Tag: students

Learn what you can do to help someone who is at risk of dying by suicide at a workshop presented by Healthy Campus.

“Tigers Together to Stop Suicide Advocacy Training” is a 90-minute session that will enhance your knowledge, awareness and skills concerning college student suicide. It will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, in room 416 of R.M. Cooper Library and includes lunch. More information can be found here. RSVP to kbussel@clemson.edu.

The trainers will emphasize the development of empathic listening skills, communication skills and the capacity to compassionately and directly ask students about suicidal thoughts. Essentially, the workshop will equip you with the knowledge and skills to help someone at risk by asking about suicide and then connecting the student with resources.

Suicide ideation and completion is specifically prevalent among college students; the Suicide Prevention Resource Center found that 7.1 to 7.7 percent of students nationwide reported contemplating suicide over a 12-month span in 2012. Here at Clemson University, approximately 6.6 percent of students had considered suicide as of 2016, according to the latest National College Health Assessment II. Suicide completion is also widespread among young people; the CDC ranked suicide as the second leading cause of death for those between 15 and 24 years old.

The good news is that suicide can be prevented. Like many public health concerns, suicide has certain warning signs that can be observed by others. Typical red flags include:

• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live;
• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain;
• Withdrawing or feeling isolated;
• Acting anxious or agitated; and
• Displaying extreme mood swings.

However, simply knowing the warning signs isn’t much help if you don’t know how to actually interact with and help the person displaying them. Suicide is a sensitive and often daunting topic to publicly discuss, and even more so with the person at risk.

The Gantt Multicultural Center and Campus Activities and Events are accepting applications for the fall 2017 GOODTalk sessions. GOODTalk is a 10-week sustained dialogue for staff and faculty across the campus.

GOODTalk will engage eight-12 participants in topics that influence the student and staff communities and are relevant to understanding differences. This experience will offer an opportunity for personal reflection and growth, conversations across and about differences, and a social justice knowledge base that will assist in facilitating dialogue with Clemson students. Participants can expect to explore topics that include but are not limited to ability status, gender expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religion and spirituality, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.

Sessions will be from 1 to 3 p.m. each Tuesday from Oct. 3 to Dec. 12 (excluding the fall break week of Oct. 17).

Program outcomes

GOODTalk participants will be able to:

• Develop efficacy in facilitating dialogue
• Observe and analyze the experiences of those different from themselves
• Observe and analyze the systems that affect the experiences of others
• Effectively communicate with people different from themselves
• Recognize personal beliefs and values
• Understand how personal beliefs and values impact others
• Critically analyze job roles and responsibilities as they relate to diverse groups
• Effectively define social justice concepts

All faculty, staff and graduate assistants are encouraged to apply online to participate in GOODTalk by Friday, Sept. 29. Participants selected will represent a diverse group from a variety of social identities and university roles.

For more information, contact Kate Radford, associate director for Student Leadership and Community Engagement, Campus Activities and Events (radford@clemson.edu), or Kendra Stewart-Tillman, director for Diversity and Inclusion, The Harvey and Lucinda Gantt Multicultural Center (stewar5@clemson.edu).

By Jackie Todd, Office of Media Relations

In the construction world, a topping out ceremony celebrates a milestone in the progress of an ongoing project. The event involves placement of a final structural beam in a building and the raising of a live tree to the top of the building to mark that achievement.

While Clemson’s Douthit Hills project involves multiple structures – eight to be exact, officials celebrated the project’s milestone not with a tree, but with an appreciation luncheon for staff and contractors earlier this month. More than 700 people attended the event.

Project manager Mike Parker is excited about the scale of the $212 million project, its progress and what it means for Clemson.

“When it’s all completed, we’re going to be able to offer 1,700 beds to students in seven buildings,” he said. “The eighth building is the hub – the structure that supports all that.”

According to Parker, the hub will house a bookstore, a police substation, a dining hall and other dining experiences. He also said the structure would offer a workout facility similar to Fike Recreation Center. He jokingly called it “Fike East.”

Parker said that Douthit Hills is among the largest projects that the state has ever undertaken. Along with the state-of the-art housing, dining and workout facilities, the new structures represent something even more.

“Academic GPA and retention is increased when students live on campus,” he explained. Bringing students to campus in a more nurtured learning and structured environment can only be good for them.

Vince Burdette is happy with the progress of the construction project. As the general superintendent for Holder Construction, it’s Burdette’s job to keep the project moving on time.

