Warren Belasco, American Studies, in National Publications
Meals to Come: A History of the Future of Food, the latest book of American Studies professor Warren Belasco, was profiled in the New York Times’ “Feast or Famine” on Oct. 20.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/22/books/review/Lee.t.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&ref=review&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

Belasco's new book, Meals to Come: A History of the Future of Food, was also discussed in "The Politics on Our Plates" in the October 13 issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education.
[Subscription Required]

Anne Brodsky, Psychology, Writes for Counter Punch.org
Anne Brodsky, associate professor of psychology and director of UMBC’s Gender and Women’s Studies program, wrote “Return to Afghanistan,” an article that appeared CounterPunch.org on Oct. 13. Brodsky compared her recent visit to Afghanistan to her first visit to the country in 2001. The article appeared on.
http://www.counterpunch.org/brodsky10132006.html

Charlie Brown, Athletics, in the Baltimore Examiner
Several universities in the Baltimore region, including UMBC, report high graduation rates for their student athletes, according to the Oct. 7 Baltimore Examiner’s “Area Schools Earn Mixed Grades on Graduation Report Card.” Director of Athletics Charlie Brown said the coaches and academic support staff at UMBC contribute to the success of UMBC student-athletes.
http://www.examiner.com/a-331490~Ron_Snyder__Area_schools_earn_mixed_grades_on_graduation_report_card.html

Dennis Coates, Economics, in Appleton Post-Crescent (Wis.)
Oct. 8, the Appleton Post-Crescent (Wis.) printed an Associated Press news report on the economic impact the Milkwakuee Brewers have on the community. The article, “Study: Brewers Have Significant Economic Impact,” referred to a 1994 study conducted by Dennis Coates, professor of economics, who investigated spending on sports stadiums in the country.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061008/APC0101/610080644/1892/APCsports

Kevin Crawley ‘83 in the Baltimore Sun
Kevin Crawley ‘83, visual and performing arts, appeared in the Baltimore Sun on Oct. 8 in “Community Improvement,” an article about Renovation Station, a retail store run by Anne Arundel County’s Habitat for Humanity that sells discounted building materials and furniture. Crawley is the store’s general manager.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-ar.restore08oct08,0,1444417.story?coll=bal-local-arundel

Don Norris in the Baltimore Sun
The support of national, prominent political leaders are important for local elections said Don Norris, professor of public policy and director of MIPAR, in the Baltimore Sun’s Oct. 20 “Clinton Rallies Faithful, Raises Funds for O'Malley, Cardin in Visit to City,” in which former President Bill Clinton visited Maryland to rally support for Democratic candidates Martin O’ Malley, who seeks the governor’s office, and senate-hopeful Ben Cardin.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.clinton20oct20,0,4561224.story

On Oct. 20 in the Baltimore Sun’s “Former Delegate Gets Purported Diebold Code,” Norris comments on Diebold Election Systems Inc.’s resistant to grant open-source software development, a process that allows computer and political scientist to critique its program. The company manufactures the state’s touch-screen voting machines.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.voting20oct20,0,5237249.story?page=1

Norris was quoted in the Baltimore Sun’s Oct. 20 “Cave Switches to GOP, Takes Write-in Route,” about Howard County Sheriff Charles "Chuck" Cave, who lost in the Democratic primary and, subsequently switched party affiliations and filed to run as a write-in for the upcoming election.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/howard/bal-ho.elect20oct20,0,4937246.story

Yvette Mozie-Ross, Academic Services, in the Daily Times (Salisbury, Md.)
Yvette Mozie-Ross, assistant provost for enrollment management, appeared in the Daily Times’ (Salisbury, Md.) “SU Wants to Make SAT Optional” about whether Salisbury University will make the SAT an optional requirement for admittance. If the University System of Maryland Board of Regents accept the proposal, Salisbury University will become Maryland’s first public university to offer this option.
http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061014/NEWS01/610140310/1002

Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the News
In “Democrats Don't Need Dixie,” an Oct. 27 Baltimore Sun Op-Ed, Tom Schaller, associate professor of political science, explains why the Democrats can win the majority in the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.dems27oct27,0,7102233.story?coll=bal-oped-headlines

On Oct. 26, Tom Schaller, associate professor of political science, appeared on MSNBC, and on Oct. 25, he appeared on NPR in “Bush: Dems Overly Optimistic, Barack on White House Run.” Schaller’s NPR interview is located at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6382793.

