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Vol. XXXVII No. 29; Sept. 26, 2007
Editor: Gayla Marty, brief@umn.edu
Read Brief on the Web at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief/Brief_9262007.html.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
--Transforming the U: Q&A with UMR's first chancellor.
--AFSCME strike ends.
--A $2.45 million NSF grant to double the number of minorities who
receive baccalaureate degrees in STEM fields has been awarded to a
statewide alliance led by the U.
--People: Interim director of the Office for University Women, and
more.
Campus Announcements and Events
University-wide | Crookston |
Duluth | Morris | Rochester | Twin Cities
TRANSFORMING THE U: The first chancellor of the U's Rochester
campus arrived Sept. 10 with a background in visual neuroscience
and leadership at the four-campus U of Missouri. Stephen Lehmkuhle
couldn't resist the rare opportunity to help build a new campus in
a high-tech, high-growth corridor with a groundswell of community
support. Read more in "Connect
and commit."
THE AFSCME STRIKE ENDED Sept. 21, and workers are returning this
week. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
leadership announced that they will forward the U's offer to
employees for a vote in early October. See more information about
the offer and returning to work and the
statement from President Bruininks.
A $2.45 MILLION GRANT TO INCREASE MINORITIES IN "STEM" FIELDS has
been awarded to a statewide alliance led by the U, including 16
colleges and universities, the Science Museum of Minnesota, and the
Minnesota High Tech Association. The National Science
Foundation-funded initiative aims to double the number of
underrepresented minorities--African American, Hispanic/Latino
American, and Native American students--who complete baccalaureate
degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
over the next five years. See the
news release.
PEOPLE: Interim director of the Office for U Women at UMTC is Peg
Lonnquist; News Service changes; Gopher wrestling team honored at
the White House. Read about these and more appointments and awards
in People.
CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETINGS this academic year will be Oct. 4,
Nov. 29, Feb. 14, March 6, April 3, and May 1. See the detailed
schedule.
THE TEAMSTERS' collective bargaining agreement has been ratified by
members and will be presented for review and approval at the Board
of Regents meeting in October. See general information on the
labor
negotiating process.
A NEW U-WIDE OFFICE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, designed to
coordinate and ensure alignment of occupational health and safety
programs and compliance activities across the U system, has been
established by President Bruininks. The decision to establish the
office was based on a comprehensive report produced by a task force
charged by VP Carrier, human resources; VP O'Brien, university
services; and VP Mulcahy, research. The office will be managed
through the Office of the Senior VP for Health Sciences; Ross
Janssen has been appointed director and also will continue in his
role as the U's HIPAA privacy and security officer. See OHS.
GUIDELINES ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR 2007-08 DISTINGUISHED TEACHING
AWARDS--the Horace T. Morse-U of M Alumni Association Award for
Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education and the Award
for Outstanding Contributions to Postbaccalaureate, Graduate, and
Professional Education. Go to "Nomination Materials" on the
awards
page. Direct questions to Robin Matross Helms, Office of the
Senior VP for Academic Affairs and Provost, at rmhelms@umn.edu or 612-626-5598.
GUIDELINES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THE 2007-08 JOHN TATE AWARD FOR
EXCELLENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING, administered through the
Office of the Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education. Go
to "Guidelines and Forms" on the awards page.
Direct questions to Robin Matross Helms, rmhelms@umn.edu or 612-626-5598.
ARE YOU A FULBRIGHTER? A reception for all past and present
Fulbright award recipients U-wide will be hosted Nov. 15 by the
Office of the President, the Office of International Programs, the
Office of the Senior VP for Academic Affairs and Provost, and the
Graduate School. If you ever participated in a Fulbright program or
are currently at the U on a Fulbright award, contact Robin Matross
Helms, rmhelms@umn.edu, to be
added to the invitation list.
"SAVING THE PLANET...ONE CAMPUS AT A TIME," featuring Chancellor
Johnson, UMM, and Dean Fisher, UMTC College of Design, will be the
first Environment Roundtable sponsored by the Institute on the
Environment. Currently, UMM gets more than 50 percent of its
electricity from wind power; UMTC recycles nearly 60 percent of its
waste. Johnson and Fisher will talk about the role academia should
play in modeling sustainable practices, and they will gather ideas
for how to green the U. Oct. 1, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m., 105 Cargill
Building for Microbial and Plant Genomics, UMTC; the event also
will be available via Breeze. See
event details.
