The Faculty Handbook, developed collaboratively by Academic Affairs and Faculty Senate, is a comprehensive resource to help faculty navigate institutional structures, policies, and available resources for personal and professional growth.
It’s that time of year when we start preparing to celebrate our many outstanding students who will be graduating this academic year. This year’s Student Honors Convocation will be held on April 25 , 2025,from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, at Strauss Performing Arts Center.
Thank you, in advance, for your nominations that allow our students to be recognized for their exemplary accomplishments.
Academic Affairs is pleased to announce that the following have received the appropriate final approvals:
NEW: Artificial Intelligence, Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence – Effective Spring 2025
NEW: Youth Justice Concentration – Criminology & Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science in Criminology & Criminal Justice – Effective Fall 2025
NEW: Japanese UG minor – Effective Fall 2025
Delivery Change: Health and Kinesiology, Master of Science – addition of Oline Delivery – Effective Spring 2025
Delivery Change: Business Administration, Master of Business Administration – addition of Online Delivery- Effective Spring 2025
Separation: Biomedical Informatics MS from UNMC – Effective Spring 2025
Commencement
Let’s celebrate! Encourage your faculty to attend commencement on Friday, 12/20 to celebrate with and show support for our graduating students and their families. Full regalia is required. Additional information on the December commencement ceremonies can be found here. The morning ceremony (9am) is for A&S, CEHHS and UNL Engineering. The afternoon ceremony (2pm) is for CBA, CFAM, CPACS, and IS&T.
J-session
Per the academic calendar MOU, faculty time is protected during the first two weeks of the j-session. Faculty are back on Mon, 1/13 and classes begin Tues, 1/21. Faculty and Chairs/Directors with 12-month appointments and/or with administrative duties are expected to fulfill all obligations starting Tues, 1/2.
Important Dates
Jan 14: Academic Administrator Training: Faculty Evaluation and Advancement
General Education Reform, Faculty Senate Approval, & Next Steps
Thanks to close collaboration and partnership with faculty and staff, the process of general education reform continues to advance and gain momentum on campus. On November 13th, the faculty senate passed a resolution offering approval of the proposed general education curriculum. As is standard, the proposal will now be advanced to the University's Educational Policy Advisory Committee (EPAC) for their Dec 13th meeting.
Additionally, plans are being made to support faculty to deliver impactful general education courses within the structure of a revised curriculum thanks to generous support from the Weitz Innovation and Excellence Fund. More detailed information will be available in the coming weeks, but planned initiatives will include:
Varied levels of professional development to support faculty as they develop new general education courses, substantively redesign existing general education courses, or make modifications to assignments and tasks within courses;
Establishment of a professional learning community to provide opportunities for professional development, collaboration, innovation, and faculty recognition related to general education; and
Piloting new innovative approaches to leverage general education for greater interdisciplinary training and workforce development.
Are you planning to teach a Service Learning Course in the Spring?
A record number of faculty participated in TABS this fall with consultations provided for 77 courses.
42 faculty have signed up for peer teaching observations (sponsored by UCAT)
40 faculty, staff, and students participated in the fall 10-day Writing Challenge
TANDEM has launched year three
Over 100 faculty and staff members attended the Paul Hanstedt lecture, panel, and workshop on creating wicked students (sponsored by general education and UCAT)
Encourage Students to Apply
Inspire your students to apply for these incredible scholarships and opportunities. The Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships (ONSF) is available to guide and assist interested students with applications.
Goldwater applications are open!
Goldwater applications are sought! This prestigious STEM scholarship recognizes sophomore or junior (by year) STEM students interested in research careers. Students must be American citizens with a 3.0 GPA and are encouraged to complete the pre-application to be connected to UNO support. The deadline is the end of January.
Fulbright Summer Institutes
Fulbright Summer Institutes are intended for first and second-year students who have NOT traveled beyond the U.S. and who would benefit from such opportunities: held over summer in various parts of the U.K., students must be U.S. citizens with a 3.6 GPA and ready to work through several short essaysbefore the start of February (support available from ONSF). Please visit the Fulbright Summer Institutes website for full details.
The Truman Scholarship
Please connect excellent junior standing (in their third year) students interested in public service careers to the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation to consider a Truman application, due at the start of February. Students interested in developing an application should read over the web materials and be in touch with ONSF for support (as they have to be nominated by UNO).
Engaged Teaching & Learning Roundtables
Join the Office of Engagement for a monthly discussion about engaged teaching & research. You’ll hear best practices and lessons learned from fellow faculty and OE staff members who can connect you to resources that will help you along the way. Join us as we share information and build community around engaged teaching. Held on the last Wednesday of every month via Zoom. Contact Rosey Higgs, Associate Director for Service Learning for more information.
Personal and Academic Advising Support for International Students
International Programs (INPR) in collaboration with New Student and Family Program (NSFP) offers both an online orientation and in-person orientation (16 January) for incoming international students. Students who live on campus and reserve rides are picked up at the airport (13 and 14 January) and taken to university housing. INPR’s Global Diplomat cadre welcomes them, helps them settle in, and accompanies them shopping and banking, and to the Henry Doorly Zoo to kick off the semester.
Academic advisors who assist international students to meet their full-time enrollment requirements must also help them avoid taking the wrong number of online or remote classes for immigration purposes.
Full-Time: International students must enroll full-time in the fall and spring terms. Full-time for graduate students is nine credit hours and full-time for undergraduate students is 12 credit hours. Summer enrollment is optional for continuing students.
Online and Remote Courses: Only one class or three credits each semester may count towards a full course of study if the class is taken online or remotely. Also, the final class cannot be remote or online.
In accordance with the University's Holiday Closure Schedule, the Office of Sponsored Programs will be closed on the following dates for Winter Break:
Winter Break: Monday, December 23rd 2024, through Wednesday, January 1, 2025
To ensure timely processing of proposals during these periods, please adhere to the following internal Winter Break deadlines:
For proposals with deadlines during the Winter Break or within the first 3 business days afterward, all NuRamp approvals and proposal documentation must be submitted to OSP no later than 5:00 PM, Tuesday, December 10th, 2024.
Proposals must be submitted by OSP no later than 5:00 PM, Monday, December 16th, 2024.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in advance!
The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.
University of Nebraska at Omaha, Academic Affairs, 6001 University Dr., Eppley Administration Building 202, Omaha, NE 68182, 402.554.2262, academic.affairs@unomaha.edu
