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Campus News
Even though Mother Nature provided us with both warm and cool temperatures these past few weeks, her overwhelming message is that spring has, indeed, sprung. And activity continues to spring up all over campus.
Since my last update Clarke has hosted many events. Among them are another presentation from the African American Museum of Iowa; a presentation by Dr. Chelsea King, a Professor at Sacred Heart University, that focused on evolution, animal suffering and faith; several music and athletic events; the English majors/minors bi-annual pizza party; a presentation by Biochemistry/English major alum Josh Prindle about graduate school and his work in a research lab; and Clarke Graduate School Preview Hour. Additionally, in the upcoming weeks, Clarke will host an all-female production of “The Taming of the Shrew,” directed by Dr. Sunil Malapati, on March 22 and 23, and an Admitted Student Experience on March 23.
We also have celebrated many accomplishments since my last update. For example, Nicole McDermott, a member of the women’s basketball team, was named the Heart of America Athletic Conference Player of the Year—the first player in our program’s history to earn this accolade. In addition, the team’s head coach, Adam Hocking, and assistant coach, Haley Froelich, earned the Heart of America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year honors for the 2023-24 season. In addition, 5 track and field athletes recently participated in the NAIA Men’s Indoor National Championship.
As spring break draws to a close, the Clarke Women’s Basketball team will host and compete in the opening round of the NAIA National Tournament March 15-16. Please join me in wishing our team the best as these athletes chase another national championship!
On March 20, we will begin our 10th annual Clarke Day. This two-day fundraising event focuses on celebrating and supporting our mission, with a variety of ways to get involved, such joining social events on campus, sharing a Clarke story on social media, and helping us reach our goal of 500 donors.
Be sure to check the campus calendar often for other upcoming events.
Strategic Plan Update
On February 23, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) officially notified Clarke of its reaffirmation of accreditation. This reaffirmation resulted from the vast amounts of time and energy that our employees and students invested in preparing our Assurance Argument and facilitating the HLC Peer Reviewers’ visit. Their dedication created an accurate report that will continue influencing our strategic plan and the positive trajectory of the University.
Furthermore, implementation of our Strategic Plan continues. For example, the Curriculum and Assessment Committee recently reviewed and approved two first-year writing courses, and a team has interviewed several people from a robust pool of candidates who can teach those new courses. In addition, a group of faculty members has begun to work with a consultant to conduct a curriculum audit.
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