"USING LABYRINTHS IN HEALTH AND HEALING" will be the next topic in
the Healing by Design Lecture Series, with guest experts on the
history of labyrinths and their application in healing and hospital
settings. Oct. 4, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
See the Center for Spirituality
and Healing.
HOMECOMING 2007: Alumni and friends are invited to join UMC
students, staff, and faculty for a week of activities. See
"Let
the Good Times Roll."
A NEW SCHOLARSHIP supported by Norby's Work Perks of Grand Forks,
N.D., will help to support a junior or senior in business or
entrepreneurship at UMC. The donor is Matthew Norby, '06. See the
news
release.
THE SWENSON COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING has been named
after longtime UMD benefactor and chemistry alumnus James Swenson,
'59. The announcement of the new name and gifts from James and
Susan Swenson and the Swenson Family Foundation was made Sept. 21
by Chancellor Martin and Dean Riehl. Swenson gifts have now reached
$21 million, including new donations of $7.7 million for science
and research scholarships and $3 million toward construction of the
new civil engineering building. Read more about the gifts and
Swenson.
HOMECOMING 2007: Marking 75 years of UMD football, homecoming
activities this year will include a department decorating contest,
5K trail run, bonfire, reunion brunch for the class of '57, UMD
Young Alum Kickoff happy hour, and tailgating. During the game vs.
Western Washington, the marching band will debut at halftime for
the first time in 18 years. Sept. 27-29. See the schedule.
UMM'S FIRST TEACHER EDUCATION ALUMNI CONFERENCE will feature
Michael Smart, 2007 Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Smart attended
Harvard, Stockholm U, and UMTC and currently teaches in a Japanese
program at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School. He has worked with
global languages in the public and private sectors, including
nonprofits. See
conference details.
THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE ACADEMIC CENTER FOR ENRICHMENT is Paula
O'Loughlin, associate professor of political science and a 2007
recipient of the Morse-Alumni Award for Outstanding Contributions
to Undergraduate Teaching. The center will coordinate work related
to study abroad, national scholarships, honors, undergraduate
research opportunities, Morris Academic Partners, Undergraduate
Research Symposium, and National Student Exchange.
THE ROCHESTER HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL heard from
Chancellor Lehmkuhle for the first time Sept. 21 in UMR's new
location. He spoke to about 45 council members about the academic
strategic planning process. This week, Lehmkuhle is scheduled to
address more than 200 members and friends of the local
Rotary.
THE FIRST "GOPHER HOLE" of the academic year is today, fourth
floor, 5-7 p.m. Students, staff, faculty, family, and friends of
UMR are invited to the monthly gathering. Rochester Area Alumni and
Friends of the University of Minnesota (RAAFUM) will provide pizza
and soda for students and alumni. The monthly Gopher Hole grew out
of informal after-class student meetings several years ago.
SAVE THE DATE: The grand opening of UMR at its new location will be
Oct. 25. Details will be posted on the UMR home page.
TO ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON PLEASANT STREET S.E. since
the I-35W bridge collapse, 11 disability parking spots have been
moved to Pillsbury Drive, and the bike lane along Pillsbury Drive
has been removed. Parking and Transportation Services took the
action to allow traffic to flow more smoothly on Pleasant Street
between University Avenue and Arlington Street S.E. See more details.
FALL WORKSHOPS AND DISCUSSIONS FOR INSTRUCTORS, sponsored by the
Center for Writing, begin with "Teaching and Writing Online," on
how to effectively use WebCT/Vista, UThink blogs, and other
technologies. Sept. 28, noon-1:30 p.m., 1-142 Carlson School of
Management. Upcoming workshops include "Coaching Graduate Writing,"
especially for faculty (Oct. 12); "It's All About Efficiency,"
especially for graduate students who write and teach with writing
(Oct. 19); "Commenting on/Responding to Student Writing" (Oct. 24);
and "Grading Student Writing" (Nov. 9). Most are held midday, and
lunch is provided to those who register in advance. Register online or
call 612-626-7579.
