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Vol. XXXVIII No. 18; May 14, 2008
Editor: Adam Overland, brief@umn.edu
Read Brief on the Web at www.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief/Brief_05142008.html.
Greetings! This is my first issue as editor of Brief. I'm looking forward to serving U faculty and staff systemwide in this role. I welcome your suggestions, comments, and feedback, and you can contact me anytime through brief@umn.edu--Adam Overland.
Brief publication calendar
Beginning May 21, Brief will be published every other week, according to the summer schedule. The weekly schedule returns September 10. The deadline for submissions is noon on the Friday before publication.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
--Financially Fit Minnesota
--Board of Regents meeting
--People: Greg Lindsey named associate dean of Humphrey Institute;
Misty Sato to receive the 2008 Young Scholars Research Fellowship;
and more.
Campus Announcements and Events
University-wide | Crookston |
Duluth | Morris | Twin Cities
"FINANCIALLY FIT MINNESOTA": The U and more than 20 other
Minnesota employers are part of a new statewide initiative that
helps employees plan for their future and improve financial
literacy and security. Financially Fit Minnesota has the support of
Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak, and St. Paul mayor
Chris Coleman. To learn more, read "U
joins campaign to encourage saving for retirement."
AT THE BOARD OF REGENTS MEETING ON MAY 9, President Bruininks
discussed possible scenarios for the U's FY 2008-09 annual
operating budget. The U has modeled different plans based on
reductions in state appropriations being considered by the
legislature and Gov. Tim Pawlenty. A reduction of $10 million would
be addressed entirely through reallocations and delays in
investments, but a reduction of $27 million--as proposed by
Pawlenty--would require an increase in tuition above the planned
7.5 percent. A public forum on the budget will be held May 21,
10:30-11:30 a.m., boardroom, sixth floor, McNamara Alumni Center.
Regents will vote on a final FY 2008-09 operating budget proposal
at their June meeting. For more information, visit the Board of Regents.
PEOPLE: Greg Lindsey has been named associate dean of the Humphrey
Institute; Misty Sato will receive the 2008 Young Scholars Research
Fellowship; Charles Baxter's recent novel was voted a top book;
Harouna Maiga was awarded the NACTA Teacher Fellow Award; Brian
Buhr has been named head of the Department of Applied Economics.
Read about these and more awards and appointments in People.
CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
THE OFFICE FOR TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION (OTC) LAUNCHED A NEW
WEB SITE featuring enhanced navigation and access to information
and resources about technology transfer. OTC redesigned its site
presentation and organization to help researchers understand the
technology transfer process and to connect companies to U
discoveries. Visit the OTC Web site to learn
more and to read this month's Inventor Spotlight about medicinal
chemistry professor Philip Portoghese.
THE HUMPHREY INSTITUTE WILL HONOR Jane Freeman, Minnesota's former
first lady, longtime political activist, and friend of the U, and
the Honorable Al Quie, former governor of Minnesota, with the
Hubert H. Humphrey Public Leadership Award. Awards dinner June 3,
McNamara Alumni Center, reception at 6 p.m., dinner and program at
7 p.m. Tickets are $125, of which $75 is tax-deductible. Proceeds
benefit a student scholarship initiative. Contact Dawn Fish at
dawnfish@umn.edu. For more
information, see awards
dinner.
NEW INTERDISCIPLINARY INFORMATICS PROGRAM will draw from the
biological, environmental, physical, mathematical, engineering,
health, and agricultural sciences. The program is based at UMTC,
but faculty from other campuses are encouraged to participate.
Beginning this fall, the U will hire 21 new informatics faculty and
up to 10 postdocs and offer 20 fellowships to the graduate program
per year. See informatics.
A WOMEN'S SOCIAL/ALUMNI EVENT FOR UMC took place May 7 at Eastcliff, the president's official residence. Guests from UMC and around the state celebrated accomplishments of UMC women students, faculty, and staff.
UMD GRADUATE COMMENCEMENT will be held May 15, 7 p.m., Romano
Gymnasium, with 185 students participating. Professor Matthew
Andrews, noted hibernation researcher, head of the UMD Department
of Biology, and founding director of graduate studies in the
integrated biosciences program, will speak. For more information,
see graduate
commencement.
UMD's LARGEST EVER baccalaureate commencement ceremony is set for
May 17, noon, Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. Nearly
1,100 graduates will march with over 100 faculty members. Student
speaker will be Melissa Klajda, a magna cum laude honors graduate
in the College of Education and Human Service Professions. World
famous Arctic explorer Ann Bancroft will deliver the commencement
address and be awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree for public
service by UMD chancellor Kathryn Martin. For more information, see
ceremony.
