIUE Distinguished Research Professor Greg Fields will share connections between indigenous knowledge and sustainability.

The Mississippi Project at SIUE is one of 13 AASHE recognized Centers for Sustainbility Across the Curriculum. The workshop is in its 8th year, and has been hosted by SIUE, Saint Louis University and Harris Stowe State University.