Vol. XXXVII No. 27; Sept. 12, 2007
Editor: Gayla Marty, brief@umn.edu

Read Brief on the Web at http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief/Brief_9122007.html.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
--Transforming the U: Successful Managers Leadership Program.
--CAPA retreat review.
--AFSCME strike continues.
--People: Interim director of institutional compliance, interim dean of UMTC CLA, and more.

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

TRANSFORMING THE U: The Successful Manager's Leadership Program is a U effort to build across-the-board staff leadership skills. Through the course, managers Kathryn Johnson and Shawn Welch got to know their own strengths and weaknesses, then use that knowledge to advance the U's as well as their units' strategic goals. The next session begins Oct. 30. Read more in "The key is inside."

CAPA RETREAT REVIEW: The Council of Academic Professionals and Administrators (CAPA) held its annual retreat Aug. 17. They heard preliminary results of a spring survey of academic professional and administrative (P&A) staff and got to know CAPA and each other. Read more in "Getting their feet wet."

THE STRIKE CONTINUES into the second week for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which represents U clerical, technical, and health care workers statewide. Updates are posted on the Office of Human Resources home page.

PEOPLE: Interim director of institutional compliance is Susan Rafferty; interim dean of the Twin Cities campus College of Liberal Arts is Jim Parente. Read about these and more appointments and awards in People.

CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

University-wide:

THE BOARD OF REGENTS MET SEPT. 6-7. At the meeting of the full board on Friday, new regents professors Frank Bates, Richard Leppert, Elaine Tyler May, Matt McGue, and Peter Reich were honored, as well as new McKnight Presidential Professor John Bryson and McKnight Presidential Chair John Wagner. Chair Patricia Simmons adjourned the meeting after it was interrupted twice by protesters who identified themselves in support of striking AFSCME employees. Appointments of UMR Chancellor Lehmkuhle, VP Rosenstone, and Associate VP McQuaid were approved by board leadership later in the afternoon under provisions allowed by Board of Regents policy; they will be reported at the board's October meeting. Action on the revised Minnesota-Wisconsin tuition reciprocity agreement, a preview of the U's 2008 state bonding request, and other items were postponed until October. See the Board of Regents.

TRANSFORMING THE U FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, the 2007 strategic positioning report to the Board of Regents, is now available and can be downloaded in PDF format at Transforming the U.

SEARCH FOR THE INTERIM DIRECTOR of the U-wide Institute for the Advancement of Science and Engineering is now in progress. The institute's first leader will recruit its inaugural faculty. Nominations and applications are invited. Review began Sept. 11; the position will begin this fall, with the appointment date subject to negotiation. See the guidelines.

SEARCH FOR A NEW VICE PROVOST AND DEAN OF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION, UMTC, is now in progress. Candidates must be tenured full professors at any U of M campus. Nominations and applications are invited, and review will begin Oct. 1. See the position description, including timeline and search committee.

SMALL GRANTS TO SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH (RCR) continuing education awareness and discussion activities are sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research. The next deadline for applications is Oct. 15. See the guidelines.

DISPARITIES: UNEQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, UNEQUAL OUTCOMES is an initiative to make small grants and provide technical assistance to seed or support small projects that promote or examine ways to effectively address disparities among Minnesota's children, youth, and families. Funding is from the President's Initiative on Children, Youth, and Families. The Children, Youth, and Family Consortium requests proposals by Oct. 5. See the request for proposals.

BUILDING INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH CENTERS IN WOMEN'S HEALTH grant program information sessions will be held at UMTC Sept. 11, 4:30-5:30 p.m., B-620 Mayo; Sept. 17, 3-4 p.m., Memorial Hall, McNamara Alumni Center; and Sept. 18, noon-1 p.m., B-620 Mayo. See BIRCWH.

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH GRANT applications are due Oct. 15. Grants up to $30,000 support assistant professors who have no independent national funding and are engaged in cancer-related research, including genetic mechanisms of cancer, molecular mechanisms of cancer progression and metastasis, development of novel therapeutic models and translational research, and cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Request an application by contacting micek003@umn.edu or 612-626-1926.

