Brief (2-07-2007): UMNnews: U of M.

--Transforming the U: The state of the Academic Health Center address was given by Senior VP Cerra Jan. 31.
--Academic and Corporate Relations Center is U's new "front door" to the business community.
--UPlan Wellness: Health Connections expands to spouses and partners, and more.
--People: David Chapman has won a Fulbright New Century Scholars grant.

TRANSFORMING THE U: THE STATE OF THE ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER (AHC) remains strong, Senior VP Cerra reported Jan. 31. But the increasingly competitive higher education environment requires the AHC to focus on offering a distinctive educational experience, becoming a talent magnet for top faculty, and becoming the destination of choice for patients. Cerra delivered the address in the newly renovated, historic Mayo Auditorium. Read more at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/State_of_the_AHC_2007.html .

THE ACADEMIC AND CORPORATE RELATIONS CENTER opened in St. Paul in July 2006 as the U-wide "front door" to the business community. The center helps hiring organizations and qualified student job-seekers find each other, helps businesses find partners for collaborative research, and much more. Read more at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/The_new_front_door_of_the_U.html .

UPLAN WELLNESS: WHAT'S NEW IN 2007? Now spouses and same-sex partners, if covered by UPlan, can qualify for $65 rewards by taking the Health Connections wellness assessment and enrolling in a follow-up program. If you signed up for the 10,000 Steps program by Dec. 29, more information and tips for success are available. Read more at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Faculty_Staff_Comm/Office_of_Human_Resources/Health_Connections_expands.html .

PEOPLE: David Chapman, educational policy and administration, has won a Fulbright New Century Scholars grant; Stan Deno, educational psychology, will receive an award for distinguished research in special education. See http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Faculty_Staff_Comm/people.html .

THE BOARD OF REGENTS WILL MEET FEB. 8-9. Agenda items include reports on aspects of U research; the U's urban agenda; policy related to employee work-life and personal leaves, compensation and recognition, and performance evaluation and development; and the future of UMTC's Northrop Auditorium. The docket is available on the Web. See http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/news_details.php?release=070206_3148&page=NS and http://www.umn.edu/regents .

STATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Hearings on the U's biennial budget requests continue before the House Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee, today, 12:30 p.m., 5 Senate Office Building; and before the Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division, Feb. 13 and 15, 12:30-2:45 p.m., 123 Capitol. For more information about the request, see http://www.umn.edu/govrel .

"WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE UNIVERSITY?" is the topic of a symposium for faculty, staff, and students on civil engagement and moral education. It will feature leading national academics Richard Bernstein, Mark Bauerlein, and Nicholas Wolterstorff. Sponsored by several U offices and the MacLaurin Institute. Feb. 19, 2:30 p.m., Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Center, UMTC. For more information, http://events.umn.edu/event?occurrence=396362;event=113881 .

THE PRESIDENT'S EMERGING LEADERS (PEL) PROGRAM is accepting applications for the 2007-08 cohort. The program is designed to identify and further develop leadership skills of talented academic professional and administrative, civil service, and bargaining unit staff. PEL offers a structured but flexible development opportunity with educational and experiential components; a new element will be training devoted to the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) project-management model. Application deadline: March 9. See http://www.umn.edu/ohr/pel .

STATE OF THE U ADDRESS will be delivered by President Bruininks on March 1, 3 p.m., Coffman Union, with ITV broadcast to all campuses. A question-and-answer period will follow the speech. Disability accommodations will be provided upon request: please call 612-624-6868 by Feb. 23.

THE U WILL HOST "KEEPING OUR FACULTIES IV: Recruiting, Retaining, and Advancing Faculty of Color," the fourth biennial national symposium on promoting faculty diversity on U.S. campuses. The symposium will include strategies that have been successfully employed to date, models for leadership to promote change, and strategies to empower faculty of color and transform institutional culture. Emphasis will be placed on faculty diversity in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); business and management; and the health sciences; but the symposium is designed to be beneficial to faculty, administrators, and students from all disciplines. April 12-14, UMTC. For a list of presenters or to register, see http://www.cce.umn.edu/KOF .