Democrats will gain congressional seats outside the South in the 2006 elections, claims Schaller in his article, “Where the Seats Are,” in In These Times on Oct. 23. http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2850/

Probable Democratic defeats over Republicans in the congressional races are sure to cause a political snowstorm predicts Schaller in “The Blizzard of ’06,” Schaller’s Oct. 22 New York Times Select blog entry. Subscription Required.]

Oct. 13, Tom Schaller was quoted in the Baltimore Sun’s “Ehrlich, O'Malley in 2 Debates Saturday” speculates the possible motives of why the two gubernatorial candidates had insisted—oftentimes with ensuing arguments—on scheduling several debates before the elections.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/elections/bal-debate1013,0,1517633.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

On Oct. 9 in the Denver Post’s “Republicans Say Party Bracing for November Losses,” Schaller characterized Western Republicans as libertarians who support “independence and rugged individualism.”
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_4463317

Traxion Therapeutics Inc.; Lentigen Corp. in the Daily Record
Two techcenter@UMBC companies, Traxion Therapeutics Inc. and Lentigen Corp. are among 16 biosciences companies that will present their technology to venture firms at the Mid-Atlantic Bio, a regional conference where local life sciences companies are showcased to potential investors.
http://www.umbc.edu/techcenter/pdf/upcoming

Traxion Therapeutics Inc in the Baltimore Business Journal
“UMBC Biotech Startup Seeks $10M to Start Testing Pain-Relief Drugs,” an article on Traxion Therapeutics Inc., a techncenter@UMBC company, appeared in the Baltimore Business Journal on Oct. 6. Traxion Therapeutics Inc., which develops drugs to treat neuropathic pain, or overwhelming pain affecting the nerves in the hand and feet, hopes to secure $10 million in venture capital by the end of the year.
http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2006/10/09/story6.html

UMBC Program and techcenter@UMBC Companies in National Newsletters
The ACTiVATE Program, an UMBC initiative that cultivates technology and life sciences-related entrepreneurship opportunities for women, was featured in two national newsletters along with Traxion Therapeutics Inc. and Foligo Therapeutics Inc, two techcenter@UMBC companies. VentureWire Lifesciences and VentureWire Professional, also quoted Stephen Auvil, director of UMBC’s Office of Technology Development, and two of ACTiVATE’s first graduates, Mona Jhaveri, CEO and chief scientific officer of Foligo Therapeutics Inc., and Kerrie L. Brady, CEO president and chief executive of Traxion Therapeutics Inc.

October 13, 2006

AVIcode, techcenter@UMBC, in the News
Techcenter@UMBC company AVIcode, the lead provider of application monitoring solutions for Microsoft .NET Framework, will provide .NET Management Pack solution to the fourth largest bank in Israel, Mizrahi Tefahot Bank, according to Biz Weekly’s Oct. 3 “Israeli Financial Institution Banks on AVIcode’s Technology.”

AVIcode was also mentioned in Network World’s “Perfecting Application Performance” on Sept. 25 for providing .NET applications to Evolution Benefits, a benefits payment supplier.
http://www.networkworld.com/allstar/2006/092506-application-performance-monitoring-evolution-benefits.html

Dennis Coates, Economics, in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel A 2004 study conducted by Dennis Coates, professor of economics, was mentioned in the Oct. 6 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s “Miller Park's Impact Put at $327 million.” Coates, along with Bill Humphreys, investigated the spending associated with sports stadiums around the country. The report concluded that stadiums contributed to the decline of per-capita income in communities.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=510574

Freeman Hrabowski in the Biz Weekly
On Oct. 3, UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski appeared in Biz Weekly’s “Arundel Chamber, UMBC to Feature Barak, Woodward, Ripken Jr. and Gore.” The brief news report announced the debut of The Maryland Forum, a new speaker series that features former world-renowned leaders of countries and other leading figures in their fields. The Maryland Forum is presented in partnership with the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, Inc., and will be hosted at UMBC. For more information, visit http://www.themarylandforum.com/. Also, read UMBC’s coverage at http://www.umbc.edu/newsevents/insights/archives/2006/10/umbc_hosts_worl.htm.

