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Jan. 24, 2002
1. Putting her touch on the Olympics
2. Supporters rally for U's capital request
3. New outreach program targets reading readiness
4. Multiculturalism the focus of Morris retreat
5. New U center helps adults examine career and life goals
6. Sushi, or not sushi?
7. Photo: Washington Ave.
8. U of M happenings
9. Links
U IN THE NEWS
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"I've always loved sports and I admire people who are athletic. By volunteering at the Olympics, I can fulfill a dream."
—U of M Massage therapist Marcia Swanson |
PUTTING HER TOUCH ON THE OLYMPICS
You're not a world-class athlete and you're not a member of the media. So how do you get involved in the Olympics beyond watching TV? U of M Boynton Health Services massage therapist Marcia Swanson decided to volunteer.
Swanson will travel to Salt Lake City for the 2002 Winter Olympics as part of the Winter Sports Massage Team. She leaves Feb. 15 and returns Feb 25. She will work during the hockey, downhill skiing, and figure skating finals.
"I've wanted to go to the Olympics since I was a kid," said Swanson. "I've always loved sports and I admire people who are athletic. By volunteering at the Olympics, I can fulfill a dream."
The massage team will provide sports massage therapy for the athletes as well as the media. The team consists of 259 people, but Swanson is the only one from Minnesota. The team is expected to provide massages for 25,000 people, meaning Swanson can expect to put her personal touch on about 100 Olympic participants. "I think seeing the Olympic athletes and working with them will be the most exciting part," Swanson added.
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| Interactive displays at the legislative breifing illustrated the improvement, renovation, and construction projects in the U’s capital request. |
SUPPORTERS RALLY FOR U'S CAPITAL REQUEST
More than 350 faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends attended an event on Tuesday, Jan. 22, to launch the University's $239.8 million capital request to the state legislature. The legislative briefing rallied support for the 2002 capital request so the University can continue to build on its momentum and maintain educational quality. Event organizers also conveyed the message that University supporters need to urge lawmakers to stem proposed cuts to the University operating budget.
Sponsored by the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA), the briefing provided information on the U's grassroots Legislative Network and how participants can send messages to state policy makers.
Maureen Reed, chair of the University's Board of Regents, opened the evening by calling for unity among supporters. "We have work to do," she said. "The University is not important -- it is essential [and] it is indispensable. We are on a roll. We have a great vision, we know where we want to be, and we're headed in the right direction."
President Mark Yudof asked the audience to "keep the momentum going, to create an avalanche." He explained the University's capital request and expressed his hope that the legislature's cuts would be less than those proposed by Gov. Ventura. Yudof cited the importance of renewing our campuses, investing in the future, and providing students with the best education available at a major public research university.
State Sen. Larry Pogemiller said the governor is being very short-sighted in cutting the University’s operating budget. "It is not good business to take another bite out of the University. The legislature should step up and do what’s right for the University," he said.
Interactive displays illustrated the improvement, renovation, and construction projects included in the University’s capital request. For more information, visit the Legislative Network. Learn more about the 2002 capital request on the Government Relations Web page.
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NEW OUTREACH PROGRAM TARGETS READING READINESS
The University of Minnesota Center for Early Education and Development (CEED), in collaboration with a broad-based coalition of local and statewide early education advocates, is launching an outreach program to better prepare preschool educators and families in helping Minnesota children develop early literacy and language skills.
The two-year project will be funded through a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Project partners include the Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network, Minneapolis Public Schools, Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning: Head Start/Child Care Team, White Earth Indian Reservation, Hennepin County and Minneapolis Library associations, and the Greater Minneapolis Day Care Association.
"We believe the professional development activities funded by this project will provide early educators and families throughout Minneapolis, the White Earth Reservation, and Minnesota with the skills necessary to promote early literacy and language development," said Mary McEvoy, professor of educational psychology and lead researcher for the project.
"Children from poor neighborhoods, children with limited proficiency in English, and children with disabilities will have access to early childhood environments that promote language and literacy growth and provide them with a solid foundation for later reading," McEvoy said. "We know that learning to read in elementary school remains fundamental to the future success of our country's children."
The grant will allow CEED and its partners to revise and refine existing curricula, train a group of educators who will then train preschool educators across the state, provide ongoing help and evaluation at four pilot sites, work with higher education officials to ensure availability of early language and literacy programs, and launch a Web site to provide research-based information.
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MULTICULTURALISM THE FOCUS OF MORRIS RETREAT
Sixty-five students of diverse cultural backgrounds from the University of Minnesota, Morris will attend the 4th annual Multicultural Student Leadership Retreat from Jan. 25 to 27, at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center in Fergus Falls.
The retreat is designed to unite Morris students from all academic areas for an extended, in-depth exploration of diversity issues. Students will participate in a variety of workshops, interactive games with real-life situations, and discussions centered on leadership and diversity.
"The Multicultural Student Leadership Retreat is an invaluable, diverse experience for UMM students," says Mike Miller, UMM Minority Student Program counselor.
Some of the retreat's goals this year are to create a safe environment, increase understanding of culture, and explore the realities of prejudice, bigotry, privileges, and racism. Organizers hope students will leave with the ability to share their insights at the University and beyond.
