Tag: faculty

By Jackie Todd, Office of Media Relations

Clean energy and advanced manufacturing seem like future concepts. But the future is now at Clemson where research and development of new technologies are attracting the attention—and respect—of those who seek to invest in those innovations.

One of those “investors” is the United States Department of Energy (DOE). And its representative had great things to say about Clemson.

“The whole region is on fire in terms of advanced manufacturing and clean energy and you’re a big part of that,” said David Danielson, assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy. “I think you’re at the epicenter of that.”

Danielson stopped at CU-ICAR last week as part of his Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative Southeast U.S. tour to learn more about Clemson’s involvement in this area and to seek input on how the DOE can assist the region in developing technologies to push what he called “our clean energy economy” forward in the nation.

And Danielson liked what he saw.

“If I look at what you’re doing with the eGrid, with CU-ICAR and other efforts, I really think that you’re mapping a path forward that we’re going to see the rest of the nation take on in a very short order,” he said. “Walking around here at CU-ICAR, I’m blown away. I’m so excited by the work you’re doing and I couldn’t be prouder that the DOE is one of your sponsors.”

According to Danielson, there’s a growing appreciation of advanced manufacturing and clean energy. The clean energy market, which the DOE assistant secretary said was in the billions last year, is expected to increase into the billions in the next five to ten years.

With rising labor costs overseas, a focus on reduced CO2 emissions and a growing appreciation of advanced manufacturing technologies, it’s a prime time for the U.S. to bring back the manufacturing jobs that it lost in past years.

Melur Ramasubramanian thought it was important for the DOE to understand Clemson’s commitment to this research. Ramasubramanian, the D. W. Reynolds Distinguished Professor and Department Chair of the university’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, helped to organize Danielson’s visit.

“This is a national priority,” Ramasubramanian explained. “Large scale federal funding is being directed to this area. DOE has awarded large National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) Institutes and plans to invest in three additional institutes.

Ramasubramanian said that it is strategically important for Clemson to be at the forefront of this area and position itself to win one of these institutes.

“Clean energy-related manufacturing offers the best chance for us to win, given our strengths.”

By Jackie Todd, Office of Media Relations

Parking permit fees for faculty, staff and students on Clemson’s main campus will rise effective Aug. 16.

Parking permit fees are tied to a salary tier system. Employees with higher salaries pay more for parking permits. The Aug. 16 fee increase follows the same tier system and ranges from a 33-cent increase per paycheck to a $2.08 increase per paycheck for those on the highest tier. Another tier has also been added for top wage earners. Those who earn more than $90,000 annually will see the highest increase.

But not everyone will pay more for parking.

“Those whose annual salaries are $30,000 or less will see no fee increase,” said Dan Hofmann, director of Parking and Transportation Services.

The increase is the first for faculty and staff in more than a decade and the first for students since 2009 according to Hofmann.

“The last time faculty and staff saw parking permit prices go up was 2003,” he said. “We’ve invested in new parking technologies and made major improvements to improve our parking infrastructure since then.”

Some of the most recent improvements cited include the addition of “visitor-friendly” solar powered multi-space parking meters that provide dedicated visitor spaces. In the past, visitors were permitted to park in employee spaces for free, but are now required to use the dedicated visitor spots.

Other improvements include the addition of the new E-21 employee parking lot, an eco-friendly 200-space lot near the Cherry and Perimeter roads intersection. The heavily used Sikes and Sirrine employee parking lots were renovated and the Brooks Center parking lot was redesigned, adding 50 spaces. A number of main campus parking lots now boast LED lighting, which Hofmann said supports the sustainability goals of the university, saves money and enhances safety. Parking lot “loops” have also been installed in 10 student commuter lots allowing students to access parking space availability for more than 4,200 spaces through their smartphones using the my.Clemson app. Hofmann hopes to expand this to employee lots in the future.

Hofmann is adding more employee parking spaces to the main campus.

“We’re about to sign a lease with Holy Trinity Church, which will give us up to 40 additional employee spaces in the church’s lot, right across the street from Mell Hall. And the temporary gravel area right outside of Clemson House is currently being repaved, so that will open up additional employee spaces,” he said.