John E. Lindner ‘82 in the Baltimore Sun
John E. Lindner ‘82, history, is seeking the District 1 County Council seat for Anne Arundel County. Lindner, a Republican, is a lawyer who handles civil cases in his Glen Burnie office. The Oct. 8 Baltimore Sun article, “Lawyers Vie for Seat on Council,” outlines the similarities between Lindner and his opponent Democrat Daryl D. Jones.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-ar.01council08oct08,0,4268149.story?coll=bal-local-arundel

UMBC in the Baltimore Sun
Students who successfully complete the requirements for an Associate of Arts degree in general studies at Cecil Community College (CCC) are guaranteed admittance into UMBC’s College of Engineering and Information Technology to earn a bachelor of science in computer science. The new development is the “first program-to-program articulation agreement” between UMBC and CCC.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-ha.education01oct01,0,3026421.story?coll=bal-education-k12

Don Norris, Public Policy, Appears on Local Radio/Television
On Sunday, Oct. 8, Don Norris, professor of public policy, appeared on “11 TV Hill,” a WBAL TV news program. Norris discussed the importance of the African American vote in Maryland elections. View the show at http://www.thewbalchannel.com/station/1515541/detail.html.

Norris was a guest on WYPR 88.1 FM on Oct. 6 to discuss e-voting and voter confidence in the Maryland’s voting system.
http://www.wypr.org/MD_Morning061006.html

On Oct. 3, Norris appeared on Washington Post radio about the senatorial debate that took place the same evening between Lt. Gov. Michael L. Steele and Rep. Ben Cardin.

Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the News
“Playground Politics: How Democrats Can Take Over the Seesaw,” the first New York Times Select blog entry written by Tom Schaller, associate professor of political science, was published on Oct.10.
http://midtermmadness.blogs.nytimes.com/?p=13
[Requires subscription.]

Schaller analyzed how Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael L. Steele and Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford, both black men vying for senate seats in their respective states, are attempting to sway voters from various party lines. The article, “Black Senate Candidates Seek Votes Across Party Lines,” was published in USA Today on Oct. 6.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-05-blacks-senate_x.htm

On Oct. 6 in “Designs for the Democrats (WBF),” a Capital Times (Madison, WI) article, Schaller’s new book, Whistling Past Dixie: How Democrats Can Win Without the South was profiled, and Schaller was interviewed on the future of the Democratic party.
http://www.madison.com/tct/books/index.php?ntid=101983&ntpid=0

October 6, 2006

Beverly Bickel, English Language Center, in the Baltimore Sun
English Language Center Director Beverly Bickel wrote “Is Dialogue Dying?,” which the Baltimore Sun published on Sept. 27. “I contemplated how difficult it seems to be for our human species to live in such close proximity and how challenged we are to engage in intraspecies dialogue, let alone manage our connections with ‘our animal brethren,’” wrote Bickel.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.dialogue27sep27,0,4703965.story?coll=bal-oped-headlines

Don Norris, Public Policy, in the News
On Sept. 28, the Baltimore Sun quoted Don Norris, professor of public policy and director of MIPAR, in “Ehrlich Ad Slams Arrests” about Governor Robert L. Ehrlich’s latest re-election campaign ads that accuse his opponent Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley of supervising a police department that illegally arrests African-Americans.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.crime28sep28,0,173894.story

In the Sept. 27 Baltimore Sun’s “Franchot Leads By Nearly 2-to-1,” Norris claimed it’s “no surprise” that Democratic candidate for state comptroller Peter Franchot leads his Republican opponent Anne M. McCarthy by 2-to-1.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.poll27sep27,0,2989404.story

Prominent, national political figures help boost the financial pockets of local politicians said Norris in the Sept. 26 Washington Post’s “Clinton Among Parade of Pols In Md. to Back Candidates.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/25/AR2006092501463.html