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NEW U CENTER HELPS ADULTS EXAMINE CAREER AND LIFE GOALS
Three years ago, in town hall meetings around the state, the U's College of Continuing Education (CCE) heard from lifelong learners about what they want from their state's land-grant institution -- professional and objective guidance for adults looking for a new career or "lifework" path. This invaluable input is starting to pay off, and the timing couldn't be better.
"Initially, we planned to launch the new U of M Career and Lifework Center gradually throughout the later winter and spring months," said Mary Nichols, dean of the CCE. "But with dramatic increases in layoffs and other new challenges brought about in the past months, we're seeing an even bigger need for such a resource and are pleased to say we are up and running now."
The center will help adults define their goals and then connect them with the right education, which could be through the University or elsewhere. The center's accelerated launch means several services are currently available: a growing Web site to link adults in transition to online resources, free evening "Returning to Learning" sessions introducing professionals to University resources, fee-based workshops offering in-depth career exploration advice, and fee-based, one-on-one consultations. The center plans to roll out a more complete line of career services this spring.
The workshops aimed at helping adults to revitalize their lifework include: How to Navigate a Career Transition in a Changing Economy; Emerging Occupations in the 21st Century; Craft Your Professional Résumé; and Redirect and Refocus: Discover Your Lifework.
The workshops are $79 each, with discounts for U of M Alumni Association members, and will be offered at the McNamara Alumni Center. For more information visit the Career and Lifework Center Web site.
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| U of M student Anne Cooper will study Atlantic salmon in Norway as a Fulbright Scholar. |
SUSHI, OR NOT SUSHI?
U graduate student Anne Cooper faces a dilemma. She loves sushi but knows that eating it contributes to lowering the world's fish population. Cooper, of White Bear Lake, is coping with that dilemma by immersing herself in the study of fisheries.
Her dedication and excellent work in her academic field are reasons she has been selected for the Graduate School's Fulbright Scholarship Exchange Program at the University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway. She'll leave in August and spend a year in Norway researching the genetic conservation of Atlantic salmon, a topic in which Norway is a world leader.
Cooper, who expects to receive a master of science degree in fisheries later this year, hopes her research experience will lead to admission into a doctoral program. In addition to the Fulbright Scholarship, Cooper is also the recipient of a three-year Sea Grant Fellowship awarded to graduate students in aquatic sciences.
Scholarships that help students succeed at the University are a top priority for Campaign Minnesota--the University's largest campaign ever--which will raise $225 million to endow student scholarships, fellowships, and enrichment programs such as study abroad and internships. Your support of Campaign Minnesota ensures that the U is competitive in attracting top students to Minnesota and that they are given the financial freedom they need to focus on academics. To find out more about Campaign Minnesota, please visit www.campaign.umn.edu.
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PHOTO: WASHINGTON AVE.
The view of Washington Ave. on the east bank is looking different these days. The two 61-year-old pedestrian bridges were removed over the winter break because they were structurally unsound.
Click here for larger image.
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U OF M HAPPENINGS
Citizens for Democracy, a local group committed to promoting widespread participation in democracy, will host a one-day conference on Saturday, Jan. 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to examine how breakdowns in democracy and social inequalities reinforce each other. The event will be held at the Millennium Hotel, 1313 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis. Speakers include john powell, executive director of the University's Institute on Race and Poverty; Alexander Keyssar, professor of history and social policy at Harvard University; and Peter Edelman, professor of law at Georgetown University. The cost is $45, $10 for students. Register online or call 612-624-2904.
Ag-Arama, the annual winter competitive and fun event that focuses on agriculture and natural resources, will be held Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25 and 26, at the University of Minnesota, Crookston in the University Teaching and Outreach Center. Ag-Arama features contests in agronomy, animal science, horticulture, mechanized agriculture, and natural resources. Ag-Arama is free and open to the public. Lunch is $5. For a full schedule of events visit Ag-Arama 2002 Web site.
The U's Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment and the Life Sciences will sponsor "The Law and Ethics of Public Health Responses to Bioterrorism," a half-day symposium on Jan. 29, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in Cowles Auditorium at the Humphrey Center. Speakers include Michael Osterholm, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy director; Jeffrey Khan, Center for Bioethics director, and Terry O'Brien, former Minnesota assistant attorney general. The symposium is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the consortium's Web site or call 612-625-0055.
The U of M's Office for Multicultural and Academic Affairs and School of Music are hosting the 21st annual Martin Luther King Concert Saturday, Feb. 2, at 7:30 p.m., in Ted Mann Concert Hall. The concert will explore King's life and teachings through music, readings, poetry, film and video, dance, and theater. Artists will include poet J. Otis! Powell, African drum and dance group Dance Roots, pianist Keith McCutchen, and the Reginald Buckner Ensemble. The ensemble is named after the late University music professor who started the concert 21 years ago. The concert is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the 21st Avenue ramp, one block southwest of the concert hall. For more information, call Tara Parrish at 612-624-0214.
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LINKS
Hey, Sports Fans! Check out sports news and schedules of the U's teams:
Gophers
Duluth Bulldogs
Morris Cougars
Crookston Golden Eagles
Campaign Minnesota: Learn more about this fund-raising effort to build excellence in every corner of the U.
University of Minnesota Alumni Association: Your membership makes a difference.
U of M Legislative Network: Read about the University's legislative request and how you can help.
University of Minnesota Systemwide Home Page
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© 2002 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota
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