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2025 November 10 - University Council Agenda and Minutes
No full textThe University Council met on November 10, 2025, under the leadership of Dr. Kimberly McCorkle, who called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. The council approved the minutes from its October meeting and endorsed several consent agenda items, including the University Chemical Hygiene Plan and updates to enterprise information systems and resource‑planning backups. Governance groups provided reports highlighting faculty policy development, Staff Senate participation in the Season of Sharing initiative, athletics updates—including the volleyball team’s Southern Conference Championship—and reminders regarding mandatory cybersecurity training. The council received a comprehensive strategic planning update from Dr. Mike Hoff, who reviewed ETSU’s evolving strategic agenda through 2036, focusing on access and success, community stewardship, operational excellence, teaching quality, employee empowerment, and research innovation. He presented key performance indicators showing growth in enrollment, retention, graduation rates, campus housing, and research funding, and outlined next steps aligned with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s master planning process. Additional presentations included an overview of the All Together ETSU dialogue initiative, which engaged more than 1,000 students, and a detailed status report on the Voyager/Oracle system implementation. With no new or old business to address, the meeting concluded at 10:13 a.m.*
*This abstract was generated with AI assistance using Microsoft 365 Copilot and has been checked and deemed reliable
Dena Evans, EdD, MPH, MSN, RN, CNL, CNE (2025-)
No full texthttps://dc.etsu.edu/nursing-deans-portraits/1012/thumbnail.jp
Community College Faculty Members’ Perspectives on the Use of State-Mandated Learning Outcomes
No full textState-mandated learning outcomes (LOs) have become central to curriculum design and instructional policy in higher education, yet little is known about how faculty perceive, implement, and assess them, particularly in community college settings. This qualitative study investigates faculty experiences at a rural Southeastern community college through semi-structured interviews with full-time faculty across STEM, Humanities, and Behavioral and Social Sciences. I explored how instructors interpret outcomes, integrate them into courses, assess student achievement, and evaluate their effectiveness. Findings revealed notable disciplinary differences: Science faculty emphasized alignment and standardized assessment, while Humanities and Social Sciences prioritized flexibility and qualitative evaluation. Across all divisions, participants expressed concern about vague outcome language and its limitations in capturing critical thinking and deeper learning. Faculty consistently highlighted the need to adapt outcomes to disciplinary contexts and student needs.
This study contributes to the conversation around outcomes-based education by centering faculty voices often overlooked in policy discourse. Recommendations include clarifying state-level outcome language, supporting discipline-specific professional development, and preserving instructional autonomy within accountability frameworks. These findings offer practical insights for policymakers, administrators, and educators seeking collaborative, context-sensitive approaches to strengthening both instructional practice and institutional policy
2025 July - Tennessee Monthly Climate Report
No full textHi All,
The main story for July was the high heat and humidity that spread across the state for the second half of the month. Most counties in the state saw at least 1 day with a heat advisory or extreme heat warning issued by the National Weather Service due to a combination of high temperatures and humidity that sent heat index values above advisory/warning criteria. The western half of the state saw higher heat index values and were impacted by the heat wave for a longer period of time than the eastern half of the state. Some part of the Memphis National Weather Service office’s county warning area was under a heat advisory or extreme heat warning every day from July 16 to the end of the month. Based on mean temperatures for the month, Oak Ridge recorded the warmest July in the city’s 79-year weather history, Nashville tied for the warmest July in the city’s 152-year weather history, Knoxville had the 2nd warmest July in the city’s 155-year weather history, Bristol/Tri-Cities tied for the 5th warmest July in the area’s 78-year weather history, and Chattanooga tied for the 7th warmest July in the city’s 147-year history. There were only two tied record daily high temperatures across the state this month, but there were 79 broken and 99 tied daily records for warmest low temperatures. Rainfall was very sporadic across the state this month with many counties in the state having areas that recorded above and below normal precipitation. Most of the rains came from slow moving thunderstorms that produced high amounts of rain locally in a short period of time, resulting in minor flash flooding. Areas that missed out on those thunderstorms remained drier than normal for the month. A few small areas in Maury and McMinn Counties recorded less than 10% of their normal July rainfall. The first and fourth weeks were generally the driest, with few areas recording above normal precipitation. Potential flash drought conditions are increasing through the first few weeks of August in the western half of the state. The August summary will include more info about recent flooding in Chattanooga and expanding drought conditions in western TN. Stay cool everybody!
Andrew & Wil
Tennessee Climate Office
East Tennessee State University
Department of Geoscience
A Humanistic Approach to Graduate Student Research Consultations
No full textThis paper examines the benefits of a humanistic approach to research consultations with graduate students due to their unique research needs and lived experiences. Graduate students undertake complex, long-term research projects that require sophisticated information literacy skills and specialized support. Beyond these technical needs, graduate students often experience library anxiety and academic pressure stemming from their varied backgrounds, demanding lives, and a wide range of research knowledge and experience. Personalized, one-on-one research consultations offer an ideal platform to address both the technical and emotional needs of graduate students. By infusing research consultations with humanistic principles, including empathy, authenticity, emotional intelligence, and a counseling mindset, librarians can transform these interactions from mere information exchanges into meaningful relationships. A humanistic approach can help to reduce library anxiety, build research confidence, and create positive perceptions of library services. When librarians recognize graduate students as whole individuals with complex needs, they create supportive environments where students feel seen, valued, and understood. By embracing a humanistic approach to research consultations, librarians can enhance graduate student success and well-being while positioning themselves as true collaborators in the research process rather than simply technical experts or information gatekeepers