Faster wireless Internet planned for Twin Cities and Rochester campuses
(5/6/2008) The Office of Information Technology has been working to upgrade the current wireless network on the UMTC and UMR campuses. The new network will have offer some of the fastest wireless service available and provide users with better security.

A new way of doing business
(4/29/2008) Over the past two years, the University has transformed its facilities management department into an operation that is more customer-focused, cost effective, and accountable.

Not all who wander
(4/24/2008) Clyde Reedy is getting very accustomed to telling his story. What makes his story even richer is his experience with the University of Minnesota, both in the early 1940s as a student and in recent decades as a benefactor.

Connecting alumni, spring 2008
(4/18/2008) The spring 2008 Connecting Alumni section features blurbs about telling your U story, the power of alumni, the upcoming UMAA annual celebration, and more.

A natural among museums
(4/18/2008) A recent $3 million commitment to the U's Bell Museum of Natural history is for a new museum facility to open in 2010. The remarkable gift comes from the James Ford Bell Foundation, which affirms the importance of the Bell Museum as the state's natural history museum.

Celebrating public engagement
(4/15/2008) The University of Minnesota will host its second annual Public Engagement Day April 22 on the Twin Cities campus. A number of changes have been made since the inaugural event. For example the addition of Public Engagement days at the University's other campuses; upcoming are Duluth, April 16 and Crookston, April 17.

Regents approve contracts with food and beverage vendors
(4/11/2008) On April 11, the Board of Regents approved four long-term contracts with vendors for food and beverage service on University of Minnesota campuses.

Happy birthday, Minnesota!
(4/2/2008) To commemorate the state's 150th birthday, University of Minnesota faculty are leading four discussions this month on issues facing Minnesota's past, present, and future. Topics are the evolution of the suburbs, natural resources, demographic changes, and protecting the public's health.

Every napkin counts
(3/28/2008) Last fall, University Dining Services collected 78 tons of compost material from its kitchens and restaurants, and the UDS Green Team played a big role--helping the lunch crowd identify its compost-friendly waste.

New financial system continues progress toward July 1 go-live
(3/25/2008) CUFS is going away when the U unveils its new financial system July 1. Enterprise Financial System team members are now testing the new system, which offers more flexibility in gathering data. About 2,800 U employees will be trained to use the system.

Collaborating to lead
(3/11/2008) A new series of workshops--organized by the Graduate School's Office of Interdisciplinary Initiatives--aims to develop the collaborative leadership skills of those engaged in scholarship, research, creative work, and education and training programs. Mentoring is the theme of the next session on March 25.

Strength through change
(3/11/2008) In his sixth State of the U address, President Bruininks talked of the challenge of change and how it can motivate action.

U comments on central corridor LRT alignment
(2/26/2008) On February 27, the Metropolitan Council will vote on the route alignment for the Central Corridor light rail transit (CCLRT) line. Kathleen O'Brien, the University's vice president for University Services, released a statement on the alignment.

Recognizing those who change the world, one award at a time
(2/26/2008) For more than 10 years, the U has recognized faculty, staff, and students who have devoted their time and talent to making enduring contributions to the community. This year, nominations for the Outstanding Community Service Awards are due March 14.

Preparing for an emergency
(2/25/2008) The University of Minnesota unveiled a new emergency preparedness Web site on Monday with help from its police department. The site (www.umn.edu/prepared) is where members of the U community can conveniently find information about campus health, weather, and safety emergencies.

Doing things better
(2/4/2008) For the second consecutive year, the U's Quality Fair drew a large crowd. The event highlighted projects from around the University that "innovate, improve, and inspire."

All together now
(1/28/2008) Andrew Furco is the University of Minnesota's new associate vice president for public engagement. In this Q-and-A, he talks about why he chose to move from California to Minnesota.

American Indian Cultural House helps U students succeed in college
(1/8/2008) The U's American Indian Cultural House helps American Indian students adjust to life on the Twin Cities campus. It is the first of its kind among Big Ten universities and third in the nation after Harvard and Dartmouth.

A bigger welcome for new employees
(1/8/2008) An expanded new-employee orientation program will debut on the Twin Cities campus this month as part of a larger effort to recruit and retain a high quality faculty and staff.

U gets creative, wins award
(12/26/2007) Following the collapse of the I-35W bridge, the gridlock that some expected on the Twin Cities campus never materialized, thanks in part to the efforts and ingenuity of the University and its Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) department. The University was recently recognized with a 2007 Commuter Choice Award in the category of Outstanding Promotion for a Large Organization.

Garden of Iron Mirrors reflects past and present
(12/21/2007) The new Education Sciences Building on the Twin Cities campus is a window into the past and present, whether you're inside looking through its many windows or outside admiring the banks of the Mississippi through the Garden of Iron Mirrors public sculpture.

Emotional competence and breakthrough leadership
(12/18/2007) The Transformational Leadership Program group at UMD is integrating the key component of emotional competence in the preparation of current and future campus leaders.

Tenure policy revised in historic effort
(12/17/2007) The University's faculty tenure policy, revised in 2007 in a process led by the faculty, increases the rigor and adds flexibility for the next generation of outstanding faculty members.

Assessing interdisciplinary success
(12/10/2007) Engineering professor Doug Ernie is charged with overseeing a new process to monitor the growing number of U-wide interdisciplinary centers and institutes.

