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Vol. XXXVIII No. 22; July 2, 2008
Editor: Adam Overland, brief@umn.edu
Read Brief on the Web at www.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief/Brief_07022008.html.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
--Enterprise Financial System goes live.
--People: Four U professors named Regents Professors; Trevor Ames
named dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine; Adel Ali named
head of the Math, Science, and Technology Department at UMC;
Professor Emeritus and Nobel Laureate Leo Hurwicz has died; and
more.
Campus Announcements and Events
University-wide | Crookston |
Duluth | Morris | Rochester | Twin Cities
ENTERPRISE FINANCIAL SYSTEM (EFS) WENT LIVE on all University of Minnesota campuses on July 1. EFS replaces all major financial systems, including the mainframe Colleges and Universities Financial System (CUFS), Financial Forms Nirvana, Electronic Grants Management System internal (EGMSi), and JD Edwards. For more information, see New Financial System Goes Live.
PEOPLE: Four new Regents Professors were recently named; Trevor Ames has been named dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine; Adel Ali has been named the new head of the Math, Science, and Technology Department at UMC; Northrop's Benjamin M. Johnson was named director of concerts and lectures; Professor Emeritus and Nobel Laureate Leo Hurwicz has died. Read about these and more awards and appointments in People.
CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
THE U'S "DRIVEN TO DISCOVER" CAMPAIGN WON THE GOLD EFFIE AWARD, an international symbol of achievement in advertising communication. The Effie is known by agencies and clients globally as the pre-eminent award in the industry and is presented in 33 countries worldwide. The U is the only higher education institute to win in the government/institutional category since 1996. For more information, see the News Release.
THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE INCREASED THE STANDARD MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT RATES effective July 1. The new rates are 58.5 cents per mile for employees traveling on University business, and 27 cents per mile for moving. For more information, see the Travel Policy.
U OF M SCHOOL OF NURSING IS SEEKING NURSING LEADERS for its 2009 Summit of Sages. Nominees should be groups (nursing leader and team) that have fostered innovation and inspiration through new models of care delivery. Nomination forms are due Aug. 6. For more information or a form, visit the Densford Center.
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY REGARDING MEDICAL AND PERSONAL LEAVE and disability benefits for faculty and academic P&A employees is under review. New provisions include permitting limited use of medical leave to care for an immediate family member with a serious health condition, specific medical leave reporting requirements, and clarification of U rights to request medical leave documentation. The unpaid-personal-leaves policy includes language to align with Minnesota law allowing leaves for victims of certain crimes. There is also a change in the maximum number of days that may be taken per year by individuals with appointments of less than 50 percent time or an appointment term of less than nine months. Policy drafts are available for viewing, comments, and questions until July 14. For more information, see Policy Review.
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY NEWS: The new financial system implemented July 1 brings changes to all associated financial policies, procedures, and documents. Human resource policies are now searchable online from both the policy homepage and human resources policy page. Financial One Stop (FOS), which contained clickable flowcharts for financial procedures, was discontinued July 1. If you have bookmarked the FOS site or included it as a link on your Web pages, please replace with the URL http://policy.umn.edu.
STUDENTS FROM THE WHITE EARTH ACADEMY OF MATH AND SCIENCE visited UMC in June to focus on technology, engineering, science, and mathematics. The students, in grades five through eight, had a variety of learning opportunities in topics such as global positioning systems and mapping, computer game design, and equine science. For more information, see UMC Visit.
UMC ALL-CAMPUS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER MARGARET REED was recently inducted into Altru Health System's Nursing Hall of Fame. As chief nurse for Altru, Reed has influenced nurse mentoring, and education, and other nursing initiatives. For more information, see News Release.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND, TARJA HALONEN, is coming to Duluth in July. President Halonen will attend "FinnFest 2008" and will be awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree for public service presented by Chancellor Martin and University regents at a public ceremony, July 25, 10 a.m., DECC Arena. Proceeds go to support the FinnFest Scholarship, begun in 1992. Over 115 students have received awards from the scholarship. For more information, see FinnFest.
