Winner of the Peoples' Choice and Dean's Choice awards at the 2012 Chili Cookoff
From the Tim Kniseley household

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground chicken
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups low sodium chicken (or vegetable) stock/broth
1/2 jar jalapeno peppers or as desired
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper (or as desired)
1 can white cannellini beans
1 can red/navy/kidney beans
tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Pre-cook the chicken breast, chop up.
2. Brown the ground chicken in olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper in large pot.
3. Add chicken broth and rest of ingredients except tomatoes. Simmer for minimum 30 minutes.
4. Add fresh tomato pieces 5-10 minutes before eating.
5. Add extra kick if desired. Garnish with jalapeno, sour cream, cheese, or whatever. Enjoy.

Starting this fall, all CLA first-year students will participate in the CLA First-Year Experience. The CLA First-Year Experience is designed to encourage students to make connections with learning opportunities as early as possible in their college career. It is a two-semester course (CLA 1001 & 1002, 1 credit each semester) designed to organize a variety of in-class and out-of-class learning experiences and reflection opportunities that will engage students in carefully charting their own educational path on the basis of their strengths, values, interests, and motivations. In this work, we will encourage and support students in taking full advantage of the many campus resources as they develop, reflect on, and implement their educational plans.

The First-Year Experience will be delivered online (through Moodle), with a variety of in-person experiences built in. Among other topics, students will be introduced to the value and purpose of a liberal arts education, how to explore potential majors and departments, and the advantages of connecting with faculty and academic support staff early and often.

More information about the CLA First Year Experience, including information about the common reading (Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro) and descriptions of the 2012 themes, can be found online.

Departments can help by sharing upcoming events and opportunities that they wish to promote to first-year students by emailing stuprogs@umn.edu. Sharing any feedback that you hear in your departments is also greatly appreciated.

The CLA Commencement Committee would like to invite and encourage you to join in the celebration of our students' achievement by volunteering for the spring commencement ceremonies on Sunday, May 13th in Mariucci Arena.

The commencement ceremony is the culmination of our students', our own, and our colleagues' hard work, and representation of CLA advisers, counselors, and administrators at this important event demonstrates our commitment to CLA undergraduates and their families.

By Mary Hicks, Director of External Relations

Last year we received a stunning $14 million gift from the estate of Charles and Myrtle Stroud to endow scholarships in CLA; by all accounts a windfall for our students. But it made me wonder, with this sudden infusion of scholarship money, what would be the impact on students with financial need?

At mid-academic year, CLA is moving in the direction described in my September State of the College address that builds on the overarching principles of the CLA 2015 report.

To continue along that path, our main project must be to cultivate an environment where the liberal arts are recognized for the central--even critical--role they play in individual lives, at the University of Minnesota, and in the world today.

Our project must be to "animate the liberal arts" by making them visible through our research, academic programs and outreach activities; by clarifying their importance for the intellectual life and postgraduate aspirations of our students; and by demonstrating their significance for the contemporary world.

The College of Liberal Arts will host its first-ever Senior Celebration on Thursday, December 15, 2011 at the McNamara Alumni Center. The Senior Celebration recognizes the achievements of CLA's summer 2011 and fall 2011 graduates in the presence of their family, friends, and faculty members.

CLA faculty members are invited to attend the Senior Celebration and can RSVP online by Monday, December 5, 2011.

CLA faculty, staff, students, alumni, family, and friends are encouraged to represent the college during Homecoming week.

Sunday, October 16: Thank U Day
Join the College of Liberal Arts team to perform various community service projects in and around campus on "Thank U Day", Sunday, October 16. CLA "Thank U" Day volunteers can stop by the CLA hospitality table on Northrop Plaza from 11:00 am to noon to enter a drawing for campus restaurant and U of M Bookstore gift cards. Additionally, CLA "swag" will be available while supplies last.

Volunteer projects run from noon to 3:30 pm. All "Thank U" Day volunteers must register to participate in advance.

Be "Golden" All Week
There are various other "golden" opportunities to give back during Homecoming week.