THE HONEYWELL-NOBEL LAUREATE LECTURE, "ELECTRICITY AND BIOLOGY,"
will be delivered by Roderick MacKinnon, winner of the 2003 Nobel
Prize in Chemistry. Oct. 1, 4-5:30 p.m., McNamara Alumni Center.
Free and open to the public, but registration is recommended. The
lecture will be part of a traveling technology experience, Oct.
1-2. See initiative
details.
"BRIDGES FALL DOWN" IS THE FIRST HEADLINERS FORUM FOR 2007-08,
featuring John Adams, professor and chair, Department of Geography,
and codirector of the new University Metropolitan Consortium. Oct.
4, 7 p.m., Continuing Education and Conference Center, St. Paul.
Hear more U experts speak on timely topics, to be announced, on
Nov. 1, Dec. 6, Jan. 10, Feb. 7, March 6, and April 3. $10 per
forum; subscribe for the whole series by Sept. 28 at $50. See
Headliners.
TECHNOLOGY FORUM AND OPEN HOUSE, sponsored by the Department of
Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), will include industry and
research exhibits, Google VP of engineering Stuart Feldman as the
keynote speaker, Google Fellow and CSE Distinguished Alumni Award
winner Jeffrey Dean, and a panel on future workforce supply and
demand. Oct. 5, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Electrical Engineering and Computer
Science. Register by Sept. 28 for lunch. See more event
information.
FACULTY AND STAFF APPRECIATION DAYS FOR GOPHER FOOTBALL are Sept.
29, 7 p.m., vs. Ohio State U ($35), and the homecoming game Nov. 3,
7 p.m., vs. the U of Illinois ($30). Buy discounted tickets at U of
M Bookstores or the Mariucci Arena ticket office through Nov. 2.
Seats based on availability. Sponsored by the Advisory Committee on
Athletics and its subcommittee on campus and community relations,
in partnership with the Department of Intercollegiate
Athletics.
LAST FARMERS MARKET
OF THE SEASON IS TODAY, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., along Church Street in
Minneapolis.
INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY EVENTS THIS SEMESTER include a Tuesday
lecture series on "The River, the Bridge,
the Community: Beyond the Headlines of the I-35W Bridge
Collapse" (begins Oct. 2); the University Symposium on Time, including "Cities
in Conflict" and Talk About Time monthly lunches; Thursdays at Four;
and more. See also the complete calendar by date.
FOUR 3M SEMINARS ON TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION, for graduate and
Ph.D. students in technology and science programs, will focus on
how to bring ideas from lab to marketplace. The series begins with
"Identifying
Market Opportunities," Oct. 8, 5-7 p.m., 2-260 Carlson School
of Management. To register, e-mail hce@umn.edu.
MORE EVENTS include the GLBTA Programs Office open house (Sept.
26); "Environmentalism and Modern Democracy," a conversation
about environment and communities of color (Sept.
27); "School Buildings--The State of Affairs," a symposium on
architecture for a new education (Sept.
28) and an exhibition of 31 designs from Europe (through
Oct. 7); Disability Awareness Month kickoff (Sept.
28); "Speaking Science 2.0: New Directions in Science
Communications," with a panel of national journalists and bloggers
(Sept.
28); fall raptor release at Lake Rebecca Park Reserve (Sept.
29); Gopher Gold author and journalist Tim Brady
(Sept.
29); "The Natural History of Minnesota Wine" (Sept.
29); "The Future and Practice of Healthy Foods" symposium
(Oct.
1); "The Kids Are All Right: Violent Media, Free Expression,
and the Drive to Regulate," the 22nd Annual Silha Lecture, by
Washington, D.C., attorney Robert Corn-Revere (Oct.
1); Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf on "The Business of
Football" at the Carlson School's First Tuesday luncheon (Oct.
2, register by Sept. 28); Community Involvement Fair (Oct.
3); "A Dialogue in Black and Blue" with Ralph Ellison
biographers Arnold Rampersad and John Wright (Oct.
3); and the etiquette dinner for students (Oct.
9, register by Oct. 1). SEE THESE AND MORE TWIN CITIES CAMPUS EVENTS.
Published by University Relations at the University of Minnesota. Please send comments, questions, or submissions to the editor at brief@umn.edu. The deadline for submissions is noon on the Friday before publication. All Twin Cities event submissions are handled through the events calendar at http://events.tc.umn.edu.
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