THE UMD WOMEN'S HOCKEY TEAM WAS HONORED by President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony in Washington, D.C., June 24. The team won the 2008 NCAA Division I national championship. In the past eight years, the UMD women's hockey team and head coach Shannon Miller have been honored four times at the White House. The Bulldogs finished their 2007-08 season with a 34-4-1 record, the best for any UMD women's hockey squad in the program's nine-year history. For more information, see White House.
FUNDING TO OFFSET CARBON EMISSIONS produced by UMM's campus service fleet has been designated by the UMM Alumni Association (UMMAA) Board of Directors from the UMMAA Impact Fund. A significant percentage of the fleet are hybrids. For more information, see the Spring/Summer edition of Profile, page 20.
THE FOURTH BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS AND COMPUTATIONAL SYMPOSIUM (BICB) was held at UMR on June 20. Approximately 85 researchers and administrators from the University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, IBM, and Hormel Institute attended the symposium. The BICB provides an opportunity for researchers and faculty to meet, communicate interests, and exchange ideas that could lead to collaborative research projects. For more information, see BICB.
THE WEISMAN'S ART RENTAL PROGRAM LOANS ORIGINAL ARTWORK TO U faculty, staff, and students, and has been doing so since 1934. More than 800 pieces are in circulation and about 300 framed, ready-to-hang original artworks are available for rent at the Weisman store, including prints, one-of-a-kind watercolor and oil paintings, and photographs. For more information, see Blank walls don't talk.
SEVEN PROJECTS WILL RECEIVE FUNDING THROUGH THE U'S GOOD NEIGHBOR FUND. The fund was created by the U in July 2007, with $1.5 million from the Minnesota Legislature to protect and enhance the neighborhoods and business districts impacted by the new on-campus football stadium. The Stadium Area Advisory Group of the U recommended the projects, including neighborhood identification banners, wayfinding signage in a neighborhood business district, a traffic calming study, and research on livability initiatives underway in other campus-area communities. For more information, see Good Neighbor.
WALK-IN PREVENTIVE HEALTH SCREENINGS at Boynton Health Service are available on the second Wednesday of every month for UPlan members through December. The screening tests available include: cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL); blood glucose (nonfasting); body mass index and body composition, and blood pressure. Offered first-come, first-served at no cost. For more information, see Health.
THE CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING will accept applications for the 2008-09 Multicultural Teaching and Learning Fellowship Program through July 15. The fellowship supports course development, course revision, development of teaching resources, and other projects. For more information, contact Anita Gonzalez or see Fellowship.
TEST DRIVE A HYBRID at the Fleet Services Green Open House. New hybrid additions to the fleet, including the Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Malibu, and Ford Escape, will be available for driving. Complimentary cookies and lemonade will also be available. July 16, 2-5 p.m., Fleet Services Building, 901 29th Avenue S.E. For more information, see Hybrid.
CIVICFEST IS LOOKING FOR DEDICATED PEOPLE to act as exhibit guides, assistant curators, and docents. As one of the premier events hosted by MSP 2008, CivicFest is a nonpartisan celebration of Minnesota and American History, democracy, and the U.S. presidency. CivicFest docents will share their civic pride and local knowledge. No extensive proficiency or degree are required. Applicants should fill out the CivicFest docent application and attend the information and registration meeting July 23, 6:30-7:30 p.m. For more information or to make a reservation, call 1-866-79-CIVIC or see CivicFest.
THE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN MARKETING AT THE CARLSON SCHOOL of Management, with the assistance of the United States Department of Commerce, will host a CEO forum on innovation: Drivers and Impediments, with Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and U professor Rajesh Chandy as moderators. Distinguished panelists will discuss innovation and how government policies can help or hinder it. July 28, 1-3 p.m., 3M Auditorium, Carlson School. Free and open to the public. For more information and to RSVP, see Innovation.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUMMER FUN by stopping at the Coffman Union information desk for savings on Twin Cities summer events. Discounted tickets are available for Valley Fair, the Star Wars exhibit at the Science Museum, the Minnesota Zoo's new Russian Grizzly exhibit, and various movie theaters.
MORE EVENTS include "Extreme Googling: Tips and Tricks for Expert Searching" (July 7); Romantica (July 8); Weight Watchers at Work Program (July 9); RefWorks Basics (July 10); Mister Rolls (July 14); Split Rock Soirees (July 15); "Web of Science vs. Google Scholar Smackdown" (July 16). 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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