October 21: Homecoming Parade!
Finally, show your CLA pride! Walk and roll together in CLA's Homecoming parade unit the evening of Friday, October 21. Bring your spouses, partners, and kids; your wagons and strollers; and, of course, your maroon and gold. Register to march with CLA.

Hello, Colleagues and Friends in CLA

We're happy to announce that the 2011 Community Fund Drive has begun, and to introduce ourselves as the co-chairs of this year's drive. We sincerely hope you'll find a way to do your part for this outstanding cause.

What's the Community Fund Drive? The CFD is a campus-wide effort to make it easy for faculty and staff to give back to our community through respected, well-run organizations that support social services, education, arts, and health. In our view, it's a great time to give back to the community. The need is even more critical than ever. Those of us who are employed and have our basic needs met are fortunate indeed, and most of us can do something to help those who are considerably less fortunate. Even a small donation can make a difference. Just a dollar or two each pay period can add up to significant sums when combined with contributions from your colleagues.

Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the start of the 2011-12 academic year! This is always an exciting and reinvigorating time as we welcome new colleagues and students to our departments and the college and meet with our classes for the first time.
Let me bring you up to date on CLA news.

After careful thought and consideration between CLA's commencement committee and CLA's leadership team, the College of Liberal Arts has officially decided that it will no longer hold a fall commencement ceremony in December beginning in 2011. It was determined that a fall commencement ceremony was no longer feasible following the closure of Northrop Auditorium - our traditional venue for commencement - and the fact that when it reopens it will have a much smaller capacity. This news was emailed to all CLA faculty, staff, and students (who were within 75% of their degree completion) in mid-July 2011.

Did you know that our out-of-state students leave the University at higher rates during their first year? The Office of Undergraduate Education and Orientation & First-Year Programs are starting a new initiative, @ Home in MN.

You are invited to join in the celebration of our students' achievement by volunteering for the spring commencement ceremonies being held on Sunday, May 15 in Mariucci Arena.

Since this spring ceremony will be held in Mariucci, we will need more volunteers than before to make this a memorable experience for our students.

By Gary Oehlert, Associate Dean for Planning

I love the old Abbott and Costello comedy routine "Who's on First?". In that routine, we know where everyone is, but we're trying to figure out who they are. This summer in CLA, we will know who everyone is, but we will have to work hard to keep up with where they are. Here is the short list of upcoming moves.

by Liz Boyle (Sociology), Faculty Legislative Liaison

The 2010 elections swept out many veteran state legislators and swept in a large new cohort. We need to make it clear to this new group how important the University is to the state of Minnesota. An investment in the U is an investment in the future.

They need to see that U professors and staff are hardworking, approachable, and interested in contributing to the state, nation, and broader global community. They need to hear that we care about students. Truth be told, we need to dispel stereotypes held by legislators and their constituents that faculty members are arrogant and self-absorbed.

Faculty are invited to participate in the joint commencement ceremony for graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Science and Engineering, the College of Biological Sciences, the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, and the Medical School basic science departments.

The ceremony will replace the two annual commencement ceremonies formerly held by the Graduate School.

The CLA Open House is Saturday, March 26.

The Open House is CLA's biggest recruitment event of the year. We invite admitted students and their families to join us in celebrating their admission as we continue to highlight the incredible opportunities awaiting them in CLA. The goal is to encourage students to confirm their enrollment with us for fall of 2011.

We need your help! This is an important CLA-wide recruitment event and you--CLA staff and faculty--play a vital role in the event's success!

Poster applications are now being accepted for the 4th Annual Academic Technology Showcase, featuring CLA innovations in the area of educational and research technologies. We would like to hear from everyone who has notable projects that leverage technology for teaching and learning, creative expression, or research and exploration. What went well? What recommendations do you have for others interested in doing similar projects? What can the University community learn from your efforts? If you have a project, initiative, course, study, or service that you would like to share, simply complete the poster application form by Thursday, March 10.

