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Vol. XXIX No. 24June 16, 1999
http://www.umn.edu/urelate/brief/1999-06-16.html
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Editor: Maureen Smith (612) 624-2801

President Yudof authorized general counsel Mark Rotenberg to talk with the attorney representing Gopher men's basketball coach Clem Haskins, Yudof said last week, but he and Rotenberg both declined to characterize the topics of discussion. Regents discussed the situation June 10 in a closed session.

Coach Haskins, who had bilateral knee replacement surgery last week, issued a statement June 11 expressing his thanks "for the many good wishes that I have received as I am recovering in the hospital" and continuing to deny any wrongdoing. "I look forward to sharing everything that I know with the investigators when they ask to speak with me and when my doctors will allow," he said.

Regent Patricia Spence was elected Friday as the new chair of the Board of Regents. She had been vice chair. Regent Maureen Reed was elected vice chair.

Regents reviewed the 1999-2000 budget and will vote on it June 28. Much of the discussion was about faculty and staff salaries. In the total $1.6 billion budget, 61% goes for compensation.

For faculty salaries, Yudof said the administration is encouraging deans to go 1% above the 3% increase that will be centrally funded. Some schools, like the Law School, may go higher because of competitive concerns; others may be more conservative because of uncertainty about the impact of semester conversion on tuition revenue. VP Bruininks said his impression is that most deans will stretch beyond the 3% to deal with market and merit. "When all the numbers come in, we will be above 3%, but we don't know how far above," he said.

Civil service salary increases of 2% in a partial pay plan are in response to the desire of staff to get "an immediate boost in pay" instead of waiting for retroactive increases, Yudof said. "These are very important people to the U," he said, and the partial pay plan was "an effort to get them some immediate money."

New strategy is needed for faculty salaries, Yudof said, because the U will never become one of the top 5 public universities by depending only on legislative funding for faculty salary increases. "Our legislature has been very generous," he said, but still "we are 15% lower than we need to be" on faculty salaries. Yudof said he is thinking about seeking salary money for a margin of excellence in the upcoming capital campaign. Base salary money would still be from the legislature. "I've talked to a lot of donors. I think it can work," Yudof said.

Thirty new faculty will be hired with money from the 1999 legislature for the undergraduate initiative, Yudof said. Eight of the new hires will be in 1999-2000 and 22 in 2000-01. What is most important is that the additional faculty will strengthen the arts and sciences core of the U, he said. In the last 2 years, the legislature has funded 70 new faculty positions; the supplemental appropriation last year provided money for 40 faculty.

Medical education endowment created with tobacco settlement money was slightly less than half of what the U requested, but "we made a wonderful start here," Yudof said. The amount of the endowment that will support the Academic Health Center is $158.3 million. The U will ask for more next time.

Regents approved a $132.2 million capital request for 2000. Biggest items are $35 million for the 2nd phase of the molecular and cellular biology building and $34 million for an art building on the TC campus. Also included are $10 million for Duluth Hockey Center and $6.5 million for a music performance building at UMD, $8.2 million for 2nd phase of math and science building at UMM, and $6.5 million for Kiehle Hall at UMC.

Riverbend Commons was the winning name, submitted by 3 people, in the south mall renaming contest. President Yudof listed some of the rejected names from among the 1,000 entries. The favorite of the nonfavorites: Area Formerly Known as the South Mall. Regents approved schematic plans for south mall housing.

Books for Heritage Gallery wall of books are being collected by the alumni association through June at Coffman Union and Magrath Library. Hardcover books by or about alumni, faculty, or staff are needed. For specifications and drop-off or mailing directions, call the Wall of Books info line at 612-626-4707.

CROOKSTON--Northwest School of Agriculture alumni reunion will be June 26-27 at UMC. All-School Gathering will be at the Northland Inn in Crookston. On Saturday, reunion registration begins at 10 a.m., pig roast on the mall at 11:30 a.m., campus tours at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., class meetings at 2 p.m. Evening buffet dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by the annual business meeting and alumni program honoring the 1998 Top Aggies.

