The Greenwood Interprofessional Autism Center will begin seeing clients later this fall.

New client inquiries are now being accepted online at greenwood.truman.edu/services or by emailing GreenwoodIntake@truman.edu. Individuals, family members or guardians of those who may benefit from the center’s service are encouraged to make use of this pre-screening process in order to determine the best method of care. Depending on the needs of each client, services may address adaptive, social, communication, educational, community, pre-vocational and vocational skills, as well as customized support plans.

Since 2015, Truman has been working to convert the former elementary school into an interprofessional center designed to provide in-depth, interdisciplinary assessment and intervention for children with autism or suspected autism, as well as other neurodevelopmental disorders. Financial support for the project has come from the Missouri legislature and federal funding, as well as Adair County SB 40 and a private grant from the Sunderland Foundation in Kansas City.

With renovation of the building nearly complete, the Greenwood Interprofessional Autism Center is in the process of hiring licensed professionals equipped to provide a variety of services. Qualified health care providers interested in career opportunities at the center can email GreenwoodJobs@truman.edu or visit the employment link at truman.edu.

Truman will celebrate this collaborative project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony during Homecoming festivities. All members of the community are invited to attend the ceremony, hear remarks from key contributors to the project and tour portions of the building. The ribbon-cutting will take place at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 21 at 606 S. Halliburton Street in Kirksville.

More information about the Greenwood Interprofessional Autism Center and its services can be found online at greenwood.truman.edu.

For the fifth year in a row, Truman has received a Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

TRIM grants offer cost-share funding for government agencies, schools and nonprofit groups to manage, improve or conserve trees on public lands. The 2023-24 grant is specifically for the removal of unhealthy and invasive trees on campus for pedestrian safety, and the amount total is more than $27,000.

In recent years, the Midwest has experienced substantial damage from the emerald ash borer. Some trees on campus already damaged by the destructive wood-boring pest were removed to prevent additional spread. Along with the ash trees there will be several invasive pear trees removed in the coming weeks, in addition to the annual tree trimming conducted by groundskeepers.

In October, Truman is scheduled to receive free trees from Forest ReLeaf of Missouri. The local Conservation Department has organized a community effort in northeast Missouri to have a truck load of trees brought to Kirksville through Project Communitree, some of which will be planted on campus.

Truman has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA school since 2014 by the Arbor Day Foundation for its dedication to sustainable urban forest management. The University has been able to maintain this designation thanks in large part to Yvette Amerman and the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The Truman Food Pantry is a resource on campus that offers food and hygiene products to assistant students.

The Food Pantry is one of the facets of the SERVE Center, and its goals are to reduce food insecurity by providing resources to those in need, increasing awareness of hunger issues on Truman’s campus, and promoting student engagement to develop a feeling of community and service to peers on campus.

The Truman Food Pantry provides several different food items such as soup, ramen, pasta, cereal, rice, milk, fruit, vegetables and much more. It even offers gluten free or vegan options to cater to allergies or dietary restrictions. Select hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, floss, body wash, shampoo and razors are also available.

The food pantry is located in the Student Union Building Room 1106 (SERVE Center) and is open 2:30-4 p.m. Mondays; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays; 1:30-4 p.m. Wednesdays; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursdays; 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Fridays; and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sundays. In addition to these hours, throughout the year, they host several pop-up pantry events that allow students to make their own food packs or pick up one that is already prepared. This semester’s pop-up pantrys will take place 1-4 p.m. Oct. 5, Nov. 9 and Dec. 7 and are all in the Student Union Down Under.

Donations to the Food Pantry are always being accepted and can be dropped off at the U&I Office in the Student Union Building 2000. Items in high demand at the moment are tomatoes, potatoes, tuna, chips/crackers, pasta, cereal, chicken and breakfast items.

Major suppliers of donations to the Truman Food Pantry are the Truman Food Pantry Foundation Fund and the “Food for Fines” program sponsored by the library and the Department of Public Safety. Intramural forfeit fines can also be paid with donations as well. Another way to donate is by purchasing items on the Food Pantry's Amazon Wishlist. The list is filled with a variety of items, both food and hygiene products, that are high in demand when students request packs.

The pantry is available to all Truman students. There are no income eligibility requirements for use, and all that is needed is a Truman ID when picking up items. Students are asked to complete a one-time form on their first visit, but use of the pantry will not become part of the student’s record, nor will the student’s information be shared.

Truman’s annual United Way campaign is currently ongoing with a goal of $22,000.