On Sept. 24, in the Baltimore Sun’s “2 Candidates Score Points With Themes,” Norris assessed that gubernatorial candidate and Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley may have a chance to defeat his opponent Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich by addressing the issues that many Maryland Reagan Democrats share.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.themes24sep24,0,7718648.story?page=2

In “The Story of a Candidate and His Dog,” a Baltimore Sun article published on Sept. 23, Norris discusses the motives behind the campaign ads of Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. “He's trying to give people the impression that he's this fresh outsider when he's anything but," said Norris.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.steele23sep23,1,5690457.story?page=2

Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the News
Associate professor of political science Tom Schaller’s newest book, Whistling Past Dixie: How Democrats Can Win Without the South, was reviewed in the Oct. 1 New York Times’ “What’s the Matter with Democrats.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/books/review/Hacker.t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

“In Hostile Territory,” a Sept. 28 Economist article, quoted Schaller about whether or not Democrats can take the reigns in the heavily Republican-driven South.
http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7971109

The Chicago Sun-Times reviewed Schaller’s book in “Singing the Blues” on Sept. 24.
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/books/68698,CST-BOOKS-blue24.article

UMBC Study in the Capital
A UMBC study that concluded that 9,089 traffic accidents in Maryland were caused by drugs and alcohol was mentioned in the Sept. 28 the Capital’s “New Drunk Driving Law Goes into Effect.” The new law imposes stiffer penalties on drivers under the age of 21 convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2006/09_28-27/TOP

UMBC in the Baltimore Sun
UMBC joins the University of Maryland, the Universities Space Research Association and NASA Goddard to create a new center for space science and technology, the CRESST (Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology). The announcement was reported in the Baltimore Sun on Sept. 29 in “UM, Goddard Join Forces on Research.”
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-hs.space29sep29,0,7832166.story?coll=bal-health-headlines

Also read UMBC’s press release at http://www.umbc.edu/NewsEvents/releases//archives/2006/09/umbc_u_maryland.html

Robert Provine, Psychology, Publishes Essay in The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2006
UMBC Psychology Professor Robert R. Provine’s essay, "What We Believe But Cannot Prove," was just released in the anthology, The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2006. This popular series, published by Houghton Mifflin, includes work by leading writers and is edited by Dave Eggers, is illustrated by Art Spiegelman and features an essay by Matt Groening, an Emmy-winning American cartoonist and creator of the animated series, The Simpsons.

UMBC Women’s Volleyball and Men’s Soccer Team Members Win America East Rookie of the Week
Women’s Volleyball team member Ashley Oscars and Men’s soccer forward Andrew Gillis were named America East Rookie of the Week (Oct. 23) in their respective sports. After failing to win the award the week of Oct. 16 for just the second time all season, Oscars continued her dominance of the America East Conference Volleyball Rookie of the Week honor, her sixth this season. Meanwhile, freshmen Andrew Gillis earned his title for scoring a pair of goals, including the game-winning goal, in UMBC’s season-ending 5-2 win over Hartford on Saturday, eliminating the Hawks from playoff contention. For more details on Oscars’ award recognition, visit
http://www.umbcretrievers.com/sports/wvball/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=3002.

Information on Gillis’ honor is located at http://www.umbcretrievers.com/sports/msoccer/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=3001

October 6, 2006

Two techcenter@UMBC Companies Present at 2006 Mid-Atlantic Bio Conference
Fifteen companies have been selected to pitch their businesses to potential investors at the 2006 Mid-Atlantic Bio conference (http://www.midatlanticbio.org/), which takes place Oct. 10-11. Of the 15, two are techcenter@UMBC companies: Lentigen Corporation and Traxion Therapeutics, Inc., an ACTiVATE program start-up.
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2006/09/25/daily16.html

Matt McGloin ’05, Performs in Teddy Roosevelt and the Treasure of Ursa Major
Matt McGloin ’05, acting, will perform in Teddy Roosevelt and the Treasure of Ursa Major at the Kennedy Center. McGloin describes the performance as a “fun family show with song and dance.” The performance is the first of an ongoing partnership between the Kennedy Center and the White House Historical Association. It will be held at the The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566).