Barbara Muesing, director of outreach at UMC, is assuming additional responsibilities in the U College dean's office during the time that her husband, Dr. Charles Casey, is serving as interim dean of the U of M Extension Service. Her previous 1/3 time extension appointment has been transferred to U College, making the appointment 2/3 time with U College and 1/3 time with the Crookston campus. Muesing will work on a variety of initiatives relating to strategic planning and community outreach. She will continue in the role as director of outreach at UMC.

DULUTH--UMD has received Design Award from Industrial Fabrics Association International for Campus Center banners and swags. Banners are located in the corridor and lobby from the center's entrance to the admissions office.

Technology Enhanced Learning Innovation Award was presented June 8 by President Yudof to Water on the Web scientists led by Bruce Monson of UMD's education department. Water on the Web is a National Science Foundation-funded project.

Summer music program for students in grades 7-10, North Shore Summer Music Experience '99, will be held on UMD campus June 20-26. Program offers string, piano, band, choral, and jazz training. Registration is being accepted until first day of camp. For more information contact Mark Whitlock at 218-726-6124, or fax 726-8210.

MORRIS--Kelly Classen and Monique Knierim were among winners of the first-ever University Student Design Competition. Classen won for her costume designs for the annual Children's Theatre production. Knierim won for her design of the UMM virtual tour Web site. There were 80 entries from 3 U campuses and many departments.

The UMM GenEdWeb team received a Technology Enhanced Learning Innovation Award, presented by President Yudof in the Twin Cities on June 8. Team members are faculty Jon Anderson, Ty Buckman, David Craig, Seung-Ho Joo, Craig Kissock, Erica Rosch, Engin Sungur, and Greg Thorson; students Aaron Dressen and Ethan Quirt; and staff John Bowers, Karen Johnson, Roger McCannon, and Tom McRoberts.

TWIN CITIES--Mariam Pourshoushtari, an undergraduate student, was admitted to Fairview-U Medical Center June 6 and was listed in critical condition with meningococcal meningitis. The disease is not spread through the air, like colds or flu, but through direct contact with oral secretions, involving activities such as kissing or sharing drinking glasses or pop cans. Questions may be directed to Boynton Health Service, 612-624-8400.

Eville Gorham, Regents' Professor of Ecology and Botany, received an honorary doctor of science degree at the CBS commencement June 12. He is best known for his discovery in the 1950s that acid rain can fall far from its urban, industrial sources to pollute rural lakes and ponds.David Bernlohr, professor of biochemistry, received the Stanley Dagley Distinguished Teacher Award at the CBS commencement.

Four finalists for position of chief of police will speak this month at noon public forums in 238 Morrill Hall: Douglas Wright, assistant director of university police, State U of New York at Buffalo, June 16; Laura Goodman-Brown, director-ombudsman, Minnesota State Office of Crime Victims, June 18; Rick Boyd, station commander, UN Police Task Force, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 23; George Aylward, program manager, International Investigative Training Assistance Program, U.S. Department of Justice, Liberia and Albania, June 25.

LaVell Henderson, professor emeritus of biochemistry and associate dean of CBS from 1978 to 1984, died May 29 of a heart attack at his home in Sandy, Utah. He was 81. He was a national leader in nutritional science.

Events: James Cross Giblin, author and editor of children's books, will speak June 22 at 2:30 p.m. in Bell Museum Auditorium. For more information call 612-626-8782.The latest research on peptides--small molecules akin to proteins--will be presented at American Peptide Symposium, "Peptides for the New Millennium," June 26-July 1, Minneapolis Convention Center. The U will serve as host institution for more than 1,000 scientists. Closing banquet July 1 will feature an opera about peptides, sung by School of Music faculty and students. Talented scientists ages 10-18 will present their own research projects June 27. For information call the symposium hot line at 612-624-7505.

Announcements: Learning Resources Center (LRC), now housed in 15 Walter Library, will move to 153 Norris Hall. The LRC will be closed June 14-30. Services will resume July 1 in new location.Public parking lot S-103, located at corner of Gortner Ave. and Fitch St. in St. Paul, closed June 12. Contract lot SC-158 will close July 3. Lot S-102, located at northeast corner of Buford Ave. and Gortner Ave., will change from a daily rate lot to contract-only parking.