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Past Issues
President Bruininks will respond to Gov. Pawlenty's budget proposal at House Higher Education Committee meeting March 5, 12:30 p.m. He will address the proposal again with Senate Higher Education Committee March 11, 12:30 p.m. For more information and the president's presentation (which will be posted after hearings are completed), see U's government relations Web site at www.umn.edu/govrel.
Minnesota's projected budget deficit for next biennium increased by $25 million to $4.23 billion following revised state revenue forecast released last week. Governor has not announced any plans to revise his budget; if no revisions are made, U's cut for fiscal years 2004 and 2005 would still be $185 million.
"In these times, tough choices lie ahead," said President Bruininks, "but this administration is committed to fairness, to consultation, and respect for individuals' views." At his Feb. 28 inauguration as the U's 15th president, Bruininks spoke of the importance of having strong values and a clear vision for the future. He said the U has been able to endure and thrive in the past 152 years because it has remained true to its values of excellence, diversity, academic community, and service and committed to its mission of teaching, research, and outreach. To effectively contribute to the state and maintain its status as a top research university, U must continue to deepen preexisting academic and research investments and make new ones, despite future fiscal uncertainties. Bruininks reminded his audience that the U's larger purpose is to advance knowledge and partner to improve public good. He emphasized that "…our response and our directions must be guided by our values."
Gov. Pawlenty, who presented the U's mace (symbol of leadership) to Bruininks, acknowledged the U's role in Minnesota's economy and echoed the president's message of continued investments. "While there are so many challenges to face, there are opportunities too," he said. U is the engine of the state, and "we need the U to succeed."
More than 80 delegates from institutions of higher education in the U.S. and around the world attended the inauguration at Northrop Auditorium. Ceremony was also broadcast live on U campuses in Crookston, Duluth, and Morris, and in Rochester.
Joint legislative committee selected 9 members for U's 12-member Board of Regents March 3. New regents are Patricia Simmons (1st district), John Frobenius (6th district), and Clyde Allen (7th district). Reappointed regents are David Metzen (4th district), Peter Bell (5th district), Maureen Reed (at-large), Frank Berman (at-large), Richard McNamara (at-large), and Lakeesha Ransom (student). Seats for 2nd, 3rd, and 8th districts were not up for reappointment this year. Next board meeting will be March 13–14.
U is "most women-friendly employer" in Minnesota, according to readers' poll in Feb. 26 issue of Minnesota Women's Press. Magazine reported that U has "come a long way" since introducing a national pioneering plan in 1960 to address the needs of women whose education had been interrupted by marriage and motherhood. In 1998, U established the Office for University Women to improve and enhance campus climate for women faculty, staff, and students. For historical background on how U has been improving its climate for women, see www.umn.edu/women/history.html.
U's human factors research team has completed field testing of the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) new transit lane systems, which would allow specially equipped buses to safely maneuver narrow freeway shoulders and other dedicated lanes during rush-hour traffic. "Drivers appear to like the system and feel that it represents a potential solution to the narrow lane guidance problem," said Nic Ward, U's HumanFIRST program director. U and Metro Transit were awarded FTA contract in 2001 to study issues and solutions of Bus Rapid Transit (combination of rail transit and buses). Report on current human factors findings will be released this year. For more project information, see www.its.umn.edu/research/brt.
Renewable energy, managing threat of bioterrorism in our food supply, eating to reduce heart disease, and using robots in food production will be among topics at April 5 "Classes without Quizzes." Half-day program on research that affects you in food, environment, and agriculture is sponsored by College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences. To register, see alumni.coafes.umn.edu/forum.
CROOKSTON—UMC will serve as one of 5 case study sites for National Campus Compact study on measuring extent and nature of student civic engagement and better understanding student conceptions of politics and citizenship. UMC was selected from 200 colleges and universities; studies will be conducted by RMC Research Corporation and involve 2- to 3-day site visits late March or early April.
Head hockey coach Gary Warren received Coach of the Year honors from Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association (MCHA). He led UMC team to its 3rd regular season MCHA title and 2nd postseason tournament championship in 4 years.
