Read Brief on the Web at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief/Brief_12132006.html.
Vol. XXXVI No. 41; Dec. 13, 2006

Editor: brief@umn.edu

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

CUMULATIVE EFFECT: From reviewing interdisciplinary initiatives and campus expansion to updating U policies and extending the president's contract, Transforming the U was a constant theme at the December 2006 Board of Regents meetings. Read more at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/Cumulative_effects.html.

THE U IN URBAN AFFAIRS: Co-directors John Adams and Judith Martin share their preliminary views on the U's new University Metropolitan Consortium, an interdisciplinary initiative with the mission of coordinating and enhancing University engagement on urban issues. Read more at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/Putting_the_U_in_urban_affairs.html.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SPOTLIGHT: In 1994 University professor Mark Umbreit founded the Center for Restorative Justice and Peacemaking, the first such center in the United States. In 2005, he established the Muslim Restorative Justice Outreach project. Read more at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/Peacemaking_in_the_time_of_hostility.html.

PEOPLE: Rajesh Chandy to serve on the Measuring Innovation in the 21st Century Economy Advisory Committee; Patricia Hampl's new book honored by The New York Times; National Academy of Public Administration inducts J. Brian Atwood; Karen Himle is the new VP for University Relations at UMTC. Read more at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Faculty_Staff_Comm/people.html.

CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

University-wide:

DEVELOP PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS and help fraternities and sororities connect to resources on campus through the fraternity and sorority faculty/staff adviser program sponsored by the Office for Student Affairs and the Office for Fraternity and Sorority Life. There are currently 46 chapters at the U, including 10 multicultural organizations. For more information, contact Chad Ellsworth at 612-624-7659 or ellsw017@umn.edu.

HENNEPIN-UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP: Hennepin County and the University of Minnesota have launched a partnership to collaborate more on community-based research, share academic and practitioner expertise, and provide students with field experience. For more information, see the Smartlink newsletter at http://www.cura.umn.edu/HUP.php or contact Kathie Doty at 612-625-4383 or kdoty@umn.edu.

SPECIAL TICKET OFFER FROM THE GUTHRIE: University of Minnesota faculty and staff can save $10 per ticket on any remaining performance of Edgardo Mine, the true story of a young Jewish boy, Edgardo Mortara. For more information or to buy tickets, see http://www.guthrietheater.org/Portals/0/gmail/edgardo_umn.htm.

BECOMING A FULL PROFESSOR: A WORKSHOP FOR ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS. The Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost is offering workshops about working toward full professorship. The first workshop on Dec. 18, 10 a.m.-noon, is full for UMTC, but space is still available on other campuses. Due to the level of interest, two workshops have been added: Dec. 19, 10 a.m.-noon, L-114 Carlson School, UMTC; and Dec. 21, 3-5 p.m., (ITV locations) 100 Dowell, UMC; 173 Kirby, UMD; HFA 7, UMM. For more information or to sign up for a workshop, e-mail Cheryl Johnson at caj@umn.edu.

THE GREAT UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA GET TOGETHER: The U's first Quality Fair will be Jan. 25, 8 a.m.-noon. More than 40 University poster exhibitors will share their ideas and best practices that improve teaching, learning, research, and work processes. Doug Lennick, Lennick Aberman Group, will give the keynote address, "WDYWFY--What Do You Want For You--Breakthrough Leadership--Aligning Personal Values, Aspirations, and Behaviors With Organizational Strategy and Culture." Everyone is invited to share mini-donuts, cotton candy, and mini-corn dogs, as well as learn about and celebrate great improvements. Sponsored by the Office of Service and Continuous Improvement and the Improvement Liaison Group. Register at http://www1.umn.edu/osci/fair.html.

Crookston:

THOMAS BALDWIN, vice chancellor for academic affairs, will travel to Taiwan Dec. 7-17 to visit seven universities keen on developing relationships with UMC. Several have already expressed interest in signing agreements of cooperation. Read more at http://www.umcrookston.edu/umcnews/stories/story413.html.

THREE UMC SOPHOMORES--Cory Detloff, Staples-Motley; Desiree Carrlson, New York Mills; and Amanda Fickes, Sebeka--received their American FFA degrees at the 2006 national FFA convention. The degree is the highest level an FFA member can achieve as part of the FFA degree system, and UMC has the only collegiate FFA chapter in Minnesota. Read more at http://www.umcrookston.edu/umcnews/stories/story415.html.

Duluth:

BUILDING HOUSES IN NEW ORLEANS: A group of 40 UMD students and staff members will travel to a New Orleans Jan. 6-14 to build houses with Habitat for Humanity. The group will join some 1,000 volunteers, the largest ever helping at the site. UMD's Phi Sigma Sigma sorority members are organizing the trip and actively raising funds to cover travel expenses. The group will also contribute $6,000 to the New Orleans project. To donate or for more information, see http://www.d.umn.edu/unirel/homepage/06/katrina.html.

RANDALL GORDON, psychology professor, received the 2006-07 Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Research. The annual award ceremony will be held Dec. 14, 3:15 p.m., 130 Medical School Duluth; Gordon will present his research award lecture, "Age Bias in Laboratory and Field Settings: A Meta-Analytic Investigation." A reception follows in Griggs Center. The public is invited. Read more at http://www.d.umn.edu/psychology/news.

Morris:

EDWARD J. LAFAVE, longtime U benefactor, passed away Dec. 6. LaFave and his wife Patty have been members of the University of Minnesota Presidents Club since 1982.

ABOUT 50 UMM STUDENTS will participate in the ninth annual Multicultural Student Leadership Retreat in late January. The retreat, coordinated through the Office of Student Activities, will be Jan. 26-28, Prairie Wetlands Learning Center in Fergus Falls.

Twin Cities:

CHEER FOR THE GOPHERS IN ARIZONA: The Golden Gopher football team will play the Texas Tech Red Raiders at the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. Dec. 29, 6:05 p.m. (MST), Sun Devil Stadium. Fans receive a $7 discount off the price of each ticket when purchasing tickets through the U of M Athletic Ticket Office--with seating between the Minnesota Marching Band and the 45-yard line on the Minnesota side of the field; call 1-800-U-Gopher or see www.gophersports.com.

PROVIDE FEEDBACK to One Stop Student Services about its services through its new online comment card. To learn more, read this month's edition of The Record at http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/U_Resources/News2C_Events2C_and_Activities/The_Record/Record_200612.html.

"DINKYTOWN HISTORIES: Multiple Stories, Multiple Meanings," features work by undergraduates in HIST 3001: Public History. The exhibit's opening is Dec. 15, 6-9 p.m., 125 Nolte Hall. The students partnered with Dinkytown residents, activists, businesses, and artists to develop five themes: Dinkytown's music scene, social protest in the 1970s, the historic preservation debate surrounding Minneapolis's mills and grain elevators, the role of public art in community identity, and how transportation changes have impacted the neighborhood. Dinkytown restaurants will provide food; local musical acts will perform.

MORE TWIN CITIES CAMPUS EVENTS ONLINE at http://events.tc.umn.edu.

NEWS RELEASES are posted daily at http://www.umn.edu/urelate/newsservice/home.php.

Published by University Relations at the University of Minnesota. Gayla Marty, editor (on leave through Dec. 15); Pauline Oo, interim editor.

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 .

Brief is published by e-mail and on the Web at www.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief.html. See also UMNnews, a U-wide Web publication, at www.umn.edu/umnnews .

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