“We’re peaking manpower-wise,” he said. “We’re running at high speed and peak efficiency.” Burdette credits the use of precast concrete in helping speed up the process. Precast concrete is made from reusable molds and is poured and cured offsite. While the product quality and cost is the same, precast products help speed building time and offer cleaner surfaces, which are easier to work with.

Burdette also credits the use of workers and local subcontractors, who he said are loyal to Clemson.

Two of those loyal to the university are Drew Turner and Tony Greene. The pair have reason to be very interested in this project – they are Clemson alumni.

Both men graduated from the university in 2008 with degrees in construction science management (CSM). They even completed their CSM senior project together.

When the opportunity arose for them to come back to their alma mater, they wasted no time.

“It was fantastic,” said Turner. “It was extremely exciting as the project was getting started up. I thought there was the potential to come out and be a part of this. Not only are you having the opportunity to start a new project for the company your work for, but also for your alma mater, so there’s an extra sense of pride in coming to work every day and being a part of this.”

For Turner and Greene, this opportunity offers a chance to become part of Clemson’s history.

“I was so excited,” Greene explained. “I got a phone call saying a job popped up at Clemson. We hadn’t worked together since 2008. Although my hometown is in Georgia, I spent most of my time here at Clemson, so I was ecstatic at the thought of coming back here to work. I’ll be able to drive by for years to come and tell my kids that I got to build these dorms for Clemson.”

The Douthit Hills project is slated to be complete in fall 2018.

After many, many hours of work by hundreds of people across campus, the first phase of college reorganization is ready to launch on July 1. The College Reorganization Committee would like to take a moment to let the Clemson Family know what will take place this week as well as some additional transitions that will occur in August.

On July 1, the new college names, organization and fiscal budgets go into effect. However, the academic systems will not change over until after August graduation, which will be the last graduation using the five-college and one stand-alone school structure.

IT System changes information (July 1 changes)

On July 1, the following IT systems will transition to using the new seven-college structure.

• CUBS PeopleSoft Finance
• CUBS PeopleSoft HR
• Budget Planning (Hyperion)
• Kronos
• Tiger Talent
• Budget Center Workgroups
• Reporting — Financial reports in Business Objects
• Data feeds to Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Office of Institutional Research (OIR) and email lists (Sympa)

Note: Raiser’s Edge (Institutional Advancement) will transition in mid-July to mid-August.

Significant amounts of testing have been done to ensure a smooth transition. However, if you encounter any issues with access or functionality, please contact the CCIT Support Center at 656-3494 or ithelp@clemson.edu. 

Instructions regarding specific IT resources

• Changes to Listservs (Sympa):  Requests for creation of new employee-based email lists (i.e. College of Science, etc.) should be sent to ithelp@clemson.edu with the following information: the name of the list, the owner of the list that will maintain it, members of the list, and those who should have the ability to send to the list.
• Billing changes or other telecommunications services:  Go to http://www.clemson.edu/ccit/get_connected/telecom/admin_depts/index.html.
• Request for a new Exchange resource (e.g., calendars for rooms, automobiles, computers, projectors, etc.):  Go to  https://www.clemson.edu/ccit/email_accounts/email/exchange/HowTo/HT_RequestResource.html.
• Changes to existing Exchange resources:  Go to http://www.clemson.edu/ccit/email_accounts/email/exchange/HowTo/HT_RenameResource.html.

Website launch information (July 1 launch)

Late Thursday night (June 30), website managers will begin publishing the Clemson college and department websites affected by reorganization. All old websites will be archived and deleted from the server. Redirects will be put into place sending users who have bookmarked the old website to the new URL.

For example, anyone who goes to clemson.edu/caah/communication-studies will be directed to the department’s new website at clemson.edu/cbshs/departments/communication. Or, anyone who goes to clemson.edu/cbbs will be redirected to clemson.edu/business.

The new college URLs can be found on the ClemsonForward website, under the “Communications” dropdown.

How you can help in this transition:

• Please make sure you are updating your saved bookmarks in your web browser so they point to the new website URL.
• If you manage any print materials for your program or department, please make sure you check with your college communicator or send an email to ows@g.clemson.edu to ensure any website URL you are publishing is correct and updated.
• If you maintain a lab or program website or a personal web space, please make sure to update all references to college names and URLs for those colleges whose names have changed.
• If you run into any website issues, please email ows@g.clemson.edu.

IT System Changes Coming In August

In mid-August, the following IT systems will transition to using the new seven-college structure.