BEAUTIFUL U DAY will be April 19. Grant applications to support activities are now being accepted. Download the application at http://www.buday.umn.edu .

THE SPRING TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED LEARNING (TEL) SEMINAR SERIES will begin with "Designing Effective Blended Learning Experiences," Feb. 15, noon-1:30 p.m., 155 Peters Hall, UMTC. Subsequent topics will include "Meeting the Millenials Halfway: Expanding Teaching and Learning with Podcasting and Vodcasting" (Mar. 7), "Accessibility and Universal Design" (Apr. 5), and "Situating Instruction in the Real World Through Technology" (May 3). Seminars also will be webcast live via Breeze Meeting and podcast the week after each event. For more information, see http://dmc.umn.edu/series .

DESIGNING AND CONDUCTING FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS is the topic of a two-day intensive workshop hosted by the Centers for Public Health Education and Outreach. Learn procedures for public and nonprofit environments, including practical approaches to each step, from determining whether focus groups are appropriate to analyzing results. Take it as noncredit continuing ed (1.6 CEUs for $350) or for one graduate credit. It will be offered twice, March 12-13 and 14-15, University Office Plaza, 2221 University Av. S.E., Minneapolis. Registration deadline: March 5. See http://cpheo.sph.umn.edu/cpheo/events/focusgroup/home.html .

"WHAT'S FOR DINNER? The Ethics and Aesthetics of Eating," a conference sponsored by the U's Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, will feature national author Michael Pollan. April 19; tickets are now available. See http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/news_details.php?release=070124_3129&page=UMNN .

ONLINE STUDENT CREDIT HOURS ARE UP 27 PERCENT spring semester compared with spring 2006. See http://www.umcrookston.edu/umcnews/stories/story449.html .

THE HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BLACK CHURCH in African Americans' struggle for freedom will be the topic of a presentation by Grand Forks bishop Michael Cole in recognition of Black History Month. The program will include music by the Gospel Outreach Ministries choir. Feb. 15, 6-7:30 p.m., Prairie Room, Student Center. Refreshments provided; free and open to the public. See http://www.umcrookston.edu/umcnews/stories/story445.html .

THE ASSOCIATE DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL for the Duluth campus is Lawrence Knopp, Jr., McKnight Land-Grant Professor and a member of the UMD faculty in geography for 17 years. The appointment began in January and is three-quarters time. See http://www.d.umn.edu/news/2007/January/22.html .

HANDING DOWN THE NAMES, a play by Steven Dietz on the immigrant experience, spans two centuries and three continents. Feb. 8-11 and 14-17, 7:30 p.m., except Feb. 11, 2 p.m. Tickets $13 adults, $10 seniors, $6 students. See http://www.d.umn.edu/theatre .

TWO VALENTINE DINNERS, featuring live music and take-home roses, will be hosted by Glensheen Historic Congdon Estate. Feb. 10 and 14; begins at 6 p.m. with a tour of the mansion and wine and beer tasting, concludes with dinner at 7 p.m. in the winter garden. Tickets $60 per person. For reservations, see http://www.glensheen.org .

"DEATH INVESTIGATION: CORONERS AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS," by pathologist Donald Kundel, is next in the Doc Talk series sponsored by the U of M Medical School Duluth. Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m., School of Medicine Duluth. Free and open to the public. See http://www.med.umn.edu/duluth/research/doctalks .

UMM WILL COMPETE against Minnesota colleges and universities in Campus Wars to lower heat and electricity consumption. Read more at http://www.morris.umn.edu/ummnews/View.php?itemID=2368 .

"THE HOMEGROWN ECONOMY: Foods From Local Farms as an Economic Development Tool" conference, sponsored by Congressman Collin Peterson, will be held Feb. 26 at UMM. To register, see http://www.regionalpartnerships.umn.edu .

"LITTLE CELLS, BIG ISSUES: Ethics and Policy Issues in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research" will be presented by Jeffrey Kahn, professor and director, Center for Bioethics, UMTC. Feb. 12, 7 p.m., HB117 Heintz Center. Free and open to the public; registration requested. See http://www.r.umn.edu/14_Events_Special.htm .

