Past Issues

Brief will not be published May 29. The next issue will be June 5, 2002. Brief will be published every other week during the summer.

Legislature passed a $979.1 million bonding bill May 19, allotting $132 million for U capital projects. Adding private contributions and the U's debt obligation, the U's projects in the bill total $180 million. Projects in the bill are Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement, $35 million; Jones Hall, $8 million; plant growth facilities, $17.7 million; UMD Lab Science, $33 million; Nicholson Hall, $24 million; Translational Research Facility, $37 million; UMC Bede Hall, $7.7 million; UMM Social Science Building and fire protection, $9 million; classroom improvements, $2 million; Research and Outreach Centers, $2.5 million; Teaching and Technology Center (planning), $3 million; and Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, $1.5 million.

Bill has been forwarded to Gov. Ventura, who has the authority to veto individual projects or the entire bill. The legislature will not be able to override any gubernatorial vetoes on the bonding bill.

President Bush honored Gopher and Bulldog NCAA national champion hockey teams at the White House May 21. Gopher men's team won its first NCAA championship in 23 years by defeating Maine 4-3 in overtime April 6; Bulldog women's team defeated Brown U 3-2 March 24 to win its 2nd consecutive title. Teams also met with Minnesota representatives to Congress and U alumni.

Senate Committee on Finance and Planning (SCFP) urged regents to adopt the $2 billion fiscal year 2003 budget presented by President Yudof to regents May 10. SCFP, comprising faculty, staff, and students, supported the administration's recommendations to meet anticipated state cuts—16% tuition and fees increase, minimum 13-credit load per semester, and 13-credit tuition band (students taking 12 credits would pay an extra 18.8%; for students taking 16 credits, the increase would be 10.4%). "None of us is enthusiastic about this tuition increase, but the alternative—more draconian cuts to the budget—is much less palatable and will severely weaken the U," according to SCFP statement at May 13 regents budget forum. Regents will act on budget June 14.

Former Minneapolis mayor Sharon Sayles Belton has joined the Humphrey Institute's Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice as a senior fellow. She will lecture on her experiences as an elected official and policy maker and work on current antiracism initiatives to improve information sharing between community-based organizations and research institutions.

Public forums with executive VP and provost candidates will be May 22, 11 a.m.–noon, Risa Palm, U of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences dean; May 23, 1:45–2:45 p.m., Robert Jones, U Campus Life VP; and May 24, 2:30–3:30 p.m., Christine Maziar, U Research VP. All forums at 101 Walter Library.

New Law School dean effective July 1 will be Alex Johnson, Jr., pending Board of Regents approval June 14. Johnson will also hold the William S. Pattee Professorship of Law. He will replace E. Thomas Sullivan, who returns to a faculty position after 7 years as Law School dean.

New U of M Extension Service associate dean and director of extension July 1 is George Morse, extension economist and applied economics professor. New assistant dean of human resources and professional development is Calvin Walker. National search will be conducted to fill interim district director position for the southeast district.

Individuals without symptoms of cardiovascular disease may already have early heart or blood vessel disease, according to researchers at U's Rasmussen Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. More than half of asymptomatic patients screened at the center were found to have early disease.

Nomination deadline for 2002 College of Continuing Education Distinguished Teaching Awards is June 28. For questions or nomination materials, e-mail pundem@cce.umn.edu.

CS/BU Sesquicentennial video "Holding Up the U: 150 Years of Staff Women at the University of Minnesota" is available through Office of U Women for $15. E-mail women@umn.edu.

CROOKSTON—Faculty and Staff awards presented May 16 included Outstanding Community Service Award, George French, music; United Staff Association Employee of the Semester, Meloni Rasmussen, Career Center; Service Learning Award, Paula Viker, health management; Distinguished CS/BU Award, Don Wieland, facilities management; Distinguished P&A Award, Heidi Patterson, financial aid; Distinguished Teaching Award, Roger Wagner, horticulture.

DULUTH—New bachelor of science in mechanical engineering program will be offered beginning fall 2002 through Department of Industrial Engineering.

Joseph Gallian, UMD mathematics and statistics professor, and 2 of his research students represented the Mathematics Association of America at the National Science Foundation's Coalition for Science Funding exhibition on Capitol Hill May 15.

Gallian was named one of 2 Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) fellows for 2002. He will receive $1,000 and speak at 9th annual CUR conference in June. Fellowships are presented biennially to CUR members who have developed nationally respected research programs involving undergraduates.