POLICE DEPARTMENT EARNS INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION

The International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators awarded Utah Tech University international accreditation this past summer.

Held by only 7 percent of universities in the country, this IACLEA accreditation denotes that the Utah Tech Police Department meets a high standard in its policing policies and procedures. Attaining the accreditation was a two-year process that involved assessors coming to campus to evaluate the University and the IACLEA Board of Directors voting unanimously to grant UT the accreditation.

“The IACLEA accreditation assures Utah Tech Police Department is a leading university law enforcement provider that is focused on professionalism, adherence to policy and procedures, and accountability,” UTPD Chief Ron Bridge said.

Looking at UT Police Department’s leadership specifically, IACLEA also honored Bridge with the Administrative Excellence Award. Bridge was recognized for his commitment to excellence in upholding policies, planning for the future, conducting investigations, preventing crime, and implementing innovative ideas.

Prior to UT receiving these awards, Vice President of Administrative Affairs Paul Morris was honored with IACLEA’s 2020-21 Award for Innovations in Community Oriented Policing last year, adding up to UT earning three awards overall from the leading authority for campus public safety.

Departments Across Campus Earn National Recognition

Utah Tech University has been designated as a StormReady community by the National Weather Service’s Weather Forecast Office in Salt Lake City. This honor indicates that UT’s Safety & Risk Management Department is prepared to save lives and property during extreme weather and water events.

UT also received the State Authorization Network’s 2022 SANsational Award for Compliance Innovations. Mark Adkins, state authorization and licensure coordinator, and Tyson Smith, computer programmer & analyst, built an automated system that alerts students of professional licensure criteria they need to meet and their current status.

Dr. Vinodh Kumar Chellamuthu, associate professor of mathematics, was honored with the Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching from the Mathematical Association of America. Chellamuthu was selected for his extraordinary success in undergraduate mathematics and his influence beyond the classroom.

Additionally, seven students in Chellamuthu’s Mathematical Modeling class earned awards in the SIMIODE Challenge Using Differential Equations Modeling 2022, an international mathematical modeling competition. Damen Maughan, who competed on his own, as well as the team of Abigale Virto, Erin Bunch, and Brooklyn Price-Thompson earned top honors, the Outstanding Award. Additionally, Jacob Atkinson, Victoria Smith, and Zachary Babcock formed a team and earned the Meritorious Award.

Dr. Brenda Sabey, dean of the College of Education, was named an Impact Academy fellow by Deans for Impact. Sabey joins a cohort of 20 leaders chosen for their commitment to improving educator preparation rooted in equity.

Dr. Nancy Allred, associate dean of the College of the Arts and director of piano studies, was honored by the Music Teachers National Association as a Foundation Fellow. Allred has developed courses in piano pedagogy, literature, ensemble, accompanying, group piano, and private piano.

When Utah Tech student Amber Hawkins first donned a virtual reality headset to test the new dental hygiene positioning app created specifically for UT students, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

She was instantly transported to a virtual clinical space equipped with a chair, lights, sink, dental equipment, and even a computer-generated patient.

“When I first put the headset on, I was like, ‘Dang! This is really cool’ – not just the patient in the chair but the whole operatory. I was surprised how well done it was.”

In line with the University’s polytechnic mission, virtual reality will enable Trailblazers to enhance their learning experience and career readiness through technology. Utah Tech Online’s Learning Design Project Manager Jordan Ellsworth initially brought VR to campus knowing it would increase access for students as well as give them a chance to practice classroom learning before applying their skills in a real-world setting.

“VR is an incredible way to bridge the gap of authenticity from classroom to real life,” Ellsworth said. “Giving students a more authentic, immersive experience can mitigate potential problems of working on a live patient. Also, you can have multiple people from all over the world working and learning in a virtual space together.”

Ellsworth was initially able to hire computer science student Reese Rasmussen to help develop the first VR app thanks to an Innovative Teaching Mini-Grant from the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Having created a VR app on a small scale, when Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene Lisa Welch approached Ellsworth and Rasmussen with her bigger VR dream, they were ready.