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Vol. XXXVIII No. 8; March 12, 2008
Interim Editor: Pauline Oo, brief@umn.edu
Read Brief on the Web at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief/Brief_03122008.html.
Editor's note: Brief will not be published on March 19 because of spring break.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
--President speaks on State of the U
--New workshops to develop collaborative leadership skills
--People: Lynn Zentner is U's new director of institutional
compliance; and more.
Campus Announcements and Events
University-wide | Crookston |
Duluth | Morris | Twin Cities
"THE STATE OF THE U IS STRONG," said President Bruininks in his
State of the U address last Thursday. In his sixth State of the U
address, Bruininks spoke about evolving cultural identities and
public policies, the creativity that change can spark, and recent
accomplishments across the University system. Read "Strength
through change."
DEVELOPING COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP: Interdisciplinary work
requires collaboration, which often goes against the grain of
individual leadership models. A new series of workshops--organized
by the Graduate School's Office of Interdisciplinary
Initiatives--aims to develop the collaborative leadership skills of
those engaged in scholarship, research, creative work, and
education and training programs. Mentoring is the theme of the next
session, March 25, 3-5 p.m., McNamara Alumni Center. Space is
limited; early registration is encouraged. Read more about the
inaugural workshops--on conflict resolution and collaborative
team-building--led last month by Howard Gadlin, National Institutes
of Health, in "Collaborating to
lead."
PEOPLE: Lynn Zentner is director of institutional compliance
effective April 14; Steve Feinstein, director of the Center for
Holocaust and Genocide Studies, died March 4; Correction to March 6
item--Darlene Charboneau is manager of the AHC's BSL3 facilities,
which handle animal and human pathogens. Read about these and more
awards and appointments in People.
CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
AT THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE, both the House and Senate passed
their bonding bills last week. The House bill contains $136.2
million in funding for University construction and building
maintenance projects, while the Senate bill contains $133.9
million. Both bills include funding for the U's proposed Minnesota
Biomedical Research Program. The bonding bill will now go to a
conference committee cochaired by Sen. Keith Langseth and Rep.
Alice Hausman. Other conferees are Sens. Koering, Pappas,
Tomassoni, and Scheid, and Reps. Scalze, Solberg, Tingelstad, and
Wagenius. For more information on the U's legislative requests, see
the Office of Government and Community Relations Web site.
THREE PROJECTS FOCUSED ON FOOD SAFETY and identifying food
components that could prevent obesity and cancer have received
$1.17 million over the next three years from the U's Healthy Foods,
Healthy Lives Institute. Topics include how bacteria survive on
vegetables; how farm practices could prevent outbreaks of
food-borne illness; how consumption of cruciferous and apiaceous
vegetables reduces the risk of colon and liver cancers; and the
properties in anti-inflammatory drugs found in food. Read the
news release.
MORSE-ALUMNI AWARD recipients for outstanding contributions to
undergraduate education are Todd Arnold, fisheries, wildlife, and
conservation biology; Janet Schrunk Ericksen, English (UMM); Leon
Hsu, postsecondary teaching and learning; Timothy Johnson,
political science; Terry Jones, astronomy; Kristopher McNeill,
chemistry; Barry McQuarrie, mathematics (UMM); and Kristen Nelson,
forest resources. Award ceremony will be April 28, McNamara Alumni
Center, UMTC.
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS to Postbaccalaureate, Graduate, and
Professional Education Award recipients are Massoud Amin,
electrical and computer engineering; Richard Brundage, experimental
and clinical pharmacology; Cesare Casarino, cultural studies and
comparative literature; Douglas Foster, animal science; John
Freeman, political science; Stephen Katz, integrative biology and
physiology; John Matheson, law; and Melissa Middleton Stone, public
affairs. Award ceremony will be April 28, McNamara Alumni Center,
UMTC.