• Banner
• Banner Workflow
• Degree Works
• Visual Zen (Orientation)
• Sympa
• Student reporting
• Data Warehouse/Student Table Feeds: Clemson Academic Progress Program (CAPP), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Cyberinfrastructure Technology Integration (CITI), Clemson Connect, Creative Inquiry, GS61, Institutional Advancement, Math Science, Office of Institutional Research (OIR), Student Affairs, Student Disability Services, Student Publication, Sympa, and Terra Dotta
• InfoEd

Significant amounts of testing have been done to ensure a smooth transition. However, if you encounter any issues with access or functionality, please contact the CCIT Support Center at 656-3494 or ithelp@clemson.edu. 

If you have other questions or concerns regarding college reorganization or need assistance and are not sure who to contact, please email Collegereorg@clemson.edu.

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By Jackie Todd, Office of Media Relations

Changes are in store for riders who use Greenlink’s Tiger Commute route that connects Clemson and Greenville. Beginning July 1, Greenlink will alter its partnership with Clemson University to provide bus service on the Clemson/Greenville route.

But fear not. Clemson’s Parking and Transportation Services will provide transportation to the university’s faculty, staff and students via Tiger Transit. To board the bus, faculty, staff and students must show their Clemson ID card.

The change comes with good news.

Tiger Transit buses on this route will now leave every 30 minutes during the peak hours, instead of every 60 minutes. This change becomes effective in the fall. The bus stops will remain the same, according to Dan Hofmann, director of Parking and Transportation Services.

“Riders will be able to board their bus at the same location that they always have,” he explained. “Additionally, the buses will offer a more comfortable ride.”

Hofmann said Tiger Transit buses will have a GPS function installed. Riders can use the my.clemson mobile phone app, to track the exact location of the bus.

Although WI-FI will not initially be available on the Tiger Transit buses, Hofmann said that his department is in talks with Verizon to offer that service to riders.

The decision to cease service on this route was purely financial, according to the Greenville Transit Authority (GTA). The authority reported that federal and state funding cuts precluded its ability to subsidize the service. Clemson University also provided financial support for the bus route. By bringing the service “in house,” the university will reportedly save approximately $100,000 annually.

Clemson will continue to partner with GTA to provide service to satellite Greenville campus locations. GTA reports that the Clemson connector route in Greenville will be replaced by its new “Circulator” route. The new route will provide service to CU-ICAR, the University Center, Haywood Mall, Greenville Health System’s Patewood Campus and Bon Secours St. Francis Health System’s Eastside and Millennium campuses. According to GTA, passengers on Clemson’s Tiger Commute route will also be able to connect to Greenlink’s Route 14, which will now include both inbound and outbound stops at CU-ICAR connecting to downtown Greenville. Faculty, staff and students can also ride these routes fare free by showing their Clemson ID.

By Jackie Todd, Office of Media Relations

The availability of parking remains steady, even in the wake of many construction projects of Clemson’s main campus, according to Dan Hofmann, Clemson’s director of Parking and Transportation Services.

Hofmann said that although the construction has displaced parking spots near some of the construction sites, Parking and Transportation Services has relocated spots to nearby areas on campus to offset the loss.

“We’re working for a ‘one-lost to one-gained ratio or a net-zero impact,” he explained.

The director of Parking and Transportation Services is also exploring ways to add new spaces and repurpose existing spaces for employee use in existing parking lots. To mitigate the loss of 30 employee parking spots in the Hendrix area during the ongoing Sheep Barn construction, a number of metered spaces on Energy Drive  (near Calhoun Courts) will be converted to employee spaces. Outside Byrnes Hall, some unused carpool-designated spaces will transition to employee spaces. Other faculty and staff parking options include the old gravel lot (E-21), the gravel parking area behind Calhoun Courts, and commuter parking in the C-1 lot.

“While it is posted on the parking permit guidelines, a lot of faculty and staff may not realize that they can park in commuter student spaces with their employee permit,” said Hofmann.

Other areas where faculty and staff will see more parking is the lot near the Strom Thurmond Institute, where an additional 25 employees will be available. An additional eight spaces in the parking area outside Newman Hall and an additional six employee spots have already been added in the Lee Hall parking lot.

The East Library parking lot will see improvements this summer with the repaving of the entire lot, installation of energy-saving LED lighting and an electric charging station. The lot will also gain three additional employee spaces.

Hofmann said that at the end of the summer, the campus will offer 40 additional employee spaces and new parking opportunities are in the works. The new Snow Family Outdoor Recreation Center, once complete, will include a 350-space parking lot.  The new football operations center is anticipated to include a 200-space parking lot.

Finally, those who travel on Highway 76 can see the ongoing construction of a 650-space lot. “This lot is being built to help support the Douthit Hills project,” said Hofmann. “However, over the next couple of years, it will be used for various purposes including overflow parking for resident students and as a park and ride option for employees and students.”