Performance Dates and Times:
Sat. 10/14 - Preview at 1:30 p.m. and Opening at 7:30 p.m.
Sun. 10/15 - 2 shows @ 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Sat. 10/21 - 3 shows @ 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.
Sun. 10/22 - 2 shows @ 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Sat. 10/28 - 3 shows @ 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

The cost of the tickets is 15. For ticket information call 202-467-4600 or order online at http://www.kennedy-center.org.

UMBC Alumni and Staff Named BBJ ‘40 Under 40’
Three UMBC alumni and an administrator are among the 2006 Baltimore Business Journal ‘40 Under 40.’ The recognition honors Baltimore business leaders younger than 40 for their business success and community contributions. UMBC honorees include:

Duff Goldman ’97, philosophy and history, owner/baker of Charm City Cakes and host of the Food Network’s, “Ace of Cakes”

Stacie L. Price, CEO of Visionary Financial Strategies

Chris Spann, owner and general manager of The Wine Market

Greg Simmons ’04 M.A. public policy, UMBC associate vice president for development

UMBC’s Department of Human Resources selected Brian Shipley, multi-trades maintenance mechanic lead in Facilities Management, and Cory Ziegenfuss, assistant director of financial aid, as the current Employees of the Quarter.

Shipley, the Non-exempt Employee of the Quarter, has been working at UMBC for nearly nine years. In his current position, he is primarily responsible for overseeing departmental moves and supervising the student workforce that assists with setting up campus events.

“As part of our job in event management in the Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA), we need to assure that all logistics are in place on time and on budget for each event. A critical component of our job is working with the student workforce. Brian Shipley is someone who we can always rely on to do the job the right way, the first time,” said Sandy Campbell, director of advancement operations in OIA, who nominated Shipley.

A Facilities Management staff member and several of Shipley’s student workforce employees also nominated him. Shipley received his Employee of the Quarter Award on Oct. 12.

Ziegenfuss, the Exempt Employee of the Quarter, began his career at UMBC in 2002 as a financial aid counselor. A year later, he was promoted to his current position.

“Cory can be described as the perfect employee. He works quietly each day and constantly surprises me with new innovations that make me say ‘WOW!’ every time. He never says that something can’t be done and has increased productivity in the office for everyone,” said Stephanie Johnson, director of financial aid and scholarships.

Cory received his Employee of the Quarter Award on Oct 6.

To find out more about the Employee of the Quarter honorees or to obtain more information about the program, visit http://www.umbc.edu/hr/EOQ/awardreceipent.html.

The Lot 10 upper parking deck will be closed for the October 24 Maryland Forum lecture with the exception of handicapped spaces. For more information on the lecture by Ehud Barak, former prime minister of Israel,
please click here.

Unlike most college students, junior biological sciences major Rasheeda Johnson is not worried about finding an internship next summer. Her only concern – albeit a good one – is deciding whether or not to accept an internship offer from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Johnson’s work ethic and demonstrated ability to learn quickly prompted her supervisors at the Pennsylvania-based company to offer her another summer position.

Johnson spent the summer in Wyeth’s Biotransformation Division working closely with William De Maio, a Wyeth principal investigator, testing the carcinogenic levels of drugs. Johnson, who hopes to pursue a M.D./Ph.D. upon graduation, said she will very likely accept the internship next year. Though Johnson’s fortune may seem rare, she’s not the first UMBC student to acquire a second internship offer. Many students that have completed an internship or co-op through UMBC’s Shriver Center are often invited back by their employers.

"The Shriver Center is dedicated to providing employers with the talent and energy that UMBC students offer. In fact, many employers continue to request additional student interns and co-ops each semester as a result of UMBC's strong and well-qualified applicant pool,” said Christine Routzahn, associate director of internships and cooperative education at the Shriver Center.

Located on the main floor of the Public Policy building, the Shriver Center helps UMBC students gain professional experience through internships and co-ops. Staff at the Center have witnessed a significant increase in the number of student placements over the last three years. So far this year, Shriver Center staff secured, coordinated and monitored 979 internships and cooperative education placements for UMBC undergraduate and graduate students, representing a 50 percent increase since 2003. The Center has partnerships with over 430 private, government and non-profit organizations that hire UMBC students for their internship or co-op programs. Some even guarantee students a position after graduation. And the best part: 80 percent of the internships and co-ops are paid.

“The Shriver Center sells itself. Students are able to earn credit and money at the same time. They’re able to get more experience and get started on what they want to do in the future,” said Routzahn.

Irving Rodriguez, a senior information systems major, agrees. “Internships and jobs allow you to apply what you learn in school, and you can see yourself adding value to the company.”

Rodriguez’s internship with the U.S. Department of Treasury, where he is helping draft a policy on cyber security, is his second through the Shriver Center. To draw up the guidelines, Rodriguez relies on the lessons he learned in his Ethics of IT class and from his first internship with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Rodriguez, who began working at the agency just three weeks after VA officials reported that data was stolen from one of its laptop, provided consultation on cyber security procedures to his VA colleagues. As a result, Rodriquez has gained attention from top employers such as IBM, and was recently asked by the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars to conduct independent research on the topic.

The Center offers fall, spring and summer placements and provides personalized attention that will ease the job-related jitters of any student. UMBC students can get tips on improving their resume or participate in a mock interview with a coordinator from the Center. In addition, staff will discuss career interests and monitor a student throughout his or her internship experience.

“We’re a very hands-on office,” said Casey Miller, coordinator for internships and cooperative education. “In the end, it’s all about making sure students have a good experience.”

Currently, all on-campus, internship, co-op, community service and part-time and full-time job postings from The Shriver Center and Career Services Center are now available on-line through UMBCworks. Students interested in jumpstarting their careers with an internship, co-op, or service placement can consult the Shriver Center by calling 410-455-2493 or visiting www.shrivercenter.org.

By Jack Prostko, Director, Faculty Development Center

(Readers are welcome to leave a comment at the end of this article.)

In my September column I discussed the importance of learning goals in designing courses and assessing what Middle States and other accrediting bodies consider to be “learning outcomes.” However one feels about the language of bureaucratic oversight, being clear about one’s goals and making these goals explicit for students creates a better environment for learning (students know what we’re looking for) and a better climate for our teaching methods to be understood (students can, we hope, grasp why we’re doing what we’re doing).

Explaining our learning goals and our standards for reaching those goals can motivate our students. If the purposes of the course are clearly attached to assignments, then students have a reason for fulfilling the assignment beyond the notion of getting an acceptable grade. In the process of teaching toward our goals, feedback is essential in making certain that students are following our explanations, are making sense of the material and are able to use it to complete assigned tasks. Useful strategies for measuring student understanding are Classroom Assessment Techniques--ways of getting ungraded and often anonymous responses to questions about what students understand.

But how about graded assignments? These are the most important part of assessing student learning, and will be the measure of our success in satisfying accreditation requirements and serving our students well.

The most significant question in assessment is what, precisely, is being assessed. Are we asking whether students know what we are talking about? Or are we asking whether they can use what we are talking about? This distinction has been most clearly articulated by Grant Wiggins (1998) when he compares “auditive” assessment and educative assessment. Auditive assessment is backward looking: did the students come to class, get the main idea and reproduce it (in some form) on a mid-term or final? Conceptually, this is assessment as “checking-up”; let’s make sure the work was done and that things stuck.

Educative assessment, however, is an ideal. It is using graded assignments as teaching tools, so that students get more than a grade from the time and effort they put into a project, a paper, or studying for an exam. As Dee Fink describes it, “the primary purpose of educative assessment is to help students learn better” (2003, p. 83).

According to Wiggins, forward-looking assessment (creating assignments that require students to use their knowledge) provides a motivation for learning. “Assessment must be anchored in and focused on authentic tasks because they supply valid direction, intellectual coherence, and motivation for the day-in and day-out work of knowledge and skills development. . . . Assessment is authentic when we anchor testing in the kind of work people do, rather than merely eliciting easy-to-score response to simple questions (1988, p. 21).

What does this mean in practice?