JOHN TATE AWARD RECIPIENTS for excellence in undergraduate advising
are Randal Barnes, civil engineering; Gary Cooper, applied
economics; Charles Habstritt, agriculture (UMC); and Holly
Hatch-Surisook, psychology. Award ceremony will be April 4,
Radisson University Hotel, UMTC.
FACULTY INTERESTED IN EXPLORING ADMINISTRATIVE CAREERS are invited
to attend a workshop sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost
for Faculty and Academic Affairs that will explore the experiences,
challenges, rewards, and career paths of faculty currently in
administrative roles at the U. The sessions will also include
information about leadership development opportunities within and
outside of the U. March 25, 1-3 p.m., 101 Walter Library. To sign
up, e-mail caj@umn.edu.
APPLICATIONS FOR EQUITY AND DIVERSITY "IDEA GRANTS" are invited by
the Office for Equity and Diversity. The program funds projects,
programming, events, and research that support historically
underrepresented students, faculty, staff, and communities. All
academic and administrative units across the U's campuses are
eligible to apply; grants are awarded quarterly. Next deadline for
applications is March 31. For more information and the application,
see equity and
diversity grants.
PEOPLESOFT HR/SA application requires M Key authentication as of
March 16. If you use this system and have not yet activated your M
Key, you can do so online.
All system users were sent an M Key at their work address. Call
1-HELP (612-301-4357) if you haven't received your key or need
assistance activating it.
NEW GLOBAL HEALTH CERTIFICATION COURSE, Clinical Tropical, Migrant,
and Travel Medicine, for physicians and other health care
providers. Topics include introduction to refugee and migrant
health, insect-borne disease, and travel medicine. Cosponsored by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Features guest
faculty from U-affiliated international sites. June 30-Aug. 22. To
learn more, visit the Department of Medicine.
PRESIDENT LI SHUMING, international coordinator Gu Mingdi, and
other officials from Zhejiang Economic and Trade Polytechnic
(ZJETP), Hangzhou, China, will visit UMTC March 12 and meet with U
administration to discuss details of the UMC and ZJETP partnership.
The group will visit UMC March 13 to sign a formal agreement to
establish a joint English as a Second Language program. The program
will be designed and directed by UMC.
CHARLES "CHUCK" HABSTRITT, UMC associate professor of agronomy, was
recently named recipient of the 2007-08 John Tate Awards for
Excellence in Undergraduate Advising. Read the news
release.
INTERNATIONAL WATER INSTITUTE and Red River Watershed Management
Board are hosting the 13th annual River Watch (RW) Student Forum
March 19. Approximately 250 students, teachers, and resource
managers will present the work of RW Teams from high schools in the
Red River of the North Basin (North Dakota, Minnesota, Manitoba).
Read the news
release.
UMD HAS LAUNCHED a revamped and expanded Emergency Preparedness Web
site complete with information about what to do during health,
weather, and safety emergencies. UMD will sponsor a booth
demonstrating the Web site and new text messaging notification
system at Tech Fest, March 28, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Kirby Student Center
Ballroom.
UMD PROFESSOR LADONA TORNABENE'S "Living the Dream" fine arts
photography exhibition will open, with prints for sale, March 1 and
run through March 31 at Master Framing Gallery. The exhibit
features all of Tornabene's limited edition fine art giclee prints,
as well as many open editions in multiple sizes and on a variety of
papers. Proceeds will go toward the UMD "Professor as Photographer
Scholarship Fund," founded by Tornabene to help nontraditional
students return to school and help health education majors to
intern abroad.
BUS STOP, a romantic and comedic drama by William Inge,
will open at UMD March 13, 7:30 p.m., Mainstage Theatre, Marshall
Performing Arts Center. The plot concerns a busload of weary
travelers who are forced by a snowstorm to stay overnight at a
roadside diner. Showtimes are March 13-15 and March 25-29 at 7:30
p.m. and March 30 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $11 for
seniors, and $6 for children and UMD students. For more
information, see UMD
theatre.
UMM LAUNCHED TXT-U, the U emergency notification text message
system, on March 10.