The United Way of Northeast Missouri funds 11 agencies that directly serve the community. Donors should consider that 99% of every dollar stays local. Area partners include: the YMCA; NEMO Senior Citizen Services Inc.; 4-H; Community Opportunities, Inc.; Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts; Hospice of Northeast Missouri; Community Child Development Center; Retired and Senior Volunteer Program; the Salvation Army; and Macon County Sheltered Workshop.

All faculty and staff members should have received information about the campaign through campus mail. Donations can be made now through Oct. 27. Two names will be drawn each Wednesday for prizes.

Individuals who did not receive campaign information, or those who may have questions, should contact co-chairs Wendy Miner, professor of education, or Dawn Howd, director of stewardship. For more information about the United Way of Northeast Missouri, or to donate online, visit liveunitednemo.org. Faculty and staff members who donate online are encouraged to return the white slip from their campaign information through campus mail to Miner in order to keep track of the amount raised from the Truman community and to be eligible for weekly prize drawings.

Thank you to those who have already made their contribution.

Fantasy author Alexandra Rowland will participate in a seminar and reading session at 4 p.m. Oct. 7 in Baldwin Hall Little Theatre as part of the Clayton B. Ofstad Reading Series.

Rowland is the author of eight fantasy books including “A Taste of Gold and Iron,” “Some by Virtue Fall” and “Running Close to the Wind.”

The seminar will help attendees, whether they are about to start writing a new story, preparing to run a Dungeons & Dragons campaign or have always been curious about how writers come up with such immersive fantastical settings. The seminar will be followed by a reading from Rowland’s upcoming book, “Running Close to the Wind.”

In addition to being an author, Rowland is a four-time Hugo Award-nominated podcaster as well as a 2012 Truman graduate. Find them at alexandrarowland.net, or on Twitter and Instagram as @_alexrowland.

Thanks to the generosity and vision of Odessa Ofstad, the Clayton B. Ofstad Readings Series welcomes talented, renowned and deeply engaging guest writers and scholars from around the world to campus. Her donation was made in honor of her husband, Clayton B. Ofstad, who joined the Language and Literature Department at Truman in 1967 where he taught until his retirement in 1987.

The Del and Norma Robison Planetarium will participate in a global short-film festival that will allow attendees to vote for their favorite picture.

Manhattan Short 2023 will screen a worldwide lineup of films linked by a common theme: how we face adversity, whether it is imposed by others or arises from personal circumstances. The 10 featured films are dramatic, sometimes humorous, occasionally magical and always inspirational.

The planetarium is one of more than 500 locations around the world to participate in the screenings. The 10 films range in running time from eight to 18 minutes. There will be four opportunities to watch, with the planetarium hosting screenings from 7-9 p.m. Oct. 6 and Oct. 7.

All 10 films will be screened at every showing, and attendees will be allowed to vote for Best Film and Best Actor. There is no cost to attend the festival.

The finalists hail from seven countries with films from Australia, Afghanistan, Finland, Iran, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada alongside three films from the United States.

“Sunless”
U.S.
Trapped in the confines of a tiny submarine, two men disagree on how to navigate a potentially perilous issue with their vessel.

“Voice Activated”
Australia
A florist with a stutter is forced to cooperate with a voice-activated car on the way to an important delivery.

“Yellow”
U.K./Afghanistan
In Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, a woman walks into a chadari store in Kabul to buy her first full-body veil and face an uncertain future.

“Tuulikki”
Finland
When a young woman dominated by an over-protective mother plots her escape, their relationship dissolves into one of mutual suspicion.

“The Family Circus”
U.S.
A Vietnamese-American family’s plan to cover up a drunk-driving incident begins to unravel when their emotional baggage spills out in front of the police.

“Career Day”
U.S.
A once promising ’90s pop star and his aging boy band reunite for his daughter’s elementary school Career Day. They go viral.

“Snail”
Iran
A loving mother strives to make her young son’s singing dreams come true, but an audition takes a dramatic, unforeseen turn.

“The Record”
Switzerland
An antique musical instrument dealer obsessively plays a magical vinyl record that “reads your mind and plays your lost memories.” Even the forgotten ones.

“Stupid Boy”
U.K.
In London, a broken man groomed for a terrorist attack confronts a local lad who sees things differently. That can be dangerous.

“Soliel Du Nuit”
Canada
While training for a moon landing, a group of Canadian astronauts are tasked with an added mission by a Native American elder.

As part of the fall Professional Development Series, the Education Department will host a Substitute Teaching Workshop, led by Jeanne Harding, at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 4 in Violette Hall 1320. Attendees should complete the RSVP form by Oct. 3.

FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) at approximately 1:20 p.m. Oct. 4.

The WEA portion of the test will be directed to all consumer cell phones. The test message will display in either English or in Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset.