Wiggins and Fink suggest a number of criteria for measuring whether our assignments are educative. Good assignments:

• are realistic

• require judgment and innovation

• ask the student to carry out exploration and work within the discipline

• replicate or simulate the contexts in which adults are tested in the workplace, in civic life and in personal life

• assess the student’s ability to use a repertoire of knowledge and skill efficiently and effectively to negotiate a complex task

• allow appropriate opportunities for students to rehearse, practice, consult resources and get feedback on and refine performances and products (1998, pp. 22, 24; 2003, pp. 86-87).
  

Undergraduate research opportunities obviously fit these criteria. Research places students in situations that require the application of knowledge and judgment within the context of real-world accountability. But we don’t require extensive research in most of our classes because we can’t. So how do these suggestions translate into what one does in an undergraduate class that may also fulfill a General Education requirement?

Many assignments can be translated into educative assessments with just a bit of work. A review of literature on an issue can be turned into a problem that the review is designed to solve, perhaps as a group project. A set of concepts to be grasped can be related to a case study that sets those concepts in a real world setting. Professors in history, ancient studies and visual arts (for example) frequently require students to visit museums to complete assignments rather than rely on texts or Web sites--and ask that students place the time spent in viewing works in relation to value: what have they learned that could not have been understood without the experience? What do textbooks or Web sites lack that an individual experience produces? And how has this helped the student understand how to view information, art, products of culture, in the future?

Another crucial part of educative assessments is that they ask for peer- and self-critique or reflection. If students are asked to use established criteria or rubrics to exam their peers’ work, they begin to better understand that evaluation and grading aren’t vague or subjective. Students also begin to develop skills that help them better judge the quality of their own work and the processes they must use in order to meet high standards.

Grading may be the least interesting aspect of teaching. But if we think of the process of evaluation as one of providing sets of educational opportunities for students then we are headed in the right direction and making good use of our (and our students’) time and effort.

Resources

Fink, L. Dee. (2003). Creating Significant Learning Experiences. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass.

Fink, L. Dee. Significant Learning Web site: www.ou.edu/idp/significant/index.htm

Wiggins, Grant. (1998). Educative Assessment: Designing Assessments to Inform and Improve Student Performance. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass.

October 13, 2006

To: The UMBC Community
From: Freeman Hrabowski
Subject: New Non-Smoking Policy

I am delighted to announce that UMBC’s new Non-Smoking Policy—created by a committee of students, faculty, and staff—is being phased in effective Monday, October 16th. The new policy prohibits smoking within 20 feet of all building openings, including doorways, entryways, windows, and air or ventilation intake systems. Smoking is prohibited also on UMBC's main sidewalk (from the entrance of the Kuhn Library to Administration Drive) and on the terrace area outside The Commons.

The policy reflects considerable campuswide discussion and promotes health benefits for the entire campus community and visitors. By moving smoke away from building entrances and major public spaces, the new policy will reduce risks associated with secondhand smoke.

The policy will be phased in over the next 90 days, beginning with a 30-day awareness and educational campaign. The campaign will include (1) a campuswide forum to discuss the policy and its implementation, hosted by the SGA (November 15th, 12:00 noon, 2nd floor student organization area in the Commons); (2) placement of signs identifying prohibited and designated smoking areas; and (3) community announcements via e-mail and posted on UMBC’s homepage and myUMBC. The policy also will be incorporated into UMBC’s new employee and student orientation programs.

After 30 days, smoking urns and ashtrays will be relocated to designated smoking areas. Also, Human Resources will host an orientation for supervisors on how to encourage employees to observe the policy, and the Office of Judicial Programs will determine the number of referrals it has received for policy violations or complaints.

The policy and its implementation will be reviewed after 90 days, with input solicited from the campus community. The policy is available at www.umbc.edu/hr/PDFs/smokingpolicy.pdf.

Please note that the University Health Services office offers a “Freedom from Smoking” program for those who would like support in quitting smoking. For more information, please call 410-455-2542.

Finally, the success of our new Non-Smoking Policy depends on the cooperation—and thoughtfulness—of smokers and non-smokers alike. It is the responsibility of every member of the campus community to observe the policy. Thank you.