Carolina MPA Student Digest 9/3/21: |
|
We've got a lot of great resources for studying, mental health, and professional development in this issue! Please be sure to make it to the end! |
|
Carolina MPA Calendar
-
September 6: September Term Online classes start
-
October 12: University Day Events
-
December 11-12: Fall Graduation Events
-
March 3-5, 2022: TENTATIVE date for the MPA Immersion
|
|
This week marks the start of Dr. Willow Jacobson's tenure as UNC MPA Director. She recently sat down to discuss her role and goals for the program here.
|
|
|
The School of Government is excited to welcome Teshanee Williams into its faculty ranks as an assistant professor of public administration and government. Williams originally joined the School in 2019 as a Carolina Postdoctoral Program Faculty Diversity Fellow, researching strategies to manage effective, efficient, and equitable policy outcomes through the public sector and nonprofit partnerships. In her new role, Williams will continue to specialize in the field of nonprofit management and lead the School in researching and advising on effective management, leadership, and governance of nonprofit organizations in collaboration with local governments. Dr. Williams will be heading up the Nonprofit Concentration for MPA Students. Read more about her work here.
|
|
Recent Faculty Publications |
Looking for new reading material? Check out what's new from your faculty!
|
|
University & Beyond Events |
|
- Campus & UNC area Opportunities
- Activate Good's September Month of Service & 9/11 Remembrance
- UNC Environmental Organizations
- UNC Asian American Center Now Open
- Transition Support from Health Heels
- Virtual Opportunities
- CAPS Graduate Student Support Group
-
September 9: Race, Racism, & Racial Equity Symposium
-
September 10: UNC Health COVID-19 Game Changers
-
September 14: Democracy & Public Discourse
- Great Materials from the Writing & Learning Center
- Professional Development Opportunities
- Call for Applications for the Graduate Certificate in Innovation, Leadership, & Management
- Apply for the Graduate School Student Transportation Grant
-
DUE September 8: Apply for positions at the Institute of Politics!
|
|
This year, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Activate Good is continuing its tradition of honoring those lost on September 11, 2001 with an annual day of service in a new format. We hope you'll join us in a restorative month of helping one another through service, learning about local issues and causes, and committing to improving our community - together. This event was recommended to us by YNPN of the Triangle. We encourage all students interested in Nonprofit to find a local YNPN group!
|
|
A recent issue of The Daily Tar Heel highlighted various environmental groups around campus.
- Carolina 360
- CompostMates
- Edible Campus
|
|
|
The UNC Asian American Center recently hosted a grand opening of its physical space in the Carriage House at 215 W. Cameron Avenue in Chapel Hill. The center was established and opened virtually in 2020. Check out opportunities for involvement & programming here.
|
|
Transition Support
For some, transitioning to campus can be pretty tough – and for others, they are generally doing ok but might want support in one area or another.
Wherever you are on that spectrum of wellness, Healthy Heels can help! There are strategies you can start on your own or professionals that can support you in coming up with the best plan for your needs. There are so many support systems on campus to keep you healthy, well, and academically successful, most of which cost only your time.
You can even take a free online self-assessment to learn more about your specific mental health needs, or sign up for a 9 day email course on mental health that has strategies you can implement right away.
Start building up your resources now to have support structures at the ready if things become overwhelming.
Grad and Professional Student
Healthy Haps
MONDAY 8/30
TUESDAY 8/31
WEDNESDAY 9/1 *how is it September already?
THURSDAY 9/2
FRIDAY 9/3
SATURDAY 9/4
SUNDAY 9/5
Contact Tracing, Quarantine, and Isolation
Consistent with the spread of the Delta variant across the globe, we are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases on campus. We know grad students have questions about what to do in the case of a possible exposure or if identified as a close contact. There are many variables that can make it complicated, but here is a summary of our approach to managing this process:
Contact Tracing Process
- POSITIVE TEST: It all starts when someone tests positive for COVID-19.
- CONTACT TRACING INITIAL CONVERSATION: Contact tracers reach out to the person who tested positive to determine who in their circle was a potential close contact.
- WHO COUNTS AS A CLOSE CONTACT? A close contact is someone who has been within 6 feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes cumulative time, regardless of whether a face mask was worn by either party. If you are not contacted or if a positive case is not in your household, then you were not identified as a close contact. As an example, people who are at least six feet apart in a classroom or group setting will typically not be considered close contacts.
- OUTREACH TO CLOSE CONTACTS: The contact tracing team will reach out to individuals who are potential close contacts. The positive person's name and information remains confidential.
Contact tracers will advise on next steps based on that individual's specific situation.
Those graduate and undergraduate students identified as a close contact, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, should continue to wear a mask at all times indoors and when in groups outdoors and follow the guidance of the contact tracers. General guidance is below:
How to handle COVID-19 Contact Tracing for Students and Graduate Students:
Asymptomatic close contacts can be tested at CTTP based on the timing above. Symptomatic close contacts should be tested at Campus Health as soon as symptoms develop.
If you test positive for COVID-19 at any point, you will need to go into isolation.
