Monday, July 30, 2018

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.

We are looking for faculty and full-time staff volunteers to assist with Move-In Day for first-year students on Thursday, Aug. 16.

Volunteers help welcome first-year students and their families to SIUE, and direct traffic at the entrance to Lot B and each of the first-year residence halls (Bluff, Prairie and Woodland).

If you would like to volunteer for this amazing process and show your SIUE pride while welcoming new students, please sign up at the following link, signupgenius.com/go/20f084da4a628a0f94-volunteers

Directions on your role and more information will be sent out by Monday, Aug. 13. Please email Rex Jackson at rjackso@siue.edu with any questions about this opportunity.

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

* Returning students move into Evergreen Hall and Cougar Village on Saturday, Aug. 18.

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 now, you may have noticed 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 Suzuki Program will host an informational meeting for prospective new students and families:

7-8 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 22
Dunham Hall, Room 1109

All are welcome and no commitment is required at the meeting!

Please email suzukiprogram@siue.edu with questions.