For up-to-date information and announcements about Parking and Transportation on campus, visit the Parking and Transportation Services webpage. http://www.clemson.edu/campus-life/parking/

By Jackie Todd, Office of Media Relations

Construction continues on Clemson’s main campus during the summer months. More than 70 small and large projects are ongoing, all contributing to modernized campus classrooms, housing, workspace and infrastructure.

While it’s prudent for faculty, staff, students and university visitors to be aware of construction zones, detours and outages, the good news is that the disruptions are anticipated to have less impact than in past years.

Breaking it down

In the northwest campus, workers are enhancing infrastructure for the new Snow Family Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Center. Thanks to a $2.4 million gift, officials say that the center will provide an active learning environment for experiential education; environmental awareness programs; recreational skills; and life skills in leadership, community development and employment.

As part of the infrastructure enhancement, workers will add a sanitary sewer line, which may result in periodic lane closures on Highway 93 from the Y Beach area to Perimeter Road.

With new facilities comes new parking. Toward that end, construction on a parking lot near the Snow Center will begin this summer. The lot will be completed in phases and will eventually offer more than 350 spaces.

Other projects in the main campus’s northwest quadrant include scheduled maintenance on the West Campus Energy Plant next to Fike Recreation Center and upgrades to a stormwater system on Ravenel Road.

Renovations to Littlejohn Coliseum are ongoing and will result in periodic closures to the nearby Avenue of Champions.

Northeast campus

Scheduled to be completed for the fall semester, the Core Campus project is ongoing and will result in road closures in July.

Limited access to Fort Hill Street in July

Fort Hill Street, which is next to the Core Campus site, will become a single-lane street from July 4 until July 22. Construction workers will be on site to direct traffic during that time. The road will close entirely from July 25 through July 29 so that workers can lay the final asphalt coating. Signs will be posted in and around the impacted areas.

Other roads around Core Campus will also close periodically. Union Drive, Alpha Beta Drive and Klugh Street will close from June 27 through July 22 as workers complete roadway construction. During this time, only emergency and special-permit vehicles will have access to this area. Signage will be in place to direct all other traffic.

Southeast campus

The southeast quadrant of campus will see upgrades in various buildings. Java City in the Cooper Library will undergo renovations. The fourth floor of the Watt Family Innovation Center will be completed. Jordan Hall, Lee Hall and Lee III will see small-scale improvements.

As part of what officials call the Central Campus Paving Project, some streets in the area will close periodically so workers can repave the roadway and sidewalks.

Affected streets include:

• Engineering Service Drive
• South Palmetto Boulevard
• Delta Epsilon Court and
• Lambda Street.

Sheep Barn renovations will relocate parking spaces

The renovation of the Sheep Barn has begun. Thanks to a $1 million gift, the Sheep Barn will be transformed into the Barnes Student Activity Center, where officials tout this space as a place that will provide opportunities for student employment, leadership, graduate assistantships and internships and experiential learning. While construction on this site is ongoing, 30 employee parking spaces will be relocated to nearby areas.

Southwest campus

As a new football operations facility is being constructed in the southwest quadrant of campus, those who frequent the area can expect minimal delays. The good news is that this building, anticipated to be completed in 2017, will come with a parking lot that will offer approximately 200 spaces for use by employees and students.

Periodic scheduled electrical outages

Officials advised that some buildings may experience electrical outages to accommodate system upgrades. While outages will take place mostly at night or on weekends, some outages will occur during the workday. Detailed information about these outages will be shared with building security coordinators well in advance of the disruption.

Construction project managers have created a PowerPoint presentation with detailed information about campus projects. Access the PowerPoint here.

People who make a difference should be recognized. Here’s your chance to make that happen. Nominations for Clemson’s 2016 Spring University Awards are now being accepted. The awards, given annually, recognize faculty, staff, students, administrators and community members who demonstrate significant leadership and dedication to the university community.

Non-student awards:

• Frank A. Burtner Award for Excellence in Advising: This award includes an annual cash prize for the advisor of students (academic or non-academic); or student organizations who excels in developing students in the area of leadership, devotion to duty and service.

• Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award: Given in recognition of the recipient’s influence for good, excellence in maintaining high ideals of living, and service before self. Recipient should have an interest in or be associated with Clemson University and live within the State of South Carolina. Nominations are open to local and state community members as well as current Clemson faculty, staff and administrators.

Submit non-student nominations here. The deadline to submit non-student award nominations is Friday, March 4, 11:59 p.m.