The Rochester campus has a new home
(12/3/2007) The University of Minnesota, Rochester finally has its very own digs in the heart of downtown Rochester. Chancellor Lehmkuhle talks about what lies ahead for UMR.

Tango bomb
(12/3/2007) Dancers from the U's Tango Club use unusual advertising tactics to introduce potential club members to the dance, and their club.

Generosity in the genes
(12/3/2007) Jeff Carlson and his parents, all graduates of the University of Minnesota, Duluth, each gave scholarships in the same year. Because the Carlson family values business and liberal arts, the money will go to students in these fields.

On the march
(12/3/2007) With much of the groundwork completed, TCF Bank Stadium is taking shape as the countdown continues to the September 12, 2009 inaugural kickoff. Thanks to the generosity of individual donors and community-minded corporations, fund raising for the stadium continues its march toward the goal line.

Clack relishes honor of being Minneapolis fire chief
(11/29/2007) James Clack shares his thoughts on getting a degree from the University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC), on recently taking over the state's largest fire department, and on some historic events along the way.

Everybody out of the pool
(11/26/2007) The Twin Cities campus will decommission its aging modem pool Dec. 31, and about 3,000 remaining users need to arrange for Internet service providers by then to access the Internet at home.

Text messaging debuts for emergency communications
(11/15/2007) The University of Minnesota has made text messaging a major part of its emergency notification system, adding one more way to potentially reach every member of the U as quickly as possible.

U celebrates student veterans
(11/13/2007) On Wednesday, November 14, the U held its first-ever Student Veterans Appreciation Day to honor its student veterans' service and sacrifice to the United States.

Bees at the Bell
(11/7/2007) There's a colony of bees on the Bell Museum's roof, and each school year, the museum's bee- and bug-keeper Kevin Williams teaches local schoolchildren about the importance of honeybees and other invertebrates.

A student parent finds success
(11/6/2007) Wendy Smith is a nontraditional student in almost every sense of the term. She's 38 years old, married, and the mother of a 3-year-old son. And she's one of an estimated several thousand student parents at the U who are pursuing their academic aspirations alongside their family responsibilities.

Improving on time
(10/30/2007) When all the clocks in the country "fall back" an hour Nov. 4 as daylight saving time ends, the clocks in 300 UMTC central classrooms will be reset by the invisible hand of a new remote system.

Seeds of change
(10/30/2007) Office of Public Engagement seed grants are changing the U. Two examples of projects funded in 2006-07 seek to use new technology to ease the transition to college for low-income students and increase professional development opportunities in the nonprofit sector.

Downtown digs: new Rochester campus
(10/23/2007) For years the U has operated joint education programs out of the Rochester Community and Technical College, located at the fringes of Minnesota's third largest city. Today, the University of Minnesota has an official campus right in the pulsing heart of Rochester. (Video included)

Even a little helps a lot
(10/15/2007) Civil Service Committee professional development funds are helping staff develop their knowledge and skills, off campus as well as on.

Improving student persistence
(10/15/2007) What factors cause students to stay in college and graduate? The second cohort of staff and faculty in UMD's Transformational Leadership Program aims to find out and make a difference.

University professor wins Nobel Prize
(10/15/2007) University of Minnesota Regents Professor Emeritus Leonid Hurwicz shares the Nobel Prize in economics for theories that help set rules for transactions ranging from auctions to elections.

All shook up
(10/8/2007) Art Kistler works at the U by day, but by night he looks and sounds like Elvis. But day and night, he aspires to Presley's generosity.

Going beyond their comfort zone
(9/25/2007) Photographers aren't exhibiting photos, ceramic artists aren't showing vessels, and sculptors aren't displaying hand-carved statues. Instead, the current Nash Gallery exhibit captures the creativity of 25 art faculty working outside their usual media. "Out of the Comfort Zone" runs through October 4.

Land of 10,000 steps
(9/17/2007) The University of Minnesota is encouraging its community to be healthier, and one way its going about achieving that is by giving free pedometers to U employees and touting the benefits of 10,000 steps a day.

In the wake of the bridge collapse
(9/12/2007) A month after the August 1 collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, the images linger of twisted steel beams, slanted spans of freeway, and cars standing askew at both ends of the remains. But there is hope beyond the tragedy, and the U will be heavily involved as research and rebuilding efforts continue.

Bridge stories
(9/5/2007) A number of people connected with the University--students, faculty, and staff--were among the first on the scene following the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge. Here are some of their stories.

Diversity rules
(9/5/2007) Catherine Squires is the U's first professor of journalism, diversity, and equality. The new position at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication reflects the University of Minnesota's commitment to diversity.

Fallen bridge prompts contemplative class
(8/31/2007) When the I-35W bridge fell, a piece of the Twin Cities community fell with it. As we pick up the pieces, a new University class grapples with issues of transportation and community.

Light on the subject
(8/28/2007) The Twin Cities campus will save more than $1.5 million over the next five years by changing light bulbs building by building instead of bulb by bulb, and by using a more energy-efficient bulb.

U responds to I-35W bridge collapse
(8/7/2007) The University of Minnesota response to the collapse of the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis Aug. 1 involved countless employees and students living in the surrounding neighborhoods.

For U professor, bridge collapse hits close to home
(8/7/2007) Ross Macmillan, an associate professor in the U's Department of Sociology, was one of the first on the scene and one of the first to help when the I-35W bridge collapsed August 1.