Have you heard about Emmett Till? If not, check out the first event for Black History Month on campus this afternoon over at the Milo Bail Student Center Nebraska Room.

Byron Embry, former professional baseball player, is giving a presentation on “The Whistle that Changed America: The Murder of Emmett Till” from noon to 2 p.m.

Need another reason? The event offers free food.

- Scott Stewart

Students at UNO are incredibly talented check out these videos.

Drums and glowing lights make for a compelling video check it out.

This was filmed last month. The web address –http://www.youtube.com/UNOStraussPAC#p/c/6B45E56447F72C13/0/obP7B6ML4kM

Also from last month, a more traditional jazz performance — Let The Good Times Roll.

The web address — http://www.youtube.com/UNOStraussPAC#p/c/1ED19335DA22C463/0/lExO4ed7gjg

Low Brass Day at UNO is in its 10th year.  Always a great event.  The Omaha World-Herald just posted a story online about it.  The headline –

Musicians get lowdown on brass

and the link — http://www.omaha.com/article/20100202/NEWS02/702029857/-1/news02

And a quick reminder — selloutohiostate.com.  The day is coming up — Feb. 5!

NSSE has nothing to do with a mythical creature in Loch Ness, despite what posters across campus might have you believe. The National Survey of Student Engagement is an extremely important gauge on UNO students progress and participation compares with results from across the country.

Linda Mannering, director of Institutional Research, is asking freshmen and seniors invited to participated in the survey to do so. The results will help the university to do planning and understand UNO student demographics.

For example, the 2008 survey results indicated 85 percent of UNO students have a favorable image of the institution and 79 percent of seniors would choose to attend UNO again if they could start their college career over from the beginning. For more on the NSSE survey, check out this article from the Gateway archives.

- Scott Stewart

Information Technology Services (ITS) has had reports of student gmav e-mail getting caught in the Anti-spam Quarantine system and disrupting communication between students and instructors.  After investing the problem, ITS discovered that the anti-spam system is programmed to catch e-mail with blank subject lines and treat it as spam.  To avoid this continued disruption, ITS is reminding all of the UNO community to simply place a subject in the subject header on all outgoing email.

‘Round Up for Haiti’ Now Underway in MBSC

UNO Student Government and the Milo Bail Student Center staff have partnered to raise money for earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. ‘Round Up for Haiti’ started this week in the Milo Bail Student Center Food Court.

Those making a purchase can tell their cashier to ’round up.’ The cost of the food court purchase will be rounded up to the nearest dollar with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross to benefit the people of Haiti.

More photos at http://www.unomaha.edu/mavchannel/ttl/2010/0123/

Maverick Productions has rescheduled the Bo Burnham show cancelled last semester due to the weather for Friday, Feb. 5, at the Omaha Music Hall.

Tickets are still available for students for $7 each, with public tickets available for $20 each through Ticketmaser. Tickets previously purchased will still be honored at the door.

For more on Burnham, visit his Web site and his YouTube account. For more on the show, contact Maverick Productions at 554-2711.

- Scott Stewart

International Studies and Programs will be hosting a study abroad fair Wednesday in the Milo Bail Student Center. The fair, which runs from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Fireplace Lounge, will feature program providers, faculty and former study abroad participants.

If you’re looking to learn more about studying abroad, visit the fair, check out the UNO Study Abroad’s Web site or get the basics from Emily Hardt, study abroad and international exchange adviser:

- Scott Stewart

UNO Student Government has teamed up with the university’s Athletic Department to provide the campus community with free hockey buses to Maverick hockey games at the Qwest Center.

This weekend, Jan. 22-23, the buses will run on the following schedule:

* On Friday, Jan. 22, buses will leave from the UNO Bell Tower at 6:45 p.m.  The game begins at 7:35 p.m.

* On Saturday, Jan. 23, buses will leave from the Bell Tower at 6:15 p.m.  The game starts at 7:05 p.m.

Contact Megan Schmitz with questions at 554.2285.

UNO plays Northern Michigan both nights.

The second of four finalists for the position of associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs will visit UNO for interviews beginning today, Jan. 19. The associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs is the chief student affairs administrator for the university.

The second candidate is Thomas Wallace, assistant to the Provost and associate professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Mississippi. His visit will last though Wednesday, Jan. 20. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend a campus forum with Wallace today, Jan. 19, at 1 p.m. in the Milo Bail Student Center Gallery Room.

The two remaining candidates and campus visit dates:

- Sherry Haehl, dean of Students at Bluffton University. She will visit Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 25-26; and

- Blake Fry, special assistant to the Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His visit will take place Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 1 and 2.

The first candidate to visit campus — Randy Hyman, associate professor for Higher Education and former vice chancellor for Academic Support and Student Life at the University of Minnesota, Duluth — visited UNO last week.

Additional information on each candidate as well as the complete interview schedules is available at http://www.unomaha.edu/aandsaffairs/.

Deborah Smith-Howell, associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and dean for Graduate Studies, has served as chair of the search committee. Anyone with questions, can contact her at dsmith-howelll@unomaha.edu or 554.4849.

The second of four finalists for the position of associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs will visit UNO for interviews beginning today, Jan. 19. The associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs is the chief student affairs administrator for the university.

The second candidate is Thomas Wallace, assistant to the Provost and associate professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Mississippi. His visit will last though Wednesday, Jan. 20. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend a campus forum with Wallace today, Jan. 19, at 1 p.m. in the Milo Bail Student Center Gallery Room.

The two remaining candidates and campus visit dates:

- Sherry Haehl, dean of Students at Bluffton University. She will visit Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 25-26; and

- Blake Fry, special assistant to the Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His visit will take place Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 1 and 2.

The first candidate to visit campus — Randy Hyman, associate professor for Higher Education and former vice chancellor for Academic Support and Student Life at the University of Minnesota, Duluth — visited UNO last week.

Additional information on each candidate as well as the complete interview schedules is available at http://www.unomaha.edu/aandsaffairs/.

Deborah Smith-Howell, associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and dean for Graduate Studies, has served as chair of the search committee. Anyone with questions, can contact her at dsmith-howelll@unomaha.edu or 554.4849.

I went over to Turning Point and the South Omaha Boys & Girls Club of Omaha to observe the 2010 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. While I’m working on getting a fully edited video together, check out these quick videos from today’s events.

Turning Point:

Boys & Girls Club:

Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle:

Chancellor John Christensen:

Sharif Liwaru:

Jeni Scott:

Event Preparation:

- Scott Stewart