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DULUTH—Regents have approved new master of science degree in electrical and computer engineering program at UMD beginning fall 2003.
National Joint Policy Board for Mathematics has chosen theme created by mathematics professor Joseph Gallian for annual National Math Awareness Month in April, "Mathematics in Art." Gallian was also responsible for the Web page and accompanying text, which chronicles historical connection between mathematics and art over 2,000 years. Graphic image was designed by associate professor Doug Dunham, and poster was prepared at UMD Visualization and Digital Imaging Lab. See mathforum.org/mam/03.
"Brain Awareness" will be topic of March 11 Doc Talk series at 7:30 p.m., 142 School of Medicine. Lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, e-mail jfitzake@d.umn.edu.
MORRIS—Philosophy professor Pieranna Garavaso received the 2003 UMM Alumni Association Teaching Award for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education. She will speak at Student Honors and Awards Ceremony May 9, 7 p.m., HFA Recital Hall.
Article by Nathaniel Hart, professor emeritus in English, has been accepted for publication in Surveying the Literary Landscapes of Terry Tempest Williams, scheduled for release fall 2003.
Last season's theater production of The Laramie Project (directed by theatre professor Ray Schultz, with lighting design by professor Tap Payne) received Meritorious Achievement Awards for cast ensemble acting and stage management (by student Peter Barrett) at recent American College Theatre Festival Region V Festival in Cedar Falls, IA.
TWIN CITIES—Charlie Brown statue with a hearing aid and painted hand shapes of the manual alphabet will be displayed until end of March in lobby of the Vocational Technical Building, which houses the U's American Sign Language department. Renate Lien, former U employee and member of the Twin Cities' DeafArt Club (DAC), which owns statue, received a grant from Office for U Women to bring it to campus. Schulz family granted DAC permission to equip Charlie Brown with a hearing aid in his right ear.
New hours at Campus Club bar and lounge are M–F 7:30 a.m. for continental breakfast, M–W until 6:30 p.m, Th until 10 p.m., Friday until 8 p.m. Club lunch hours are M–F 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and Thursday dinner, 6–8 p.m. (reserve at 612-625-9696). For more club information, see www.umn.edu/cclub.
U will host panel discussion, "Ethics vs. Economics," in conjunction with national Cover the Uninsured Week March 11, 12:30 p.m., 2-690 Moos Tower. Week is to raise awareness about Americans who lack health insurance. For more information, call Kris Stouffer at 612-624-4460 or e-mail stouffer@umn.edu.
Events: "Global Connections, Global Talents: Women of Color Sharing Their Artistic Passions," sponsored by U Women of Color Network, will be March 11, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., 152 Klaeber Court. RSVP by March 7 to 612-625-2385.
o Humphrey Institute Policy Forum will sponsor "High Tuition, High Financial Aid: Does it Serve Public Needs?," a debate between U professors Ken Keller and John Brandl, March 14, 8:30–10:30 a.m., 200 State Office Building. For more information, call 625-8330.
Lectures: "What's a White Girl Like You Doing in Multicultural Education?" will be March 6, 7 p.m., Mississippi Room.
o "Living for Eternity: Monasticism in Egypt," symposium by Classical and Near Eastern Studies, will be March 6–9 (lectures on March 6, 6:30 p.m. and March 7, 7:30 p.m.). For information, see egypt.cla.umn.edu or call 612-625-5353.
o McKnight Summer Fellows presentations, "Modernism and Photography's Places in Chinese Culture" and "A Study of Syntatic Differences in Three Chinese Dialects," will be March 12, 3:30–5 p.m., Nolte Library.
o Horticulture science department's Kermit A. Olson Memorial Lecture, "Modern Economic Botany; Tropical Fruit Markets and Resources," will be March 12, 4 p.m., 110 Green Hall. Reception will follow to honor scholarship recipients and speaker Richard Campbell, Fairchild Tropical Garden, FL.
o "Is There An Optimal Dietary Strategy For Weight Management?," sponsored by Minnesota Obesity Center, will be March 12, 4 p.m., 15 FScN (reception at 3:30 p.m.).
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