IHE Notes

Spotlight on Pre-Publication Research  |  Renovations in Classrooms  |  Celebrating Just and Inclusive Leadership |  Why I Give...

Spotlight on Pre-Publication Research

A key factor in moving research from an intellectual exercise to a group discussion is inviting dialog and making research- in-progress accessible to a wide audience without any paywall or password.

Over the summer, the Institute launched the IHE Research Projects Series online (ihe.uga.edu/rps). In addition to providing a vehicle for uploading, sharing, and citing emerging research, the series offers an overview of the kinds of professional inquiry in which our faculty engage. Faculty members submit recent conference papers and manuscript versions of their works to the site to ensure open access to their research.

Peer-reviewed academic journals provide an authoritative stamp of quality, but authors wait through extensive delays between an article’s acceptance and its publication. Online first venues help shorten the interim, but access is limited to subscribers. Our new RPS project makes it easy for anyone to find and read the research pursued by the IHE faculty.

Renovations in Classrooms

Classrooms in Meigs Hall received video conferencing upgrades this summer. The projectors, screens, lighting, speakers, and microphones were modernized for a better overall experience. The project also upgraded the podium command screens to integrate video capabilities more seamlessly into one convenient location.

IHE maintains a strong commitment to connect with other thought-leaders, innovative researchers, and key administrators from around the country. Jim Hearn, interim director during the project, said, “It's ideal when visiting speakers can interact with our faculty and students in person here in Meigs, but improvements to our video conferencing capabilities will allow us to engage effectively with more speakers and more members of the larger IHE community.”

Joshua-fleming Walker, IHE’s IT specialist, spent time investigating and showing the faculty the various state-of-the-art options from around campus. Professor Amy Stich added, “In addition to strengthening engagement with the broader IHE community, the upgrades will provide our faculty with improved pedagogical tools that will enhance the learning experiences of our students.”

Celebrating Just and Inclusive Leadership

Alumnus Dominique Quarles, director of diversity of inclusion at the UGA Office of Diversity, sat with IHE students, staff, and alumni at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Breakfast in January. Quarles’s office coordinates the annual event and participates in the selection of the President’s Fulfilling the Dream Awards to recognize the work of local people who have made significant contributions to social justice, race relations, justice or human rights.

Why I give…

AT THE INSTITUTE, I was able to learn from and build relationships with the incredible core faculty of the Institute, world-renowned faculty from across the globe, as well as top leaders from throughout higher education, government, and related fields. The faculty and staff were invested in both my education and in my overall success.

The program prepared me well, and I would not be the same professional if it weren’t for the educational experience I received at the Institute, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Giving back to the Institute allows me to honor the faculty and administration that have helped to shape my life and career, while hopefully providing more opportunities for future students to have the same powerful experience.

Adam Sterritt is assistant vice president for student success and engagement at the University of Alabama, where he provides enhanced coordination and collaboration for UA’s programs and services related to student success. Sterritt currently serves on the editorial board for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators’ (NASPA) Journal of College and Character, and on the Board of Directors for the Hardee Center for Leadership and Ethics in Higher Education at Florida State University.