The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions.

The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11.

The Truman State University Board of Governors is beginning the search for its next student representative.

The Board of Governors is the University’s highest policy making body, charged with the important role of setting policy and providing guidance for the University. The student representative is a non-voting member of the board who voices student interests and opinions relating to issues the board votes on.

Information on how to apply can be found at senate.truman.edu/application, or by reading through the application packet here. All applications will be due electronically to studentgovernment@truman.edu by 11:59 p.m. Oct. 27. Any questions can be directed to Ella Schnake, the current student representative, at ers6535@truman.edu.

Alumni, family and friends are invited to attend the Bulldog Forever Homecoming tailgate before the football game, Oct. 21.

People who reserve a tailgate spot in advance will be granted early access to the tailgate lot and admitted ahead of the post-parade crowd. Those who wish to reserve a spot can register here. All requests must be approved by Alumni Relations. Review the Homecoming Tailgate Policies prior to the event.

Spaces will be reserved for requests submitted by Oct. 6. Non-reserved space at the tailgate will be first-come, first-served at the event. For any questions email bulldogforever@truman.edu.

The 33rd Annual Philosophy and Religion Conference will take place Nov. 11 in Baldwin Hall 114.

Students can now submit papers to be featured at the conference. The submission deadline is Oct. 9. Papers from any area of philosophy and/or religion are welcome. This may include fields such as classics, anthropology and others. Papers should be no longer than 25 minutes reading time (approximately eight-10 pages).

Papers should be submitted to Dereck Daschke, professor of philosophy and religion, with the subject line: Undergraduate Philosophy and Religion Conference. Students should separate all identifying information, including name and school, from the body of the paper in either format – include this information only in the body of the email. The title of the paper should be listed in both documents.

Truman students can earn one credit hour teaching English to elementary and middle school students in Taiwan via Zoom.

CML 200, Taiwan Connect, is a service-learning course. Starting in the second block, it will meet every Monday evening beginning Oct. 16 in Baldwin Hall 309 (from 6-7 p.m. before Nov. 5 and from 5-6:30 p.m. after Nov. 5). The only requirement is participating students must be native English speakers.

Students enrolled in 12-16 credits can take CML 200 at no additional cost. For more information, contact Zhijun “David” Wen, assistant professor of Chinese, at zwen@truman.edu or in McClain Hall 313.

These committees ultimately decide how the fees students pay are spent. AFAC focuses on the athletic fee which includes varsity and club athletics as well as the recreation center. ESFAC focuses on the Environmental Sustainability Fee and OAF focuses on how fee-based groups such as SAB, StuGov, FAC, AFAC and ESFAC spend money.

There are student-at-large positions open on every committee, as well as more niche roles. Applications close Oct. 15 with interviews taking place the week of Oct. 15 and 22. To apply, visit senate.truman.edu/application.

The 13th annual Communications Disorders conference will take place from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 16 in the Student Union Building Activities Room.

Hosted by the Truman Communication Disorders Association (CoDA) and the Communication Disorders program, this event is a workshop for speech-language pathologists, general education teachers, special education teachers, reading specialists and anyone interested in learning about phonological processing. This year’s conference will feature alumna Jennie Bjorem M.A., CCC-SLP, speech-language pathologist, childhood apraxia of speech and phonological processing, as the keynote speaker.

Bjorem’s passion and area of expertise is in childhood apraxia of speech. She travels the world speaking on the topic of CAS assessment and intervention. Bjorem has been in private practice for 21 years and continues to carry a small caseload of clients with childhood apraxia of speech. She is the owner of Bjorem Speech and Bjorem Literacy as well as the author of “Bjorem Speech Sound Cues.” She currently lives with her family in the mountains of Colorado.

Bjorem’s first talk of the day from 8:45-10:15 a.m. will focus on “Dynamic Assessment of CAS.” Her second talk will take place from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. on “Target Selection & Goal Writing.” The conference will end with her discussion on “Evidence-Based Treatment Approaches” from 1-3 p.m.

A registration fee of $75 for professionals and $20 for students will be collected at the door. RSVP here or email coda.tsu@gmail.com.

Homecoming apparel is now available for purchase online.

Short sleeve shirts are $10 ($13 for 2X and 3X)
Long sleeve shirts are $15 ($18 for $2X and $3X)

Orders will be available for pick up from the Union & Involvement Services Office (SUB 2000) starting the week of Oct. 9. Shipped orders will also begin processing that week. Any orders placed after Oct. 16 cannot be guaranteed to arrive by Homecoming Saturday.

Any questions should be directed to homecoming@truman.edu.