UMD HAS ANNOUNCED THE RETIREMENT of nine faculty members in
2007-08. They include Stephen Adams, English; Thomas Bacig,
cultural studies; Donald Collins, health, physical education, and
recreation; William Fleischman, sociology-anthopology; Raj Karim,
biology; J Clark Laundergan, sociology-anthropology; Raymond Raab,
economics; Richard Seybolt, Spanish; John Voss, mechanical and
industrial engineering.
UMD MASTER OF ADVOCACY AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM graduation
ceremonies will be held May 16, noon, Kirby Student Center
Ballroom. William Lucy, international secretary-treasurer of the
1.4 million-member American Federation of State, County, and
Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, will be the featured
speaker. For more information, see MAPL.
A NINE-HOLE FRISBEE GOLF (FROLF) COURSE pioneered by UMM
Students will hold its grand opening May 16, 11 a.m., Pomme de
Terre Park. For more information, see frolf.
UMM WILL HOST ITS 45TH ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY May 17, 2 p.m.,
campus mall. U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison will give the address. For
more information, see ceremony.
UMM WILL HOST THE SIXTH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON SMALL TOWNS, featuring
"The Power of Small: Building Solutions for Energy Self-Reliance."
The renewable-energy-themed symposium will be held June 3-4 and
will offer energy solutions for P-12 schools, higher education, and
government agencies. For more information, see symposium.
PHASE ONE OF A NEW WIRELESS NETWORK begins tomorrow, and Office
of Information Technology staff will continue the changeover
throughout the summer. Expect some connection disruptions; signs
will be posted at building entrances if work is being done there.
To learn more, read
Faster wireless Internet.
"TECHNO TEXTILES: INNER SPACE TO OUTER SPACE," is an exhibit
highlighting concepts from intelligent buildings that respond to
the environment to fabric balloons used to ensure that
interplanetary vehicles land safely on Mars. Opening reception and
panel discussion May 15, 7-9 p.m. Exhibit runs May 16-July 27.
Goldstein
Museum Gallery, St. Paul campus.
U OF M CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION STUDIES will host its 19th annual
transportation research conference. Reducing congestion and
lowering our carbon footprint will be among the topics addressed,
covering all modes of transportation including highway, transit,
rail, air, water, and others. May 20-21, RiverCentre, St. Paul. For
more information, see CTS.
THE SEVENTH ANNUAL HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE'S
conference "Payers, Providers, and Politics, Oh My!" brings
together IT professionals, hospital and health plan executives,
nurses, physicians, and academia for a wide range of topics
relevant to today's health care industry. Cost is $100 for HIMSS
members; $130 for nonmembers; $25 for full-time students. May 21, 8
a.m.-4:30 p.m., Carlson School of Management. For more information
or to register, see event.
THE HUMPHREY INSTITUTE AND THE INSTITUTE FOR AGRICULTURE AND TRADE
POLICY will cosponsor "Green Chemistry in Minnesota: Opportunities
and Challenges for Leadership" to discuss how Minnesota can
integrate green chemistry into its policies and industries. May 28,
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Humphrey Institute. Registration is $25. For more
information, visit Green
Chemistry.
THE U OF M ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 2008 ANNUAL CELEBRATION will feature
pioneering cardiac researchers Doris Taylor and Earl Bakken. May
29, 7:30 p.m., Northrop Auditorium. Tickets: $30 for members; $40
for nonmembers; $10 for students.
IVORY TOWER AND LUNA ARE NOW AVAILABLE. Ivory
Tower is the UMTC undergraduate literary magazine.
Luna is a journal of poetry and translation, edited by
English professor Ray Gonzalez and MFA alumnus Alex Lemon. For more
information, see Ivory
Tower and Luna .
ENGAGE YOUR MIND AND REFRESH YOUR SPIRIT this summer with the
College of Continuing Education's Curiosity Camps--unique daylong
learning adventures for adults. Discounts are available for U
faculty, staff, and full-time students. Twenty camps are offered
June 11-Aug. 13. For more information or to register, visit
Curiosity
Camps.
WHEN YOU ARE ENGULFED IN FLAMES is the new book by
American humorist David Sedaris. Sedaris will discuss and sign
copies of his sixth essay collection following the reading. Free
and open to the public. June 13, 7 p.m., U Bookstore, Coffman
Union. For more information or to order a signed copy, visit
Flames.
MORE EVENTS include Best DGS (directors of graduate studies) and
Best DGS Assistant Awards Celebration (May
14); Promotion to Full Professor Workshop (May
15); Best-Selling Author Augusten Burroughs Discusses His New
Book A Wolf at the Table (May
16); U of M Continuing Education Fair (May
17); Graduation Reception at Eastcliff (May
18); Campus Club Annual Meeting (May
19); "Cafe Scientifique: Can Darwin Make You Healthy?"
(May
21). 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.
Brief is published by e-mail and on the Web at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief.html.
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