September 2, 2014

This is the third week of the fall 2014 semester.

ALERTS:

  • You may no longer drop and add courses online for the fall 2014 semester. If you need to drop a class now, you must do it in person in the Office of Enrollment Services, Buchanan Hall, Room 230. A grade of ‘W’ will appear on your official transcript and will count toward the maximum 5 withdrawals you are allowed. You do not need instructor permission or permission from the Dean’s Office to drop a class at this point in the semester (unless you are on academic contract).
  • If you need to withdraw from all your courses this fall, please contact Asst. Dean Hempe () in the Dean’s Office.
  • Don’t forget to send us your news, ideas, and stories! Please send all correspondence to .

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS!Just 49 days until the College revives an old tradition – the ICE CREAM SOCIAL – which will be followed by a new tradition – the A&GS Town Hall Meeting, where students will have the opportunity to meet and talk with our own Dean Berrien Moore. It all happens on Tuesday, October 21st, starting at 1:30 PM in the NWC Atrium.Mark your calendars!

GIS Club and ES/GEOG Club Combo Meeting TODAY

The GIS Club and the Environmental Sustainability/Geography Club will meet TODAY at 5:00 PM in Sarkeys Energy Center, Room 442. This meeting is to let members from both clubs discuss and coordinate plans for the upcoming semester – while enjoying some delicious pizza!

2014-2015 A&GS OUTSTANDING SENIOR APPLICATION

Each year Sooner Parents recognizes the All-Around Outstanding Senior Man and Senior Woman at the University. Additionally, Sooner Parents presents an Award of Merit to the Outstanding Senior of each undergraduate college as selected by the college dean. To be eligible for consideration, a student must have earned a 3.25 retention grade point average and be scheduled to receive his or her bachelor’s degree in December 2014, May or August 2015.

Recipients will be recognized, with their college dean, at a reception and ceremony on Friday, November 7th in Beaird Lounge at 4:00 PM. Recipients are also honored during halftime ceremonies at the game that weekend.

The A&GS Outstanding Senior carries the A&GS banner for the College at Commencement and Convocation in the spring, gives a brief speech at spring convocation, and is the recipient of a $750 John W. Nichols Trailblazer Scholarship. The A&GS Outstanding Senior is also recognized (along with the A&GS Outstanding Junior) at a College luncheon in November.

Students must submit their applications by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 26, to the A&GS Dean’s Office (NWC 3630). Each applicant is required to submitfifteen copies of his/her application so that Student Affairs may conduct the selection of the overall male and female recipients at the same time that the colleges are making their selections.The application form is attached.Also attached are applications for Who’s Who in Students and a $1000 scholarship for Outstanding Student Father.

New Transfer Student Lunch

New Transfer Students are invited to a WELCOME TRANSFER LUNCH from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Wednesday, September 3rd in the Armory. Please note that the College will not have an information table at this event, as our new A&GS transfer students were invited to New Sooner Orientation in August. If you missed that event, please stop by the A&GS Dean’s Office, NWC 3630, to pick up your information. And don’t miss this great free lunch!

Fall 2014 Convocation

Undergraduate students planning to graduate this fall have been contacted by e-mail with a list of remaining requirements and instructions on filling out graduation applications. If you are an undergraduate planning to graduate this fall who did NOT receive an e-mail, please contact Asst. Dean Hempe at immediately. Official fall invitations with all the details will be sent out toward the end of this month, but in the meantime, please mark your calendars for the A&GS annual Fall Convocation Celebration, on Friday, December 12th at 7:00 PM in the National Weather Center Atrium. Fall Convocation also includes dinner; each degree candidate may bring as many as seven guests.

If you are a graduate student who is planning to complete your master’s or PhD degree this fall, please contact Ms. Christie Upchurch () in the School of Meteorology or Ms. Deborah Marsh () in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability. You may also bring as many as seven guests and will receive your official invitations later this month.

If you’re planning on graduating spring 2015 or summer 2015, it’s definitely not too early to schedule a degree check in the Dean’s Office. Please call 325-3095 to set up your appointment today!

Largest Recruiting Event of the Year NEXT WEDNESDAY

You can now pre-register for theSooner Showcase Career Fairby creating your nametag in the Career Services Office (third floor of the Union) until September 9th. While you're there, you can also pick up your free t-shirt and portfolio. The Sooner Showcase Career Fair takes place on Wednesday, September 10th in the Lloyd Noble Center from 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM. The Sooner Showcase Career Fair is the largest recruiting event of the year and the ideal place for you to learn about internships and full-time job opportunities. For more information, go here:
The Office of Career Services strongly encourages all students to attend, even if you’re not planning to graduate this year. The size of the Showcase can be a little overwhelming (over 140 organizations will be there), so if you’re new to the world of recruiting fairs, it’s a good idea to attend as a sophomore or junior so you know what to expect when you’re ready to search for a full-time job (and there are internships available, as well).
If you haven't reactivated your HIREsooner account, please be sure to do so! You can reactive your account by logging into your existing account and updating any out-of-date information in your profile. Remember to update your resume and upload it to your account, too.

EMERGENCY Preparedness

Are you really ready for an emergency, or do you just think you’re really ready?OU’s Office of Emergency Preparedness aims to protect all people on campus at any time when a hazardous or threatening situation may arise. Whether severe weather, fire emergency or anything in between, there is a plan in place to protect faculty, students, staff, and guests across campus. Visit their website here: to see what is being done to protect everyone at OU — AND so you know where to go and what to do in case of an emergency.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MM?

If you have any announcement you would like posted in Monday Memo (e.g., meetings, seminars, jobs, internships or just some great news) please send it to Asst. Dean Hempe () by Friday at noon to appear in the next week’s edition.

On this Day in History:

In 1666, the Great Fire of London broke out at 2:00 AM in Pudding Lane in the bakeshop of Thomas Farynor, baker to King Charles II. The blaze spread quickly that windy night, and then burned for the next three days destroying over 13,000 buildings, including St. Paul's Cathedral. Miraculously, the death toll was very low, estimated to be sixteen.

In 1752, it was the last day of the Julian calendar in Canada, the US territory, Britain and its colonies. The new Gregorian calendar skipped the next 11 days and went right to September 13.

In 1775,Hannah, the first American war vessel, was commissioned by General George Washington.

In 1789, the U.S. Treasury Department was established.

In 1945, Japan surrendered to the U.S. aboard the USS Missouri, ending World War II. The war ended six years and one day after it began. Over 15 million soldiers died in battle; another 25 million were wounded. Civilian deaths are conservatively estimated at 45 million, although some historians believe that as many as 50 million civilians died in China alone.

In 1963, CBS and NBC expanded their nightly network news programs from 15 to 30 minutes.

In 1969, NBC-TV canceled "Star Trek” after 79 episodes. The show then went on to spawn one of the most lucrative franchises in entertainment history, including five more TV shows (counting an animated series), a dozen movies (with no end in sight), video games, action figures, novels, comic books, an entire language (Klingon), and legions of devoted fans.

In 1969, America's first automatic teller machine (ATM) made its public debut, dispensing cash to customers at Chemical Bank in Rockville Center, New York.

In 1973, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, the author of the best-selling fantasy novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings died of pneumonia at the age of 81 in Bournemouth, England.

In 2013, 64-year-old Diana Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the use of a shark cage for protection. Nyad completed the 110-mile swim from Havana to Key West, through the jellyfish-and shark-infested waters of the Straits of Florida, in approximately 53 hours.

Please remember tolike us on Facebook ( and follow us on Twitter (@OUAGS)!

The College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences