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5. Student as Creator + Curator: Transformative OER Pedagogy Through Student Research in Excel
No full textThis chapter considers ways that basic student research can act as a transformative OER pedagogy. The author examines student co-created lessons and assesses an open pedagogy design model utilized in California Community College Excel courses over the last 10 years. While Excel is a valued academic and job-oriented skill, many students find that spreadsheets are not engaging nor the primary focus in most courses. It is through this design model that students are encouraged to curate “micro” lessons for fellow students, acting as active curators rather than passive learners. The concepts thoughtfully encourage students to have agency/ hope, develop advocacy skills, identify cultural wealth, develop intersectional awareness, self-examine positionality as a practice, utilize systemic analysis, facilitate relational accountability, and navigate power/privilege and freedom of information. The assessment for/as a learning model is inherently humanized, flexible and Universal Design focused. It engages online students in an asynchronous environment through activities like Canvas discussions. Popular source research challenges systemic issues surrounding academic source standards, allowing for non-dominant information to meet research criteria. Genuine respect for student diversity and intersectionality is made clear. Meeting students “where they are” and “when they are” has become critical. Articulating that message to students, can make way for a more thoughtful course design. The impact of course assessment design is an opportunity to engage with students. Those who are on the job, or in courses where Excel is used but not the focus, find that having the time to explore specific skills in community can make Excel manageable, less stressful, and less abstract. This chapter further explores the concept of “openness” by creating a sustainable learning ecosystem, one in which student health, needs, and justice are considered along with the curriculum. Sustainable learning outcomes empower students to be in academic environments while sustaining themselves first. As well, issues of transparent, labor-based grading, use of social media, preparing learners to learn, authenticity and the potential to convert this to a renewable assignment will be discussed
7. Integrating Research Into Coursework: Fostering Inclusive Pathways to Student Success
No full textThe financial burden of course materials on students can be substantial. The chapter Integrating Research into Coursework: Fostering Inclusive Pathways to Student Success explores efforts to alleviate these costs and create more inclusive opportunities. By leveraging no cost materials and open educational resources (OER), students can achieve their educational goals without incurring additional financial strain. Accessing these resources through libraries or library guides allows students to prepare effectively at the start of the semester and complete their courses successfully, paving the way for graduation. The chapter details how the first author’s project served as a gateway to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive college environment. It supports a diverse student body with open resources that align with course curricula and prepare students for global citizenship. This initiative not only removed the financial burden of textbooks but also provided equitable opportunities for all students, regardless of their financial ability to purchase traditional textbooks
Faculty Senate Minutes December 1, 2025
No full textCall to Order University Business Faculty Senate Business Information Report Honors Program Annual Report USUSA Annual Report Faculty Evaluation Committee Academic Freedom and Tenure Old Business New Business Adjourn - 4:30 p
4. Raising the Bar: An Administrator\u27s Perspective on Documenting Teaching Excellence to Support Instructor and Student Development
No full textAdministrators at the department, college, or institutional level are well positioned to support instructor development. Department heads, who typically have responsibility for routine performance reviews, play a role in tenure and promotion decision making processes, and have a line of sight on data related to instructional performance, can and should play a particularly impactful role. Serving as a department head, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and on a university level tenure and promotion committee gave me diverse perspectives on what effective teaching documentation looks like. Moreover, it shaped how I mentored, offered counsel, or approached conversations about teaching effectiveness, whether with instructors, or new or aspiring administrators. While not all administrators have the same breadth of experiences, they can still effectively assess instructional performance in ways that help instructors build their identities and brands as educators committed to student growth
2. Triangulating Teaching Growth: A Three-Voice Approach to Evaluating and Documenting Your Teaching
No full textFor many universities, student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are synonymous with teaching evaluation. Universities typically administer surveys to students at the end of the semester, year after year, to solicit evaluations of their instructors’ teaching. Instructors report their scores as evidence of their teaching excellence for formal evaluations. Different academic units review these scores while making consequential decisions, such as raises or promotions. For better or worse, SETs are deeply embedded within the academic evaluation system
Tax Increment Financing: A History and Analysis of its Success and Failure
Get PDFTax increment financing (TIF) is used by cities and towns to subsidize projects within their jurisdictions. The name derives from the growth in the tax base that a (re)development is theoretically responsible for. The increase in tax revenue is directed to funds to pay for the project. TIF is used in 49 U.S. states and each state has unique legislation for its use of it, though there are large similarities between states on how it’s implemented. Research suggests mixed results with whether or not the increase in the tax base is enough to pay off how much money went toward the project in the form of TIF. Since TIF differs depending upon the state, looking at patterns of policy may lead to discerning which traits increase the likelihood of success or failure. This paper suggests that there are policies that can improve use of TIF: requiring that project sites be deemed in need for subsidizing developments for projects to occur, involvement of local government agencies that will be affected by the project, and quality financial decisions/oversight
Engineering Planktonic and Biofilm Microalgae Systems For Productivity, Power Requirements, Cost, and Scalability
Get PDFMicroalgae cultivation offers dual benefits as an effective wastewater treatment method and a sustainable source of valuable bioproducts, such as biofuels, bioplastics, and feedstocks. This approach supports sustainability by transforming waste into high-value products while minimizing environmental impact. However, scaling microalgae cultivation to industrial levels presents significant challenges, particularly in optimizing harvesting efficiency, reducing mixing and transport costs, and managing large water requirements.