2007-08 STATEWIDE SPEAKERS TOUR of the U of M Alumni Association (UMAA) will include St. Cloud (Sept. 18), Belle Plaine (Sept. 19), Monticello (Sept. 24), Brainerd (Sept. 25), Lakeville (Sept. 27), Walker (Oct. 9), St. Michael (Oct. 23), Owatonna (Nov. 12), Roseville (Nov. 20), Winona (Nov. 28), White Bear Lake (April 8), and Faribault (April 28). The first meeting was held in Fairmont, July 23. The UMAA, deans, and faculty members speak about benefits of U teaching, research, and engagement to specific regions and the state. See the news release.

TEACHING AND ADVISING AWARDS NOMINATION INFORMATION SESSIONS for those involved in compiling dossiers for the Morse-Alumni, graduate/professional, and Tate advising awards will address dossier format, tips for compiling a strong dossier, and more. Staff from the Office of the Senior VP and Provost will be available to answer questions about the process. UMTC: (1) Sept. 18, 10-11 a.m., 402 Walter Library, and (2) Dec. 3, 2-3 p.m., 101 Walter Library. Sessions for UMC, UMD, and UMM will be offered by interactive TV: (1) Sept. 20, 10-11 a.m., and (2) Dec. 5, 2-3 p.m.; campus locations will be 106 Sahlstrom Center, UMC; 173 Kirby Plaza, UMD; and 7 HFA, UMM. Register for the September sessions by Sept. 17 and for the December sessions by Nov. 30. Contact Robin Matross Helms at rmhelms@umn.edu or 612-626-5598.

OPEN HOUSE FOR THE SOUTHERN RESEARCH AND OUTREACH CENTER (SROC) will showcase "Agriculture for the 21st Century: Growing a Healthier World," with activities for all ages. Sept. 13, 4-8 p.m., Hwy. 14 and Co. Rd. 57, Waseca. The flyer can be downloaded in PDF format at SROC.

Crookston:

UMC WILL HOST A PRE-SITE VISIT FOR ITS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM by teacher-education supervisor Richard Simms, Minnesota Board of Teaching, Sept. 13. Faculty members Soo-Yin Lim-Thompson, Marilyn Grave, and Marsha Odom prepared over the summer, and department head Bill Peterson is helping to coordinate the site visit.

MORE THAN 80 STUDENT-ATHLETES helped Northwood, N.D., clean up and rebuild after the town was ravaged by a tornado Aug. 26. Golden Eagle football, soccer, and hockey teams traveled to Northwood Sept. 1. Read more about the student volunteers.

IT SHOWCASE WINNER: Junior Delano Robinson earned first place in the college division of the Information Technology (IT) Showcase held in conjunction with the 29th annual National BDPA (Black Data Professionals Association) Technology Conference in Washington, D.C. Robinson's presentation, "Electronic Stability Control (ESC) System Benefits," focused on increasing vehicle safety through computer technology. It was his first time in the competition. Robinson is earning a double major in information technology management and business management at UMC. The BDPA IT Showcase is sponsored by IBM and Eli Lilly & Company. Read the news release.

Duluth:

THE FIRST EXHIBITION FROM THE MICHAEL S. BERMAN POLITICAL COLLECTION--more than 1,000 photographs, political convention publications, bumper stickers, and jewelry of the past 40 years--opens Friday on the fourth floor of the UMD Library. On display will be more than 50 items from the collection, donated by Berman, '61, a longtime national political lobbyist and adviser, currently president of the Washington consulting firm Duberstein Group, Inc. Berman will speak on "National Conventions and Their Role in Presidential Campaign Civility" as part of the chancellor's first Sieur du Luth lecture series, Sept. 14, 1 p.m., Kirby Ballroom. Read more about the Berman collection.

A RETROSPECTIVE VIEW, works by alumnus Bill Shipley, brings together current, sensitive landscape abstractions and earlier works. Shipley, a painter and educator, taught in New York City for 35 years and now works with the Tweed Museum in various capacities. Through Oct. 28, Tweed Museum of Art. Opening reception Sept. 23, 2-4 p.m. See exhibit details.