And join us at the Academic Technology Showcase

Wednesday, April 6
1:00-3:30 PM
Great Hall, Coffman Memorial Union

by Jennifer Windsor, associate dean for undergraduate programs

Research opportunities are key experiences for undergraduate students; however, most programs focus on sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Through the Freshman Research and Creative Awards program, CLA has taken the lead in engaging outstanding first-year students with faculty scholars. Now in its third year, the program individually matches exceptional students based on their interests and abilities with CLA faculty members who involve students in their ongoing scholarly work.

The Office for UMore Park Academic Initiatives is seeking nominations of faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, and staff to serve on the UMore Park Academic Mission Advisory Board. The board helps to identify and support mechanisms that integrate U research, education, and public engagement into the planning and development of UMore Park.

In case you have forgotten, the University is closed Friday, December 24, 2010, through Sunday January 2, 2011.

CLA buildings will be identified as "Non-Active" during these 10 days. Non-Active is defined as:

*No planned events/activities
*No services to faculty, students, staff or outside communities
*Buildings will be locked; key and card access only
*Temperature reduced to about 65 degrees
*Limited snow removal with only emergency exits/stairs to be cleared
*Minimal campus security staff
*Minimal facilities (custodial) staff on site; daily walk through
*No parking staff other than pre scheduled events
*U.S. mail will be held for the majority of the campus

Suggestions for auto reply email and voice mail messages to use:

This is ............ Due to the official University of Minnesota winter closure, I will be out of the office and not responding to email/voicemail, Dec. 24, 2010, through Jan. 2, 2011. No services will be provided during this period. (optional: This closure is a University cost savings measure.) If there is an urgent matter that cannot wait until after January 3, please call 612-624-9839 and leave a detailed message for a return call. Thank you.

General and CLA-specific information regarding the Winter Closure can be found at http://cla.umn.edu/intranet/.

CLA Course Transformation Program Call for Applications- Deadline: Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The College of Liberal Arts Office of Undergraduate Programs and the CLA Office of Information Technology, in partnership with the University Office of Information Technology are pleased to announce the call for applications for the 2011-2012 cohort of the Course Transformation Program (CTP). Departments are invited to apply to participate by nominating a faculty member(s) and a course that could benefit from a redesign to meet faculty teaching, student learning, and/or broader curricular challenges. Read more

Call for proposals for IAS Research and Creative Collaboratives for 2011-12
Each year, the Institute supports a limited number of research/creative collaboratives. These collaboratives promote synergistic interdisciplinary activity difficult within departmental structures. Collaborative activities vary: some collaboratives meet regularly for works-in-progress discussions or public workshops and other programs, others work together on projects. Some collaboratives incorporate a public component that encourages connections with the community. The Institute seeks participation from all colleges and schools at the University and encourages graduate student participation in collaboratives. Collaboratives may be convened by University faculty, students, or staff, but should show evidence of faculty participation. Proposals for 2011-12 Collaboratives are due on February 4, 2011. Read more

Call for Proposals: Research or Art Grant in Austrian/Central European Studies
The Center for Austrian Studies invites applications for a multi-disciplinary or interdisciplinary research or art project grant for up to $45,000. The grant is intended for scholarly or artistic projects that are broadly based in Austrian/Central European Studies. Proposals from all disciplines in the arts, social sciences, humanities and/or sciences are welcome. Application deadline is Friday, March 11, 2011. Read more

Here's a reminder that CLA grad students who wish to apply for an Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowship through the Institute for Advanced Study need to have a preliminary application ready by January 25 (the general deadline is February 15).

By Evelyn Davidheiser and Richa Nagar
Richa Nagar, associate dean for faculty and professor in the Department of Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, and Evelyn Davidheiser, assistant dean for international programs and director of the Institute for Global Studies, have been leading a series of workshops entitled Revisiting Internationalization in CLA. In a series of conversations that began in fall 2009, participants identified the development of reciprocal partnerships with institutions and communities in the Global South as a key goal for the project.

Reciprocity implies not only that each partner benefits from the interaction provided by the partnership but also that the agendas, objectives, principles, and structures of partnerships evolve through the processes of deep collaboration. This is especially important when relatively resource-rich institutions enter into partnerships with relatively resource-poor institutions.