U.S. REP. KEITH ELLISON will address this year's graduating seniors
at the annual commencement ceremony, May 17, 2 p.m. Ellison has
represented the Fifth Congressional District of Minnesota in the
U.S. House of Representatives since taking office in January
2007.
PUBLIC INPUT SOUGHT for University Athletics NCAA Certification
Self-Study. The U has been conducting a yearlong, campuswide study
of its intercollegiate athletics department as part of the NCAA
Division I athletics required certification program. The specific
areas being studied are academic integrity; governance and
commitment to rules compliance; and equity and student-athlete
well-being. Public comment is requested on the draft report through
March 24; comments will be considered by the steering committee in
finalizing the report. To read all or part of the report and to
provide feedback, go to MyU
portal.
THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE in the College of Design is one of six
schools to win the American Institute of Architects Education Award
for its new curriculum, "An Incomplete Curriculum for
Transformation." Faculty members Ritu Bhatt, Renee Cheng, John
Comazzi, Ozayr Saloojee, and Marc Swackhamer are responsible for
developing the project, which explores an "evolving curricular
structure." Read the
news release.
MCNAMARA ALUMNI CENTER has been named best meeting venue in
Minnesota by Minnesota Meetings + Events magazine. In
2007, the venue hosted 489 meetings. All McNamara staff are
employed by United Properties/NorthMarq Corporate Solutions, the
building's management company. McNamara Alumni Center earned the
Best Reception Facility Award from the magazine in 2002.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WELCOME WEEK (a new six-day program to complement
freshman orientation), how it will affect the U community, and how
you can get involved. Info sessions are March 12, 11-Noon, 335
Borlaug Hall, and March 19, 10:30-11:30 a.m., 101 Walter Library.
To RSVP, e-mail ofyp@umn.edu or
call 612-624-1979 with your name, department or college, and the
location you plan to attend. For a complete schedule of upcoming
events, see Welcome
Week.
JEREMIAH REEDY, professor emeritus of classics, Macalester College,
will speak on "The Failure of Progressive Education and the Return
to Classical Models." Response by Tim Lensmire, associate professor
in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. March 13, noon, 40
Peik Hall.
"THE DIGITAL REPRODUCTION OF INEQUALITY," a companion event to the
"Networks and Neighborhoods in Cyberspace" symposium, will feature
assistant professor Eszter Hargittai, Northwestern University,
talking about how information technology may contribute to or
alleviate social inequalities. March 13, 4-5 p.m., 120-125 Nolte
Center. To RSVP, e-mail greenhow@umn.edu. To learn more, see
events
calendar.
"MEASURING CHILDHOOD OBESITY: Public Health Surveillance OR
School-based Screening and Parent Notification?" is the topic of a
special presentation and open conversation by the School of Nursing
and the Obesity Prevention Center, with invited guests from the
Burnsville, Eagan, Savage Independent School District 191;
Minnesota Department of Health; and England's Department of Health
and Department for Children, Schools, and Families National Child
Measurement Programme. Moderated by Martha Kubik, School of
Nursing. March 24, 10-11:30 a.m., Coffman Union. For more
information or to register (by March 20), visit the School of
Nursing.
"ROBOTS: A NEW TYPE OF COMPANION" is the title of the spring 2008
Ada Comstock Distinguished Women Scholars Lecture. Speaker Maria
Gini, U computer science and engineering professor, will
demonstrate her research in artificial intelligence and robotics.
March 31, 4 p.m., Cowles Auditorium, HHH. (Dessert reception
follows.) To RSVP, e-mail women@umn.edu or call
612-625-9837.
MORE EVENTS include "Putting Faces to a Faceless Crime: Profiles of
'Euthanasia' Victims" (March
13), "Out of the Boxes and into the Archives: Celebrating the
Life and Work of Max Lowenthal" (March
14), 13th Annual International Women's Day Celebration
(March
15), "Cafe Scientifique: Global Warming and Environmental
Equality" (March
18). 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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