Student awards:

• Norris Medal: Given to the best all-around graduating senior student (who graduated in August or December 2015 or will graduate in May 2016).  The Norris Medal is considered the most prestigious award given to an undergraduate.
• Matt Locke Award: Awarded to one student for outstanding leadership with regard to service and devotion to mankind and Clemson University.
• Frank A. Burtner Scholarship: Given to a student (rising junior or senior) who displays exemplary leadership qualities and has an outstanding academic record.
• Algernon Sydney Sullivan Student Award: Presented to senior students (one male and one female) for service to campus and community.

To nominate for a student award click here. The deadline for student-award nominations is Friday, March 4, 11:59 p.m.

Note: Once you submit a nomination for a student, s/he will be notified via an automatically generated email and asked to apply online no later than Thursday, March 10, 11:59 pm. Students may also self-nominate.

Direct your questions or technical issues to Benardo J. Dargan at bdargan@clemson.edu or 656-9346.

April is Research + Innovation Month (RIM) at Clemson. During the entire month of April, RIM showcases the research and scholarly activity of faculty, staff, and students university-wide, on both the main campus and at Clemson’s innovation campuses. This year’s celebration promises to be particularly exciting with the university’s new designation as a Carnegie R1 – Doctoral University – Highest Research Activity.

RIM provides everyone the opportunity to showcase their research via interactive posters, energetic presentations, lively performances, awe-inspiring art, sculpture, and models. Everyone is encouraged to participate! Marquee events for this year’s RIM include:

• Team Science Workshop featuring Dr. Michelle Bennett, Deputy Scientific Director for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health
• Graduate Research and Discovery Forum (GRADS) and Three-Minute Thesis Competition
• Focus on Creative Inquiry
• Grant Application Workshop presented by the National Endowment for the Humanities
• Fulbright Scholar Program presentation by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars

You can participate

Does your program have an annual wrap-up or display event in April that you would like to include on the RIM calendar? It might be a poster session, symposium, performance, exhibition, or any other format displaying research and scholarly accomplishments. Please visit www.clemson.edu/rim to add your event to the RIM calendar!

Research + Innovation Month is sponsored by Creative Inquiry, Undergraduate Studies, The Graduate School, The Division of Research, and The Watt Family Innovation Center.

Follow Research + Innovation Month on Facebook for updates and event information. Make sure to share your events on Twitter using the hashtag #ClemsonRIM.

A new Clemson initiative to coordinate campus climate improvement programs is bringing together organizations across campus to make Clemson as inclusive as possible. Spearheaded by Clemson Professor Melissa Vogel, this effort intends to raise awareness and educate the Clemson community on diversity and inclusion programs, efforts and resources.

By Alexa Emerson, Class of 2017

Many campus clubs and organizations offer services and programs to support an inclusive campus environment. But you don’t hear about them because there’s no central coordination.

Enter Melissa Vogel, an associate professor of anthropology in the College of Business and Behavioral Science. Vogel did what no one has done so far. She brought the organizations together.

The associate professor created what she calls Campus Climate Coordination, an initiative to organize campus inclusiveness efforts. Vogel thinks Clemson is at a pivotal point in enhancing diverse and inclusive campus climate. This program aims to take advantage of this transitional movement and consequently make Clemson a more diverse and inclusive community. And that’s exactly what the organizations taking part in this coordination effort strive to do.

As one of several efforts spurred from the Faculty Leadership Development program, Vogel organized a meeting of student, staff and faculty groups so that each group could share its upcoming events. The goal is to create a centralized space where everyone can easily access information about events that offer diversity and inclusion programming. These events range from entertainment and speakers to workshops and training. And what better place to do that then in the university calendar. By consolidating events in the calendar, organizations can avoid double-booking and can even form partnerships to collaborate or cross-promote events.

Currently, there are more than 45 organizations involved with Campus Climate Coordination, and those numbers may grow. For Vogel, it is encouraging that so many people are willing to devote their time and energy to such an important issue.

“Diversity is something that is relevant to everyone,” she said. “There are so many people at Clemson who care enough about this issue to make a difference. They believe there is a need to redefine the Clemson family.” This opportunity, said Vogel, must be taken to centralize efforts and work toward changing the way everyone thinks about diversity and campus inclusiveness.

While Vogel’s meeting took place in the fall semester, the associate professor believes that the dialogue should continue. She’s already thinking about hosting another meeting in the spring.

Campus Climate Coordination is a long-term initiative and is now linked to efforts from the Provost’s office. Anyone can get involved by submitting their diversity and inclusion events to the university calendar and using the “Diversity and Inclusion” tag when entering the event.

To read more about diversity and inclusion at Clemson, click here.