The Student Technology Fee Committee is now accepting proposals from CLA faculty, staff, and departments seeking funds for technology equipment and technology-rich projects that enhance the learning experience for our undergraduate and graduate students.

by Ana Paula Ferreira, committee chair

As part of the planning process initiated last academic year by CLA Dean James Parente, in view of the challenges faced by the largest college of the University of Minnesota, a work group was charged to help chart the future of foreign languages, literatures, and cultures. Members of the work group represented both commonly taught and less commonly taught languages (including classical, American Indian, and African languages), as well as the director of the Institute for Global Studies, the director of the Language Center, and administrators connected to the foreign language curriculum.

The final report of the CLA 2015 committee will be released to the college community on Monday, November 8. If you receive this E-News then you will receive an email with a link to the report on Monday morning.

Guidelines for the Horace T. Morse-U of M Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education and the Award for Outstanding Contributions to Postbaccalaureate, Graduate, and Professional Education are now available online. CLA nominations require additional specific forms, which are due in 115 Johnston Hall no later than Friday, October 29. Consult with Barbara Schwab at schwa133@umn.edu or 612-625-7994 to ensure that your nomination is complete.

Dear CLA Colleagues,
At the 2010 CLA State of the College address, Dean Parente encouraged CLA faculty and staff to participate in the 2010 Community Fund Drive. Each year the month of October is set aside so we can focus on those in our community who are in need. Through the CFD process we have the opportunity to not only support our surrounding community but even some of our current and future students. As this year's CLA lead volunteers, we invite you to join us in supporting our local community. Please take just a few moments to review the following important information about this year's CFD:

Some CLA students are still being told to visit their career office in 135 Johnston Hall. Lost students stop by that location daily. This is a friendly reminder that CLA Career Services (formerly called Career and Community Learning Center) has moved to the new Science Teaching and Student Services Building, Room 411.

Tuesday, September 28, 3:30 p.m.
Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Institute

Join your CLA colleagues at the first meeting of the CLA Assembly, where Dean Jim Parente will deliver the annual State of the College address.

From Dean James A. Parente, Jr.:
I am delighted to introduce Nuruddin Farah and William Wimsatt as our newest Winton Chairs in the Liberal Arts. They are both superlative scholars and thinkers who will catalyze our academic community and who have demonstrated intellectual courage and the habits of the iconoclast throughout their careers.

The Consortium for the Study of the Asias purchased five-year access to the e-Korean Studies database for the University libraries to support Korean studies on campus. The database covers academic disciplines including arts and humanities, social sciences, sciences, medical sciences, and physical education from various sources including monographs, periodicals, newspapers, dissertations, reports, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and video lectures. It also includes North Korean academic journals.

For Sophomores and Juniors:
The LeaderQuest Program 2011 is a semester-long leadership development program that features interactive workshops, guest speakers, a retreat, and a mentor relationship. All sophomores and juniors studying at the University of Minnesota are eligible to apply. Students will learn about the tools of becoming a successful leader and more importantly, about themselves. LeaderQuest is one of the oldest leadership programs on campus today.

Nominations can be sent to Nick or students can apply online.

For Seniors:
The Tom Burnett Advanced Leadership Program is a highly selective program for seniors (and select juniors who would be unable to participate their senior year). Only 12-15 students are admitted each spring. This is a great opportunity for you to recognize the students you feel far exceed average. We encourage you to notify the students you have nominated and let them know that they are well deserving of this honor. Once we receive your nominations, we will contact the student(s) and invite them to apply and interview for the program.

Participants will explore and enhance their leadership abilities through the study of advanced leadership topics such as negotiation, networking, creating change in the workplace, risk-taking and courage, working in a global environment and many more. Students will meet together for 8 weeks in the spring semester. Each participant will be paired with a first-year student to mentor, as well as a job coach from his/her chosen field.

Nominate a student online. (If you do not know all of the information to fill in the fields that is ok. Simply fill in as much as you know.)

Homecoming parade and CLA student royalty are just two of the highlights of Homecoming 2010: Paint the Town Gold

The final candidates for the CLA-OIT Technology Enhanced Learning Team Coordinator position will give public presentations on the topic "Technology Enhanced Learning and the Liberal Arts" next week.