Vol. XXXVII No. 16; May 2, 2007
Editor: Gayla Marty, brief@umn.edu

Read Brief on the Web at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief/Brief_5022007.html.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
--Transforming the U: "Keeping Our Faculties" national symposium recap.
--A high-speed network for researchers has been created by the U and three partner universities.
--People: Three faculty members elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one to the National Academy of Sciences; associate VP for information technology named.

Campus Announcements and Events
University-wide | Crookston | Duluth | Morris | Rochester | Twin Cities

TRANSFORMING THE U: At the fourth national symposium on "Keeping Our Faculties" hosted by the U in April, more than 300 leading academics from 115 colleges and universities shared emerging best practices, ideas, and inspiration for attracting and retaining faculty of color. Progress has been slow, but a paradigm shift is afoot as higher education takes on issues from merit to organizational structures. Read more at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/Great_minds.html.

A HIGH-SPEED OPTICAL NETWORK FOR RESEARCHERS has been created by the U of M, Iowa State U, U of Iowa, and U of Wisconsin-Madison. The Broadband Optical Research, Education, and Sciences Network--BOREAS-Net--allows researchers across the U system and at the three partner universities to share data and computational resources with researchers worldwide and to collaborate on research activities with other institutions. See http://www.ur.umn.edu/uns/36438.

PEOPLE: Newly elected fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences include UMTC faculty members Patricia Hampl, English; Geoffrey Hellman, philosophy; and John Sullivan, political science. Newly elected to the National Academy of Sciences is Allen Goldman, physics. Ann Hill Duin has been named associate VP and deputy CIO in the Office of Information Technology, beginning in July. Read about these and more U awards and appointments at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Faculty_Staff_Comm/people.html.

CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

University-wide:

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: The state capital bonding bill passed in the House (84-49) and Senate (45-18) April 30. The bill included $36.4 million for the U--$22 million for HEAPR and $14.4 million for the renovation of 717 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, as a biomedical science research facility. The governor vetoed the bill May 1. A new bonding bill may be possible in the remaining three weeks of the session. The higher education omnibus bill, of which the U's biennial budget request is a part, is still in conference committee. Follow progress on the U's requests during the final weeks of the session and watch for ways to lend support through the Legislative Network, http://www.supporttheU.umn.edu.

PRESIDENT'S EMERGING LEADERS (PEL) FOR 2007-08 are Maggie Aftahi, Jessica Beyer, Sherri Boone, Kimberly Carlisle, Mark Decker, Sandra Ecklein, Bruce Erickson, Catherine Fejes, Steve Gillard, Elizabeth Grossman, Peter Haeg, Rachel Hartreeve, Jacqueline Hoffsten, Andy Howe, Claire Kari, Charleen Klarquist, Victoria Larson, Matthew Nuttall, Bryan Rumple, Tricia Sanders, Virajita Singh, Anne Sumangil, Peggy Talbot, Julie VanSteenbergen, and Jodie Walz. The PEL program provides a structured but flexible leadership development opportunity for high potential P&A, civil service, and bargaining unit staff across the U. For more information, see http://www.umn.edu/ohr/pel.

A MULTI-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM ON INTERDISCIPLINARY ADVANCEMENT has formed with U leadership, and the U will host a conference, "Fostering Interdisciplinary Inquiry," in fall 2008 to discuss common challenges and identify best practices. See http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/news_details.php?release=070501_3317&page=NS.

CHINA CENTER DIRECTOR SEARCH: Three finalists will visit and speak in public forums at UMTC beginning tomorrow: Xiaobo Hu, Clemson U (May 3); Xun (George) Wang, U of Wisconsin-Parkside (May 10); and Yongwei Zhang, Missouri State U (May 17). See http://www.chinacenter.umn.edu/director_search.

THE FIRST RECIPIENTS IN A NEW U-WIDE INTERNATIONAL GRANT PROGRAM include four interdisciplinary institutional partnerships, nine interdisciplinary research circles, five doctoral fellowships, 14 predissertation and small-grants for graduate and professional-degree students, and 10 internships. The program promotes a global network of scholarship and engagement and encourages interdisciplinary and transnational partnerships. More than $470,000 was awarded through the Office of International Programs. See http://www.international.umn.edu/funding/strategic.

WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (WLI): CALL FOR APPLICATIONS. The Office of Human Resources and the Office for U Women invite women employees U-wide to apply for the 2007-08 institute. WLI offers an opportunity to grow as a leader, meet other women leaders, and take time for self-reflection and personal growth. The yearlong program includes monthly meetings, an all-day retreat, and networking activities. Deadline: May 18. See http://www.umn.edu/ohr/leadership/womens.

TURKISH-AMERICAN ALLIANCE MASTERWORKS CONCERTS, featuring Turkish and American music and Turkey's Hacetepe Symphony Orchestra, will be May 4 and 6 at UMD and May 5 at UMTC. See http://www.d.umn.edu/music/events/calendar/maraprmay.html.

Crookston:

COMMENCEMENT: UMC'S 98th commencement will include a keynote address by Minnesota Supreme Court chief justice Russell Anderson. An estimated 120 students will graduate. May 5, 2 p.m., Lysaker Gymnasium. See http://www.umcrookston.edu/umcnews/stories/story513.html.

THE FIRST GRADUATES OF POLARIS INDUSTRIES' educational partnership program with UMC and Northland Community and Technical College will be honored at a commencement ceremony May 3, 2 p.m., at the corporate offices in Roseau, Minn. Polaris is a Minnesota-based manufacturer of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and Victory motorcycles. See http://www.umcrookston.edu/umcnews/stories/story520.html.

RED LAKE RIVER RENDEZVOUS TOUR: A recreational trek down the 193-mile Red Lake River, from Lower Red Lake to the Red River, will raise awareness of the corridor as a canoe and small-boat route through forests, plains, ridges of glacial Lake Agassiz, and communities including Crookston. Paddlers are invited to join the tour for a few hours or up to several days. Sponsored by the Red Lake River Corridor Enhancement Joint Powers Board and the U-community Northwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership. May 28-June 10. See http://www.redlakerivercorridor.org.

Duluth:

CELEBRATION OF 40 YEARS OF UMD RADIO will include a concert with Shawn Colvin, Iris Dement, and Pat Donohue, May 4, 7:30 p.m., Duluth Entertainment Convention Center; and a day of events with past KUMD volunteers and members, including a live broadcast from the Marshall Performing Arts Center, May 5. See http://www.d.umn.edu/unirel/homepage/07/erice.html.

FACULTY AWARD RECIPIENTS were honored at a campus reception April 30. Jean G. Blehart Distinguished Teaching Award: Carmen Latterell, mathematics and statistics. Outstanding Faculty Adviser Award: Colleen Belk, biology; Linda Rochford, marketing; and Robyn Roslak, art and design. Albert Tezla Teacher/Scholar Award: James Klueg, art and design. UMD recipients of U-wide teaching and advising awards were also honored. See http://www.d.umn.edu/unirel/homepage/07/awards07.html.

NEW HEAD COACH OF BULLDOG WOMEN'S BASKETBALL is Tanya Nash. She has been a NCAA Division I assistant for seven years and held positions at Santa Clara and Drake universities. See http://www.umdbulldogs.com/womens/basketball/index.php?sect_rank=9&story_id=3248.

Morris:

COMMENCEMENT: Alumna Lorie Gildea, '83, associate justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court, will give the keynote address. May 12, 1:30 p.m., campus mall. Other events will include a Native American Honoring Ceremony, reception for parents, and recital, May 10-12. See http://www.morris.umn.edu/ummnews/View.php?itemID=2891 and http://www.morris.umn.edu/events/commencement.

UMM WAS AGAIN NAMED ONE OF THE TOP 10 Best Value Public Colleges by The Princeton Review. See http://www.morris.umn.edu/ummnews/View.php?itemID=3201.

UMM WILL EXHIBIT AT THE LIVING GREEN EXPO at the State Fairgrounds in St. Paul, May 5-6. See http://www.morris.umn.edu/ummnews/View.php?itemID=2898.

Rochester:

IBM/UMR SUMMER COMPUTER PROGRAMMING WORKSHOPS FOR GRADES 9-12 include Introduction to Visual Basic and Beginning C++ Game Programming. Aug. 6-10, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., UMR. See http://www.r.umn.edu or call 507-280-3104.

Twin Cities:

COMMENCEMENTS this spring will feature Exxon VP Rich Kruger; former Gopher and NBA star Trent Tucker; public affairs analyst Norman Ornstein; one of the original "lost boys" of Sudan, John Bul Dau; publisher Steve Forbes; and more. May 4-June 23. For more information about the 18 ceremonies, see http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/news_details.php?release=070424_3301&page=UMNN.