Morris:

A PREVIEW OF THE KEN BURNS DOCUMENTARY, THE WAR, will be hosted by UMM and Pioneer Public Television, Appleton, Minn. The free, public, one-hour screening of the highly anticipated PBS series about World War II will include selected highlights. Sept. 13, 7 p.m., Edson Auditorium.

FOURTH ANNUAL COUGAR FEST will be a full day of activities, athletic competition, food, and fun. Sept. 15.

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO'S Neal Conan and Ensemble Galilei will kick off the 2007-08 Performing Arts Series season. Conan and actress Lily Knight will present, "First Person: Stories From the Edge of the World," a multimedia celebration of the world's great explorers in an evening of theater, original music, and photographs from National Geographic's image collection. Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m., Edson Auditorium. Series season tickets are on sale now. See series information or call 320-589-6080.

Twin Cities:

GOPHER QUICK CLINIC IS NOW OPEN. The clinic is a high-quality, fast, and affordable new option for health care at Boynton Health Service (BHS). See a board-certified physician assistant trained to diagnose, treat, and write prescriptions for several minor illnesses. No appointment necessary; 10- to 15-minute visits. $5 co-pay for staff and faculty enrolled in any UPlan medical plan option even if BHS is not your primary care clinic. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-5 p.m.; check in at the main BHS desk on the third floor. See Gopher Quick Clinic.

NEW HOURS AT BOYNTON HEALTH SERVICE: New hours at the Minneapolis location, beginning this month, are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and, for urgent care and pharmacy only, Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.. The change is based on faculty and staff feedback. See BHS.

UNIVERSITY STORES ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE will be Sept. 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Radisson University Hotel-Minneapolis, 615 Washington Ave. S.E. Lunch will be served 11 a.m.-1 p.m. More than 50 vendors and U departments will showcase products and services and give away samples. See the U Stores announcement.

THE ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER WILL HOLD A CAMPUSWIDE BLOOD DRIVE. Please schedule your appointment in advance at American Red Cross (ARC) and search by ZIP code 55455. Donors must be at least 17, weigh at least 110 pounds, and present a photo ID at check-in. If you have traveled outside the United States in the past year or have other questions about eligibility to donate, call the ARC nurse at 651-291-3885 before scheduling. Sept. 25, 7 a.m.-5 p.m., McNamara Alumni Center. For other information, contact Jenny Meslow at meslo001@umn.edu or 800-448-3543.

VOLUNTEER FOR PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT, a program that assists the homeless in Hennepin County, through the new U-Hennepin Partnership. The next event is Oct. 1; one-hour volunteer orientation is required, for which several dates are available, Sept. 17-24.

SUPER FANTASTIC WEEK AT THE ST. PAUL STUDENT CENTER, Sept. 17-21, will include noon concerts, outdoor bookstore sale, daily free food and drink samples, a community birthday party at the Gopher Spot, and Gophers After Dark late-night activities for students, staff, and the community. See the schedule.

MORE EVENTS include Paint the Bridge (Sept. 12); "Tribal Time, Ceremony, and Public Art," a talk with visiting artist Hachivi Edgar Heap of Birds, U of Oklahoma (Sept. 13); "New Media Research @ UMN," a conference on new media and Internet studies (Sept. 13-14); opening receptions for "Out of the Comfort Zone" exhibition of art by U faculty at the Nash Gallery and "Documenting China" photography exhibition at the Weisman Art Museum (Sept. 14); Rep. Tammy Baldwin, the first openly lesbian member of the U.S. House of Representatives, giving the Spear Lecture on Public Policy (Sept. 15); Constitution Day (Sept. 17); "Hot Topics in Mature Women's Health," the Fourth Annual Women's Health Research Conference (Sept. 17); "Brain Immune Interactions: The Science of Mind-Body Connections," a lecture by NIMH/NIH physician and program director Esther Sternberg (Sept. 17); roundtable discussion about The Kite Runner with Margaret Mills, Ohio State U (Sept. 17); Pride @ Work fall picnic (Sept. 18); "Great Ideas Rarely Just Happen: Developing Creativity and Innovation," with designer Bruce Mau (Sept. 18); and U.S. diplomat Thomas Wise on reconstruction in Iraq (Sept. 19). 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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