Home > Brief > Archive > Brief (8-08-2007)

Vol. XXXVII No. 24; Aug. 8, 2007
Editor: Gayla Marty, brief@umn.edu

Editor's note: Brief now takes its summer break. Weekly publication resumes Aug. 29. The deadline for submissions is noon on Friday, Aug. 24.

Read Brief on the Web at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief/Brief_8082007.html.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
--New regents professor profile: Richard Leppert, cultural studies and comparative literature.
--U response to the I-35W bridge collapse.
--America COMPETES Act passed by Congress Aug. 2, authorizing significant research funding.
--Dual-career services are available for spouses and partners of new faculty and staff.
--People: Honorary doctorate for a Nobel laureate; Blaise Pascal Chair for Mikhail Shifman; UMD's Kent Froberg is Clinical Scientist of the Year; and more.

Campus Announcements and Events
University-wide | Crookston | Duluth | Morris | Twin Cities

REGENTS PROFESSOR PROFILE: RICHARD LEPPERT, professor of cultural studies and comparative literature, works in a world of ideas as expansive as the North Dakota plains where he grew up. As a teen, he sang for three years to save up to see Europe. Today, he's the author of 10 books translated and used around the world, including a surprise top seller in musicology on the German intellectual Theodor Adorno. Read more about Leppert in "Expanding horizons," the fourth profile in a series on five new regents professors named this summer.

U RESPONSE TO THE I-35W BRIDGE COLLAPSE Aug. 1 between the east and west banks of the Mississippi River adjacent to UMTC in Minneapolis involved countless employees and students living in the surrounding neighborhoods. To date, none of the fatalities or those missing have been identified as U faculty, staff, or students. The entire U of M Police Department was deployed in response; four UMD police officers came to assist with security. The Department of Emergency Management's mobile command post and U ambulances were deployed, and at least 40 victims were treated at the U of M Medical Center immediately downstream of the site. A joint information center for agencies including FEMA, NTSB, MnDOT, state and city law enforcement, and Metro Transit is located in the Law School's Mondale Hall. I-35W has been the primary access artery for UMTC in Minneapolis. Watch for updates.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY Ross Macmillan was one of the first to respond when the bridge fell. Read the story, "For U professor, bridge collapse hits close to home."

THE AMERICA COMPETES ACT, passed by Congress Aug. 2, authorizes--though it does not appropriate--significant new funding for research, through the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy, and for science, technology, engineering, and math education. The bill, now on its way to the president's desk, was a bipartisan response to the 2005 National Academies report, "Rising Above the Gathering Storm." President Bruininks lauded Congress and members of Minnesota's delegation who supported the legislation, considered key to long-term U.S. economic competitiveness.

DUAL-CAREER SERVICES are available for spouses and partners of prospective and new faculty and staff who have relocated to the U during the past year. The Relocation Assistance Program eases the transition for families by providing information on moving companies, housing, child and elder care, school systems, spouse/partner employment, and diversity and community resources.

PEOPLE: An honorary doctorate for Nobel laureate Paul Nurse, in whose lab former College of Biological Sciences dean Pete Magee worked; a Blaise Pascal Chair for International Research for theoretical physics professor Mikhail Shifman; Clinical Scientist of the Year is UMD professor of pathology Kent Froberg; a new regional extension educator in community economics at UMC; new coaching staff at UMM. Read about these and more U awards and appointments in People.

CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

University-wide:

JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL FACULTY: A half-day retreat for junior international faculty members will be hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning, Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Office of International Programs, and Office for Equity and Diversity. All junior (pre-tenure) faculty who identify themselves as international are invited to attend. The goal of the retreat is to bring together a group to discuss their experiences, to provide resources to support teaching and research, and to learn what the sponsoring offices can do to support individuals' careers. A panel of international faculty members will talk about their experiences at the U and answer questions. Snacks and lunch will be provided. Aug. 28, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m., Eastcliff. Register by Aug. 14: contact Robin Matross Helms at rmhelms@umn.edu or 612-626-5598.