Future plans include the creation of over 1,000 parking spaces for the Douthit Hills project as well as the creation of two satellite parking lots. Hofmann said that a 650-space lot on the east side of campus and a 188-space lot on the west side is still in the beginning stages, but once completed, will be accessible to faculty, staff and students.

The increase was approved by Clemson’s Administrative Council and presented to the faculty and staff senates as well and the university’s undergraduate and graduate student governments.

“We know that increases are not popular, but most employees will pay an additional average of 50 cents per paycheck,” he said. “It’s a small price to pay for the magnitude of improvements that we are implementing on campus.“

See permit rates here.

By Jackie Todd, Office of Media Relations

Faculty, staff, students and visitors who come to Clemson this summer will see the future being built right before their eyes.

Meanwhile, progress doesn’t come without a little inconvenience. To accommodate the work being done and for the safety of those on campus, Clemson will temporarily close some roads, divert traffic and relocate some parking spots. (Note: Deep breaths, it will all be ok, really.)

Take a look at some of the upgrades that will improve Clemson’s main campus:

Northwest campus

• A chiller plant will be constructed along Highway 93, which will add plant capacity for planned future growth on the west sector of campus and will mitigate risks associated with outages due to an aging central utility infrastructure. The new energy plant will also provide supplemental capacity for central campus growth estimated at more than 450,000 square feet including essential facilities such as the Core Campus housing development, the Watt Family Innovation Center, the Freeman Hall addition as well as new athletic facilities.
• Kingsmore Stadium renovations continue and are almost complete.
• WestZone and Stadium Suites upgrades will continue throughout the summer.
• To support renovations to Littlejohn Coliseum, the Avenue of Champions (from Perimeter Rd. to Centennial Blvd.) will shut down until August 19.

Northeast campus

• Core Campus construction continues. Read more about Core Campus.
• Workers will improve Riggs Field with the installation of a new vertical drainage system along with new turf.
• Douthit Hills construction will ramp up this week. Read more about Douthit Hills.
• Parkway Drive will close until June 1 as workers repave the street. Faculty and staff will be able to park in 45 additional spaces, which are now available on Daniel Drive (behind Clemson House) and 60 temporary employee parking spaces at Calhoun Courts (off of S.C. Highway 93 across from the President’s House).
• Plans for a satellite parking lot are underway. The lot will be built near the intersection of S.C. Highway 93 and Highway 76. The lot will be accessible through Highway 76 and is expected to offer 200 additional employee spaces.

Southeast campus

• Work on the Watt Family Innovation Center and Freeman Hall expansion  projects are ongoing.
• The brick plaza under the Library Bridge will be closed so that workers can replace the brick pavers.
• Lightsey Bridge Apartments will undergo upgrades and renovations.
• A new roof will be installed at the Brooks Center and the Fluor Daniel building.
• The picnic tables in the front of the Hendrix Student Center will be removed to allow better access to the building. Workers will build an outdoor plaza on the Southwest Corner of Hendrix. The new area will include 60 tables and chairs.

Work continues throughout campus on various repairs on the aging electrical infrastructure. To support these changes, the main campus will have brief, localized power outages and some traffic detours as workers dig “duct banks” (essentially a big hole in the street) to install and replace underground utilities and wiring.

This work precedes a five-year $75M electrical distribution system upgrade project that will begin next year.

“We want to construct a state-of-the-art electrical system that can auto switch power to minimize the impact of localized outages ” said Clemson’s Chief Facilities Officer Bob Wells. “It’s short-term pain for a lot of gain.”

Resources

Click here to access a PowerPoint that gives information on summer projects at Clemson’s main campus.

The facilities department maintains a calendar that lists road closures, outages and other construction disruptions. Access that calendar here or visit the facilities department Web page.

For up-to-date information about parking or transportation changes, visit the Parking and Transportation Services Web page and follow @Clemson_parking on Twitter.

Visit the Building Futures Web page for information on the university’s capital projects.