A NEW STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH WEB SITE is a resource for students, parents, faculty, and staff seeking student mental health information and related resources at UMTC. Find information about campus counseling, assessing mental health services for students in crisis, and confidential online assessments. The Provost Committee on Student Mental Health developed the concept and guided the site's design and implementation. Bookmark the site: http://www.mentalhealth.umn.edu .

HENNEPIN COUNTY SERVICE CENTER IS NOW AT UMTC ON MONDAYS, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 3 Morrill Hall. Services include driver license and state ID duplicates; motor vehicle tabs, plates, titles, and registrations; birth and death certificates; marriage licenses and certificates; watercraft, snowmobile, and ATV registrations; passports; and more.

RENOVATION OF THE GOPHER SPOT GAME ROOM AND CONVENIENCE STORE at the St. Paul Student Center won the 2007 Interiors Award from Contract magazine. See http://www.spsc.umn.edu/gopherspot .

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGISTS FORUM MEETINGS this semester will feature discussions about WebCT Vista Powerlinks/Integrating Systems With WebCT Vista (Feb. 14) and Best Practices of Blogs and Podcasts (April 11). For more information, see http://dmc.umn.edu/etf/schedule06.shtml .

LAST CALL TO NOMINATE A STUDENT for the President's Student Leadership and Service Award. Undergraduate, graduate, and professional students are eligible. Faculty, staff, and students can make nominations. Nominees also become candidates for the 2007 UMAA Student Leadership Award, Zander Award for Outstanding Student Leadership, and McEvoy Award for Public Service and Leadership; each is accompanied by a financial scholarship. Deadline: Feb. 14. See http://www.sao.umn.edu/leadership/awards or contact dussa001@umn.edu or 612-624-8697.

"WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO LEAVE NO CHILD BEHIND?" by Pedro Noguera, New York U, will be the 26th annual Konopka Lecture. Feb. 13, 10 a.m., 3M Auditorium, Minnesota History Center, St. Paul. Free and open to the public. See http://www.konopka.umn.edu .

THE GREAT CONVERSATIONS 2007 schedule is now posted. The series begins with "The Obesity Epidemic," a conversation between CFANS dean Allen Levine and former U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner David Kessler. Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m., Ted Mann Concert Hall. U faculty members in the series this year will include Robert Elde (March 27), Kathryn Sikkink (April 24), Donna Gabaccia (May 8), and Richard Leider (June 5). Series tickets offer a discount. See http://www.cce.umn.edu/conversations .

INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY FILM COLLABORATIVE will present Arabics (Feb. 8), Jirokichi the Ratkid (Feb. 15), films of Ernie Gehr (March 1), Heremakono (Waiting for Happiness) (March 8), and more, through May 3. All at 7 p.m., 155 Nicholson Hall. See http://fc.umn.edu/screenings.html .

"RECRUITMENT OF ETHNIC MINORITIES INTO CLINICAL TRIALS," presented by Loretta Jemmott, U of Pennsylvania, will be the next lecture in the Distinguished Visiting Scholar Series in Health Disparities. Feb. 16, noon-1 p.m., 1-450G Moos Tower. See http://www.ahc.umn.edu/ocr/events/dvss .

MORE EVENTS include "Meeting Financial Challenges at Mid-Career" in the Brown-Bag Financial Series for U employees (Feb. 7); "Romanticism's Horizons," by Bali Sahota, Asian languages and literatures (Feb. 8); "Black Language and Black American Contributions to Standard American Communication Structures," by Penn State professor Elaine Richardson (Feb. 9); "Mapping New Knowledge Ecologies" workshop (Feb. 10); "Computer Security" on Tech Talk (Feb. 11); "New Media and Democracy: Intellectual Property Policy and the Idea of the 'Commons'" (Feb. 12); Cafe Scientifique: Understanding Evolution (Feb. 13); and "Literacy and Identity" (Feb. 14). SEE THESE AND 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. 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 .

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