Student Health Equity Internships
Join Campus Health and CAPS this year to help develop and implement initiatives to improve access to medical and mental health resources, review policies and practices through a health equity lens, and advise on strategies to better support and serve BIPOC students. Learn more and apply today!
Campus Rec Corner
Get Involved in Recreation
The Campus Recreation Advisory Council (CRAC) is recruiting new members. The purpose of the council is to represent the interests and needs of students and the University community and assist the professional staff of Campus Recreation in assuring a responsive and effective delivery of recreational services. As a member of the council, you will help develop long range strategic plans in the areas of budget, fees, facility development, policies, and staffing. You will also provide input regarding operational decisions, policies and procedures, eligibility, and facility utilization and assist in the development of program goals and vision statements.
If you are interested in serving on the Campus Recreation Advisory Council, please complete the following form by Wednesday, September 1, 2021: https://go.unc.edu/CRAC2021.
Work for Campus Rec
Want to work an on-campus job with flexible scheduling, pay raises and professional development opportunities? UNC Campus Recreation is hiring! Apply to work as a facilities ambassador, intramural sports official, lifeguard, climbing instructor, or another one of our open positions. Find out more at campusrec.unc.edu/employment.
Get your bike on at UNC's biggest cycling event of the year. Join Cylicious in the pit this Friday from 11 am - 2 pm. The event offers free bike maintenance from local mechanics, free bike lights, a Tar Heel Bikes demo, free UNC bike registration, and prizes!
Instagram of the Week
By far our most popular post of the week, thanks to the 300+ of you who shared it with your own followers and the 12,000+ of you who have viewed the post so far!
Take advantage of our Healthy Heels to Go vending machines on campus and the low-cost over-the-counter health items available in them. You can see current prices on the second image of the IG post carousel. Remember, a OneCard is needed to purchase items, making this yet another benefit of being affiliated with UNC-Chapel Hill!
|
|
The Race, Racism, and Racial Equity (R3) Symposium, hosted by the University Office for Diversity and Inclusion, Jordan Institute for Families, and Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the UNC School of Social Work, is a series of virtual events that brings together scholars and researchers from across campus to share their work with Carolina and the broader community.
The fourth in the R3 series, “The Many Faces of Environmental (In)Justice: Scholarship Addressing Racism, Infrastructure and Climate Action,” will be held on Thursday, Sept. 9, 1:30–3 p.m. Scholars from departments across UNC, including Epidemiology, Public Health, Social Work and Urban Planning, will share their work addressing environmental justice and climate action.
|
Cristy Page, MD, MPH
Executive Dean, UNC School of Medicine
invites you to a
UNC Health Foundation Series
September 10, 2021
11:00 a.m. to Noon EDT
After a slowing of COVID-19 cases earlier this summer, we are now experiencing another spike due in large part to the Delta variant. Join Dr. David Weber, Medical Director of UNC Hospitals' Infection Prevention, on the Delta variant, vaccine boosters and what to expect in this new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Do you have a question about vaccines, potential boosters, or variants and how they impact where we are now with COVID-19? We encourage you to submit questions prior and Dr. Weber can answer during the webinar.
This event will be recorded. If you are unable to attend but interested in receiving the recording, please choose that option on the registration page and we will send you a copy.
|
|
Attendees may attend via zoom or in person at the Nelson Mandela Auditorium. |
|
Great Materials from the Writing & Learning Center |
Application essays can be challenging-the stakes are high, and writing about yourself can feel uncomfortable. In this workshop we’ll discuss reader expectations and how to make a great impression. Register here for the workshop.
While “understanding assignments” sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout on understanding assignments will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response.
- Academic Life Balance for Graduate Students, Tuesdays at 5pm, starting 9/7
- Conquering Reading: Mondays at 4pm, starting 9/13
|
|
Call for Applications for the Graduate Certificate in Innovation, Leadership and Management
The Graduate Certificate in Innovation, Leadership and Management offers you the opportunity to develop the professional skills employers seek while gaining exposure to a variety of careers. You can complete a foundations or an advanced level Certificate through which you will:
- Gain skills in areas that are recognized as important for professional success, such as communication, leadership, project management, and accounting.
- Gain skillsets useful for a broad range of careers, including tenure-track academic careers, alternative academic careers, and careers outside of academia.
- Learn about a variety of careers available with an advanced degree.
- Meet graduate students outside of your field and learn in an interdisciplinary setting.
Your graduate school transcript will note that you have completed the Graduate Certificate in Innovation, Leadership and Management.
The application to join the Fall 2021 cohort of the Graduate Certificate in Innovation, Leadership and management is available at this link.
|
|
Each year, the UNC Graduate School offers transportation grants to qualified graduate students for professional development experiences. Please see the guidelines and apply here.
|
|
|
The Institute of Politics application is available! Access the form here. Application is due on September 8th. Applicants are encouraged to apply to as little or as many positions as they would like.
|
|
Carolina MPA | UNC School of Government | carolinampa.sog.unc.edu | Website | Intranet
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