The Office of Human Resources invites Clemson faculty and staff to the annual Employee Appreciation Day lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 7, at Harcombe Dining Hall.

Join your colleagues from around the university for a buffet-style lunch, sponsored by University Housing and Dining. Clemson employee DJ Jazzy Jeff will provide the entertainment.

Attendees will automatically be entered for door prizes! Please have your Tiger 1 card available for easy door-prize registration. All door prizes are generous donations from departments across the University. Door prize winners will be notified the next day.

The Clemson family appreciates all you do for the university! Please come out and enjoy good food and good company as a well-deserved thank you.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (864) 656-2000 or Ask-HR.

Parking information

Employees may park in the following designated parking spaces:
-Employee parking – Green
-Commuter parking – Orange
-Metered parking
-Visitor parking

Parking areas include lots near Fike, Williamson Road, Fort Hill Street, Calhoun Drive, and Sirrine Hall. Click here to access a map of Clemson.

The US Play Coalition is a non-profit housed within the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM). The Play Coalition is a partnership of individual, organizations and corporations that promote the value of play throughout life. Our membership is diverse – park and recreation professionals, educators, researchers, health scientists, landscape architects, business leaders, psychologists, physicians, parents, artists and many more.

Currently we are looking to broaden our research efforts by creating a working group for play research at Clemson University. We are looking for a cross-section of faculty and staff across all disciplines to approach play research from a variety of perspectives. We currently have faculty involved from both PRTM and the School of Education, and we would love to broaden our scope. If you would be interested in joining our play research working group, please send an email highlighting your relevant research interests to Dr. Fran McGuire, chair of PRTM at lefty@clemson.edu. We will have our first official convening in the coming months.

By Chrystal Anderson, CU CARES Coordinator
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Clemson University joined as a family on April 17 as Denim Day was honored on Clemson University’s campus. The premise for Denim Day began in 1992 when an 18-year-old woman in Italy was sexually assaulted by her driving instructor. The instructor was initially convicted with a rape charge; however, this charge was overturned. The judge ruled that the victim was wearing very tight jeans and must have assisted her assailant in taking her jeans off, thereby implying consent. The following day, women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans to stand in solidarity in support of the victim of sexual assault.

California-based Peace Over Violence then began Denim Day as an effort to stand in solidarity with survivors and protest erroneous attitudes about sexual assault. On April 17, various individuals including CAPS counselors, Clemson’s interpersonal violence prevention coordinator, representatives from local crisis centers and Clemson students gathered on Library Bridge, in Hendrix and at the Student Union to provide information about sexual assault, resources for those impacted by sexual assault and giveaways for people to show their stand against sexual assault. Many other individuals on campus participated in this event by wearing denim. This event was a great success, with much of this success due to the wonderful involvement from Clemson’s faculty and staff.

It became very evident throughout the day that our faculty and staff have made efforts to spread the word about Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Denim Day, as well as participate in various events. There is so much appreciation for those who have taken the time to show support for survivors, speak out against sexual assault, and/or talk with friends, family, colleagues, and students about Denim Day. This event was absolutely a testament to the difference that we can make when we join together for a cause. Thank you, all of you, for joining in efforts to combat this global epidemic that impacts our Clemson Family.

By Jackie Todd, Office of Media Relations

James McCubbin,  a psychology professor in the College of Business and Behavioral Science, assumed the 2015-16 presidency of the university’s Faculty Senate at its monthly meeting yesterday. The 18-year Clemson veteran chaired the Faculty Senate Research Committee before becoming Faculty Senate vice president.

“To serve as Faculty Senate president is a great honor for me,” he said. “But the real honor is to work with dedicated leaders like each of you.”

McCubbin praised the senate for its quest to preserve academic integrity, keep education affordable and to encourage a welcoming campus environment.

“I know that you don’t get much recognition for the hours you dedicate to the Faculty Senate,” he said. “However, I know that you do this for the greater good of our students, our colleagues and our community.”

