The Office of Academic Affairs is located on the second floor of Preble Hall, Room 232. In the office of Academic Affairs, we are all things academic—as the name implies. The Office of Academic Affairs provides support and services to both full-time and part-time (AKA – adjuncts) faculty, maintains a variety of records and policies, generates teaching contracts and distributes letters to those who have made the Dean’s List each semester. Some of the larger items that the Academic Affairs office helps to oversee include the Annual Awards Ceremony, the Commencement Ceremony and the administration of student online course evaluations using a platform called BLUE.
The Annual Awards Ceremony takes place every April, typically on a Sunday afternoon. This event, by special invitation, is where we recognize the accomplishments of our top students in terms of academic work and service to the campus community. Following the ceremony, there is a special catered reception for students to celebrate with family, friends and the Campus Community.
At the Awards Ceremony, departmental awards and scholarships are given out to students for outstanding achievement in their particular field of study. Students are also recognized for being active in both the Honors Program and Student Government Association. A very popular addition to the ceremony are the Student Leadership Awards. Students have the ability to vote for their fellow students for such accolades as the UMPI Spirit Award, Resident Assistant of the Year, Outstanding Student Leader Award and Student Organization of the Year Award, just to name a few.
One of the most important events for which the Office of Academic Affairs Office has oversight is Graduation or Commencement. Commencement is a time for you to celebrate all of your hard work as you move from one chapter of your life to the next with greater knowledge, confidence and hope for the future, surrounded by friends, family and the UMPI Community. We hope, as your time grows closer to finishing your degree program, that you choose to take part in this momentous event.
Another important duty of the Academic Affairs office is the administration of online course evaluations at the end of each semester. Evaluating your courses allows you as students to share information about your learning experiences and the quality of the instruction that you are receiving. Student feedback offers usable knowledge for faculty that can help them in improving the effectiveness of their teaching and your overall experience as learners. Any feedback you wish to provide can be done anonymously unless you choose to identify yourself.
The Academic Affairs office also assists with the hiring of adjunct faculty, generates faculty teaching contracts and helps to maintain the academic catalog, course syllabi, curriculum documents, academic policies and special agreements with other institutions.
Please feel free to stop by and visit. Wishing you a productive and rewarding academic year!