SUCCESSFUL MANAGERS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM fall session will begin Oct. 31. The program--sponsored by the Office of Organizational Effectiveness, a division of the Office of Human Resources, and by the College of Continuing Education (CCE) in partnership with Personnel Decisions International (PDI)--is an important tool for increasing leadership capabilities at the U. See program information, including costs and session dates. Come to one of two free information sessions about key outcomes of the program. Aug. 13 or Sept. 20, 10-11 a.m., 210/215 Donhowe Building. For more information, call CCE at 612-624-4000.

A CIVIL SERVICE CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION WORKING GROUP has been formed to review compensation and classification policies for U of M civil service employees. The 12-member group, appointed by VP Carrier, Office of Human Resources (OHR), is composed of a broad representation of civil service employees and OHR staff. It will study current policies, collect stakeholder feedback, review best practices, and make recommendations for improving the civil service classification and compensation structure. The working group will issue a report in February 2008. Regular progress reports will be published on the OHR Web site.

PRESIDENT'S EMERGING LEADERS (PEL): Final reports for the 2006-07 PEL cohort are now posted. They included (1) Directing Change Management, (2) Faculty Mentoring, (3) Internationalizing: Bringing the World to the U, (4) Positioning Rochester, and (5) Staff Engagement in the University Community. Also, bios and photos for the 2007-08 PEL cohort are posted.

THE OFFICE OF INTERNAL AUDIT IS THE NEW NAME for the former Department of Audits.

2007-08 TUITION AND FEE INFORMATION is now posted for UMC, UMD, UMM, UMR, and UMTC. Abbreviated information for all the campuses is available in PDF.

OPEN HOUSE FOR THE SOUTHERN RESEARCH AND OUTREACH CENTER (SROC) will showcase "Agriculture for the 21st Century: Growing a Healthier World," with activities for all ages. Sept. 13, 4-8 p.m., Hwy. 14 and Co. Rd. 57, Waseca.

U AT THE FAIR: Discover your U at the Minnesota State Fair, Aug. 23-Sept. 3. See details on the new exhibits, fabulous stage programs, daily giveaways, and more.

SAVE THE DATE: "From Neurons to Neighborhoods: Making the Link Between Science and Service," will be the 2007 Guy Stanton Ford Memorial Lecture, by Thomas Insel, director, National Institute of Mental Health, Oct. 16.

THIS MONTH AT THE MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM:
--FlowerFest Weekend, including two popular garden shows, Aug. 18-19
--Deadline to enter the annual Scarecrows on Parade (PDF) contest and exhibition, Aug. 31
--"Unbidden Gardens," a multimedia exhibit on threatened natural areas in Minnesota, through Sept. 16

Crookston:

ED WIDSETH FIELD, shared by UMC and Crookston High School, is undergoing renovations this summer, including a new track surface and new ticket booth and concession building with permanent, handicapped accessible bathrooms.

NEW REGIONAL EXTENSION EDUCATOR IN COMMUNITY ECONOMICS and business faculty member is Bruce Sorte, whose appointment is with U of M Extension and UMC. Sorte will spend the majority of his time working with communities in northwestern Minnesota on economic issues and teaching courses like microeconomics and natural resource economics.

Duluth:

NEW COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ASSOCIATE DEAN is professor Stanley Burns, who has headed the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. UMD engineering programs--chemical, electrical and computer, industrial, and mechanical--currently enroll more than 750 students; a new civil engineering program will open in 2008.

"COMMUNICATING MATHEMATICS" conference in July honored professor Joseph Gallian for achievements in mathematics teaching, research programs, and mentoring new college faculty nationwide. The event drew students and faculty and was funded by the National Security Agency, the College of Science and Engineering, and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

UMD WILL BE AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR with faculty, staff, and student presentations and performances, Aug. 24-25. Stage performances will include the Lake Superior Trivia Show; music by alumni is scheduled on Friday, noon and 2 p.m., and Saturday, 1 p.m. The UMD booth inside the U building will feature admissions, the Multicultural Center, Eni-gikendaasoyang, and other programs.