In a recent presentation to Clemson’s Board of Trustees, McCubbin said that his top goal during his term is to “stimulate passionate motivation to drive ever-increasing faculty success.” To do that, the new president sees open and direct communication as a crucial part of the relationship among the university’s faculty, administration and its Trustees.

“I believe it is the basis of sound university management,” he explained.

McCubbin, who serves on Clemson’s 2020Forward undergraduate education committee, said that the Faculty Senate will play an active role in shaping the university’s future. As he leads the senate, the new president pledged to continue the work done on improving and streamlining the faculty manual, supporting diversity and enhancing a working environment that supports families.

McCubbin teaches psychology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. His emphasis in both his teaching and research is health psychology. He actively researches and has been published for his work regarding the role of stress in cardiovascular disease.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Ph.D. in psychology and neurobiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in psychology from Wake Forest University.

Other recognitions at yesterday’s meeting included:

• Brett Dalton, named 2015 Alan Schaffer Faculty Senate Service Award recipient
• Retiring faculty senators
• Faculty Senate staff
• New 2015-16 faculty senators and representatives

Clemson University will be hosting its first Pride Week from Saturday, April 18 through April 24. The week, which is slated to become an annual event, will offer opportunities for the campus community to learn about the LGBT community, collaborate and show support.

This event is a collaboration of over eight different university offices and student groups on campus.

Below is a list of events:

• Saturday 4/18, 7:30 p.m.—Drag Show in Tillman Auditorium
• Monday 4/20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.—“I have Pride” Photo Shoot, University Union
• Tuesday 4/21, 6 p.m.—Out at Work Workshop, Career Center Boardroom
• Wednesday 4/22, 7 p.m.—Trans* 101 with Keynote Speaker Skylar Kergil in Hendrix Ballroom A
• Friday, 4/24, 10 p.m.—U-GLOW Dance Party in Hendrix Student Center

Look for the hashtag #PrideWeek15 in social media accounts.

For more information, contact Shawn Knight by email or by phone at 864-656-3174.

Have ideas for better internal communications? Here’s your chance to weigh in.

To help better understand what information that you want and need from Clemson, the university is conducting an internal communications survey for its faculty and staff.

Faculty and staff who complete the survey will be entered into a drawing to receive one of two free employee-parking placards. The placards are good for one year. Please note that for us to move forward with the drawing, we must have at least 950 completed surveys, so encourage your colleagues to participate! As of today, we have 401 completed surveys. Click here to begin the survey or copy and paste the following link in your URL: https://clemsonia.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_9N8VqGSdjkxIBKJ

Read more about what we learned during the 2013 survey and the actions we took as a result of your feedback.

Contact Jackie Todd, internal communications director, with any questions.

By Jackie Todd, office of Media Relations

To help Clemson maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all faculty, staff and students, Clemson employees will soon be asked to learn more about Title IX policies, procedures for resolving complaints, and key resources available for support. All university employees will be required to take a one-hour long Title IX online training course.

The online course will cover information about Clemson University-specific policies and reporting requirements, explore the definitions of terms like sexual harassment and sexual misconduct and offer interactive examples and scenario exercises. Participants may leave the course at any time. Upon return, the course will open to the last page visited. The deadline to complete the course is June 30.

“It’s important for faculty and staff to know how to respond to students who may come to them with concerns.” said Jerry Knighton, director of Clemson’s Office of Access and Equity and the university’s Title IX coordinator. “We encourage employees to not only report any issues they may encounter, but also incidents shared with them by students so that appropriate authorities can provide options and resources to ensure issues are addressed properly and in accordance with our policies.”

The online training will soon be integrated into employee orientation. As a result, new faculty and staff will be expected to complete the required training as part of the university’s onboarding process.

How to take the training

Starting next week, a special email invitation will be sent to all university faculty and staff with a link to the training. Look for an email from the “Office of Access and Equity” with “Title IX-Eliminate Campus Sexual Violence Training” in the subject line. Arrangements will be made for employees who may prefer not to use the online format.

For any questions about the required training, contact the Office of Access and Equity by phone at 864-656-3181 or by email at CUAE@clemson.edu.