A CEREMONY TO HONOR GRADUATING GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER students and Breaking the Silence Award recipients will be May 3, 4-7 p.m., McNamara Alumni Center. See http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/news_details.php?release=070427_3309&page=UMNN.

A CELEBRATION FOR GRADUATING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, faculty mentors, and friends will include live music, a short program, refreshments, and photos with Goldy Gopher as part of a special Small World Coffee Hour. May 4, 4-6 p.m., West Bank Bistro, Humphrey Center. See http://www.isss.umn.edu/events/Celebration.html.

WEST BANK STREET CLOSINGS DUE TO CONSTRUCTION of Hanson Hall began this week. 20th Avenue is closed May 2-8; the north side of Riverside Avenue will close May 9-10. See http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/news_details.php?release=070427_3310&page=UMNN.

UNIVERSITY BOATHOUSE GRAND OPENING will celebrate the new permanent home of the women's varsity rowing team and the men's crew club. May 4, 2-4 p.m., East River Flats Park (just off East River Parkway, below Coffman Union). See http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=38873&SPID=3324&DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=877750.

"GLOBAL IMMIGRATION ISSUES: 'WHEN DID YOUR ANCESTORS COME TO THIS COUNTRY?'" is the next Great Conversations topic, with professor of history and Immigration History Research Center director Donna Gabaccia and Emmy Award-winning writer and performer Ruben Martinez. May 8, 7:30 p.m., Ted Mann Concert Hall. See http://www.cce.umn.edu/conversations.

"TORTURE, WAR, AND MEDICAL ETHICS" is the topic of a discussion between U professors Steven Miles, Medical School, and Oren Gross, Law School. Miles recently organized an online archive of documents on prisoners of war in Afghanistan and Iraq and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Gross is an expert on national security law, international law, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. May 9, 7-8:30 p.m., Humphrey Center. (This event was rescheduled due to weather March 1.) See http://www.hhh.umn.edu/news/home_and_away (event) and http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/news_details.php?release=070424_3299&page=UMNN (online archive).

2007 SUMMER PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE offers professional development for anyone practicing in or studying public health and related fields. Options range from one day to three weeks, May 21-June 8. Credit available. See http://cpheo.sph.umn.edu/cpheo/institute.

CURIOSITY CAMPS offer one-day opportunities for adults on topics from honey beekeeping to Sherlock Holmes archives to the newest architectural icons of Minneapolis, June-August. See http://www.cce.umn.edu/curiosity.

SPACE IS STILL AVAILABLE IN UNIVERSITY YOUTH PROGRAMS SUMMER CLASSES, from general recreation to sports and academic instruction and fun, ages 5-15. Day camps, June 13-Aug. 24. See http://www.recsports.umn.edu/youth or contact Todd Tratz at tratz001@umn.edu or 612-625-2242.

NORTHROP DANCE SEASON series subscribers save up to 35 percent with the option to buy reserved parking. The 2007-08 schedule includes Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan (Oct. 13), Houston Ballet (Oct. 20), Philadelphia's Koresh Dance Comany (Nov. 13), Argentina's Estampas Porteñas (Jan. 31), State Ballet of Georgia (March 14-15), and Trisha Brown Dance Company (April 25). See http://www.northrop.umn.edu.

MORE EVENTS include "Hyderabad Signatures of Memory," a talk with D. Venkat Rao (today); "Ambonese Herbal: What a 400-Year-Old Text Is Teaching the Mayo Clinic," the annual James Ford Bell Lecture by Brent Bauer, M.D. (May 3); 20th annual Bach Festival Concert (May 4); Korean Children's Day (May 5); Bob Dylan's American Journey, 1956-66 (extended through May 6); "Health Outcomes of Loneliness," the Annual Ruth Stricker Mind-Body Lecture by James Lynch (May 7); "Happy Birthday, Linnaeus," Café Scientifique (May 8); alumni Tony Dungy and Stan Freese at the UMAA annual celebration (May 8); and "Healthy Kids in Healthy Places," a community action forum sponsored by the School of Public Health (May 9). SEE THESE AND MORE TWIN CITIES CAMPUS EVENTS ONLINE at http://events.tc.umn.edu.

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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