Archive for July, 2019

In SP 19, four departments in CoE piloted the University Libraries’ free e-book program for their students. In this program, where possible, the library obtains free multi-user e-book licenses for course textbooks and makes the e-books available to registered students through Canvas and also online in the University Libraries’ catalog.  Last spring IE, CHE, AE and CSE participated in the program and the library was able to make free e-books available to 1435 students, providing them with potential savings of over $266,000.  This fall, we would like to roll out the program to the entire college. 

In brief, here is how the program works:

• FA 19 textbooks entered into FacultyEnlight (regular textbook ordering system) by Wednesday July 24 will be eligible.
• Library staff will work with the publishers to negotiate a multi-user license for as many of these books as possible.
• If an e-book substitute is available, the course instructor will be notified via email by August 12.  It will include sample emails for faculty to notify their students about the e-book availability and access.
• Any instructor who does NOT wish to have the e-book link inserted into their course, can opt out by replying to the email by August 19.
• For participating faculty, library staff will place a link to the e-book in each course’s library resources area in Canvas.  This link will also include an FAQ to help students who may have questions about the process.
• Students can still purchase the hard copy of the book if they wish, and they may also want to check with the Libraries to see if there is a hard copy available.
• The Office for Digital Learning will provide faculty with sample communications to share with their students about the program and will also give a list of e-books to advisers in each department so they can let students know which e-books are available.

We’re excited to be able to expand this program across the college to provide textbook cost savings for as many of our students as possible. Please contact Cathy Holsing, Director, Office for Digital Learning, if you have any questions about the program or how to find materials for your class that are available in e-book formats.

The Engineering Graduate Student Council (EGSC) and the American Red Cross will host a blood drive on Monday, July 22, from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM in Kunkle Lounge, Hammond Building.

We need your help! Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds, and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.

Your commitment to donating blood is extremely important. The need for blood is constant, and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community.

We have a goal of 40 successful donors based on the need for the area.

Have O–, A–, B– or O+ blood? Consider donating Power Reds! More information about this donation can be found at redcrossblood.org.

If your last WHOLE BLOOD donation was before May 27, you are eligible to donate again on July 22!

If your last POWER RED donation was before April 1, you are eligible to donate again on July 22!

Click here to sign up »

Please direct questions about the drive to Charles Tierney, EGSC Blood Drive Coordinator, at cjt47@psu.edu.

For your convenience, download the Blood Donor App, placing the power to save lives conveniently in the palm of your hand. Through the app, users can schedule appointments, track donation and health history vitals (pulse, hemoglobin, blood pressure), and know when you are eligible to donate again for whole blood, power reds, and platelets.

The CoE Staff Advisory Committee will host its annual Summer Bash on Tuesday, July 23*, at noon in Foundry Park. *NOTE: In case of inclement weather, the Summer Bash will be postponed to July 24.

Click here for more information »

With fiscal year end now behind us, the Engineering Finance Office is looking forward to a very busy new fiscal year leading up to the launch of SIMBA, the new System for Integrated Management, Budgeting, and Accounting, which will replace Penn State’s financial and other integrated systems, including the University’s legacy Integrated Business Information System (IBIS). At this one-year milestone, it’s a great time to learn the latest about the SIMBA project in the team’s July 2019 SIMBA Newsletter which, if you didn’t receive by email, you can find along with other details at www.simba.psu.edu.

The College of Engineering has been working hard over the last two years to prepare local systems, data, and processes for SIMBA go-live on July 1, 2020. As part of our commitment to a successful implementation of SIMBA, the College has created a new Continuous Process Improvement Consultant position to work closely with the University Organizational Change Management (OCM) Team, SIMBA OCM Team, and others to ensure Engineering is ready for SIMBA. We are fortunate to have Kelly Caviston starting in this new role, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience in administrative operations, team building, and management including several years in the Mechanical Engineering Business Office. While Kelly will be engaged in many business administration policy and process improvements and documentation, SIMBA is an important focus area for the next two years. Kelly will be representing Engineering on the University’s SIMBA OCM Advisory Committee and will build and direct a team of “Change Champions” within the College to assist faculty and staff with information sharing and training throughout the transition and beyond. Look for more information in the coming weeks about the Engineering SIMBA Change Champion Network!

Once again, please join me in welcoming Kelly Caviston to our team!

Thanks!

Matt Zerphy, Director of Finance

Colleagues,

You might be aware of The Village at Penn State, a local retirement community.

Many former faculty members and Penn State alums live there, along with others who have had interesting careers and life experiences. I’ve been contacted by some of our former faculty colleagues there to see if some current engineering faculty members would be interested in describing their ongoing research programs in lectures and conversations with an audience at The Village. They hope to have one engineering lecture/conversation a month.

Typical lecture times are 10:30 AM or 2:00 PM. I can attest from personal experience that the meals and happy hours there (only certain days) are quite lively and enjoyable!

If you would be interested in talking about your work to a group of engaged residents at The Village, please respond directly to Kim McGinnis, Director of Resident Services, at kmcginnis@villageatpennstate.org, with a copy to Susie Sherlock at sjs10@psu.edu. I’m certain that your collaborators and students would be welcome as well.

If your research has been highlighted in the engineering news or headlines, it’s possible that you will also receive a direct personal invitation from The Village. If you do, please say yes!

Thanks for considering this,

George Lesieutre, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs