Faculty participation is vital when the university welcomes new students to campus during Opening Week. There will be more than 1,500 new students on campus for the 2016 Opening Week orientation. Interested faculty will eat lunch and meet with student mentor groups, each approximately 15-18 students, to discuss faculty expectations, classroom civility and any additional information they feel is important for incoming students. The goal is to encourage students to approach faculty during their careers and equip them with the tools necessary to succeed.

Missouri S&T Provost Robert Marley recently presented 16 S&T faculty members with the Faculty External Award for their efforts to raise the university’s visibility nationally and internationally.

Eleven electrical engineering recent and soon-to-be graduates will each receive a $6,000 Grainger Power Engineering Award from the electrical engineering department at a ceremony on Saturday, May 14. The awards are presented as a reward for academic excellence.

New student programs will host four PRO sessions during the month of June. Mark your calendar and help welcome new students and their guests to the S&T campus on the following Fridays: June 3, 10, 17 and 24. There will also be a PRO session on Aug. 13.

Faculty teaching distance courses through the Video Communications Center (VCC) should be aware that there is a change in the end-of-semester file delivery of course recordings. An email was sent out detailing these changes. For more information, contact the VCC at vcchelp@mst.edu or 341-4526.

Potential training opportunities exist for staff and student leaders as you begin to plan training for the 2016-17 academic year. Institutional equity provides a number of training sessions on Title IX and diversity and inclusion, and can modify trainings to meet your needs. Title IX and diversity and inclusion continues to be a critical area that institutional equity strives to educate the entire campus population on, and the department hopes that you’ll find opportunities to incorporate these topics into your trainings. For more information, visit iedi.mst.edu or contact Ben White.

Missouri S&T will become a tobacco-free campus on Aug. 1, 2016, joining over 1,000 other colleges and universities in the U.S. that have chosen to go tobacco-free or smoke-free. The decision follows months of deliberation on campus, including open forums, online feedback, revisions to a proposed policy by a campus work group, and reviews by the Chancellor’s Council and Chancellor’s Cabinet.

Registration for the MinerRama Involvement Fair is now open. MinerRama is designed as a meet-and-greet for students, campus and community organizations. Mark your calendars to attend 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at the Puck. This is an opportunity for your department to introduce itself to new and current students. Go online for more information or to sign up for a table. For more information, email tinam@mst.edu.

Shoppers at the S&T Store who purchase a PC valued at $699.99 or more can receive a Dell promotional eGift card for use toward thousands of items on dell.com. Visit the S&T Store for more details.

Counseling, disability support and student wellness (CDSW) will hold an on-campus interview for the open counselor/psychologist position 1-2 p.m. today (Thursday, May 5) in Room 305 Norwood Hall. Missouri S&T faculty and staff are invited to attend. The final open forum, scheduled for Friday, May 6, has been canceled. For more information, contact Sandy Ray at 341-4211.