Morris:

LOCAL FOODS ON CAMPUS: UMM raised the bar in 2001 by writing local foods into its campus food service contract with Sodexho. The idea is spreading. Read the story from the summer issue of M, "Eating close to home."

Twin Cities:

NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION will be Aug. 21-23. The three-day program provides faculty new to UMTC an important opportunity to learn about U priorities and resources and to meet new colleagues and other faculty and staff. All new faculty are welcome to attend. For more information, see New Faculty Orientation or contact Karen Zentner Bacig, kbacig@umn.edu or 612-624-5082.

CAMPUS PARKING TIPS FOR THE STATE FAIR DATES, Aug. 23-Sept. 3, will be sent to U e-mail accounts next week. They also will be posted on the Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) Web site.

PTS celebrated being named 2007 Parking Organization of the Year by the International Parking Institute, a trade organization of 400 institutions in 18 countries. PTS shares the inaugural award with the city of Houston, Texas. UMTC is the third largest traffic generator in Minnesota.

U-PASS, THE DEEP-DISCOUNT UNLIMITED-RIDE STUDENT BUS PASS, has been overhauled so it's renewable and doesn't include photos--which means students must show their U Card in case of fare checks. The new program began Aug. 1 and brings the U-Pass into alignment with 2005 changes to the staff-faculty Metropass.

TRANSITION FROM MODEM POOL TO INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS (ISPs): Several vendors to provide residential fee-based Internet service at discount rates have been selected by Networking and Telecommunication Services (NTS). U faculty, staff, students, and alumni may purchase this service directly from the selected vendors through UMart. The U modem pool and the 800 modem pool will be decommissioned Dec. 31. The customer base has declined as people move to alternate ISPs offering services such as DSL and cable modem, equipment is aging, and costs of sustaining the modem pool have increased. See more information on the transition on the ISP tab.

PRIDE @ WORK, the U's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and ally employee network, will host a free ice cream social. Aug. 9, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Garden Terrace, St. Paul Student Center. Call 612-625-0537 for more information.

VOLUNTEER AT CONVOCATION, to be held Sept. 4, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Shifts vary. Register to volunteer by Aug. 20.

SAVE THE DATE: "An Evening With Ken Burns" will include a preview of The War, a seven-part TV series on World War II, at Northrop Auditorium, Sept. 5.

2007-08 NORTHROP JAZZ SEASON will include six concerts between Oct. 14 and May 3.

MORE EVENTS include Curiosity Camps, "What Lies Beneath Us: Archaeology in the Twin Cities" (Aug. 9) and "Our Bodies, Our Health" (Aug. 13); Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Programs Poster Symposium (Aug. 10); Educational Technologists Forum: Assessing Learning With Technology (Aug. 11); Flashback: Norwegian Landscapes in Retrospect and Photographs From the Galapagos (through Aug. 12); Rep. Jim Ramstad in the "Connecting With Government" forum series ( Aug. 14); UMore Park open house (Aug. 16); Trans-Atlantic Institute in German and European Studies (through Aug. 19); "Victorian Secrets and Edwardian Enigmas: The Riddles of the Rooms of 221B Baker Street" at Andersen Library (through Aug. 20); Worldwide Tuning Meditation (Aug. 21); "Dealing With Difficult People: Strategies for Successful Work Relations" (Aug. 22); "Becoming Minnesota: A Sesquicentennial Sampler" (Aug. 23); Connecting Beijing-Minneapolis (through Aug. 23); Sherlock's Last Case by the Showboat Players (through Aug. 25); and new graduate student orientation (Aug. 28). SEE THESE AND MORE TWIN CITIES CAMPUS EVENTS.

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Published by University Relations at the University of Minnesota. Please send comments, questions, or submissions to the editor at brief@umn.edu. All Twin Cities event submissions are handled through the events calendar at http://events.tc.umn.edu.

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