GENERAL NEWS: Homecoming, Fall Strategy Meeting, SCLA Meeting (Nov 5, 2010)

11-5-10

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It is Homecoming here in Carolina and we are gearing up for our Gamecocks on the Green event this evening. If you are in town, come by for pictures with Cocky from 4:30 – 5:30. Hope to see you there and for our distance students, we will post photos of the fun.

We also have our National Advisory Council and Diversity Leadership Group here today for the Fall Strategy Meeting. Thank you for the ideas and concerns that you have sent me. I will present them today and let you know the results. One of the major issues is the need for internships and work experience for our students before they graduate. Thank you for the libraries that have let me know they are willing to sponsor an internship. We can’t do it without you! Chris Billinsky is building a database for the internship listings so will let you know when we have it up and running.

Another important issue for our planning today is how to keep our distance students engaged and feeling loved. Our cohort students in New England, Virginia/West Virginia and Charleston, SC have formed social network groups so watch the listservs for news about events and meetings. There are many ways to become a part of the USC community and our faculty and staff are the best at making students feel welcome. Remember that Madonna Stoehr is our Distance Education Coordinator so don’t hesitate to contact her with your questions and suggestions. mstoehr@mailbox.sc.edu

Help! We need your vote! Please logon every day until the end of November to vote for Cocky’s Reading Express in the Pepsi Refresh competition. Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/readingexpress to place your vote. If we get in the top ten, we will get $50,000 to continue getting books to children and promoting literacy with the help of our beloved Cocky!

The SCLA meeting was just wonderful this year and our students won 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd places in the poster competition! It was great to see all of our friends and colleagues in person. A special thanks to Rayburne Turner and Nonie Price for hosting a Spectrum Scholarship fund raiser. As you know, these scholarships for diversity are one of the most important recruiting tools we have. Also, thanks to Cathy Cooper Mack for the best Karaoke party ever! So much fun and again, for a really great cause.

I need to get to the meeting so will send you 5 things to read or do next time. In the meantime, hope you can find your hat and gloves for the game tomorrow.

Let me know if there is anything we can do for you. Be sure to hug a librarian and tell a teacher thank you!

All best regards,

Dr. Sam