This report compares the productivity, scalability, cost, and energy requirements of two primary cultivation systems: planktonic and biofilm. Planktonic systems, such as open raceway ponds (ORPs), excel in light distribution and nutrient uptake due to continuous mixing, promoting high growth rates. In contrast, biofilm systems are more resource-efficient, using less water and energy while maintaining stable multi-species communities that enhance resilience. This review highlights the importance of addressing key scalability challenges and optimizing system designs. Field-scale studies are essential to advance industrial microalgae cultivation, making it a viable solution for both wastewater treatment and renewable resource generation
See, Anchor, and Frame Math With Coding
Get PDFIn this presentation, we will share our experiences with integrating mathematics and programming in fifth-grade classrooms. We approached this integration with three key features in our lessons: visualization of important math concepts, anchor ideas that cross coding and math, and the framing of content to help students make connections. We will share our exponents, fractions, and geometry lessons and show how we used coding to provide students with meaningful spaces to engage with interactive contexts to broaden their mathematics conceptions
Thriving Hives: Propolis - Harvest and Usage
Get PDFOne of the lesser-known substances produced by honeybees is something called propolis. Propolis is a type of adhesive that bees use to construct their hives and keep unwanted invaders out. Propolis is difficult to collect and process but can be beneficial, as it has many useful applications. This fact sheet addresses harvesting and using propolis
Replacement of Monensin With a Proprietary Tannin-Blend Additive in Calf-Fed Holstein Steer Diets
Get PDFA proprietary tannin blend was evaluated as a potential ionophore replacement considering traits of feedlot cattle growth performance, carcass traits, and health. Holstein steers (n = 1450; initial shrunk body weight (SBW) = 141.6 ± 34.2 kg.) were blocked by origin and randomly assigned to receive a finishing diet containing one of two treatments: 1) 14,500 mg per head daily of Silvafeed ByProX (SBPX; ByPro/BX blend, Silvateam S.p.A, San Michele Mondovì, Italy) or 2) 180 mg per head daily of monensin (MON; Rumensin™ 90, Elanco, Greenfield, IN). Steers were on trial for 341 ± 11 days. Pen was the experimental unit (~72 steers/pen), with ten pens per treatment. Data were analyzed in R 4.2.2 and are reported with deads and removals included. Initial SBW tended to be greater (p = 0.06) for SBPX steers and was therefore utilized as a covariate for other weighted measures. Treatments experienced similar ADG even though SBPX-supplemented cattle consumed more DM daily (p \u3c 0.01); MON cattle had more efficient gain (p \u3c 0.01). No difference (p \u3e 0.10) was observed for total morbidity and mortality. However, SBPX cattle were more frequently diagnosed with lameness or other illnesses, while MON cattle experienced greater challenge with respiratory illness and tended to require third pulls more frequently (p ≤ 0.10). Greater (p \u3c 0.05) concentrations of eighteen phytochemical metabolites were recorded in muscle samples from SBPX steers compared to those from MON steers, indicating greater phenolic exposure from tannin-rich supplementation. No difference was observed for carcass traits or liver abscess distributions (p \u3e 0.10). Though performance outcomes were not replicated, Silvafeed ByProX could be an option to maintain cattle health in the absence of monensin