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September 2006

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U of M staffers find a new more cost-effective commute to work
Sept. 29 , 2006

Five University of Minnesota employees have found a new, unique and more cost-effective way to get to work.

The employees formed the university’s first vanpool as part of of the Van-Go! -- a program sponsored by the Metropolitan Council and the U of M Parking and Transportation Services. Van-GO! matches university staff and faculty who live in the same geographic area with each other, so they can commute to the Twin Cities campus.

The first vanpool makes its inaugural commute on Monday, Oct. 2. The vanpool travels between travels between Chisago and the Twin Cities campus. A second vanpool is shaping up to originate in the same area, but will travel on an earlier schedule.

Under the Van-GO! program, a vanpool must have at least five passengers who can ride together at least three days a week. Vanpools serve areas that do not have convenient bus or light rail service. A portion of the van lease is subsidized by the Metropolitan Council. The remainder of the lease, as well as gas and parking fees, is the responsibility of the vanpool group.

Those in the vanpool will save an average of $800 a year over the cost of driving alone and will benefit from being able to use their commute time efficiently.

The Van-Go! driver must be at least 25 years old with a valid drivers license, a good driving record and good credit. Drivers do not pay the vanpool costs and may use the vehicle for a limited number of personal miles.

The U's new Zestar! apple
Sept. 12 , 2006

Most Minnesotans now think Honeycrisp when they think of apples. The variety was released in 1991 by University of Minnesota researchers and became a booming success in the state. But this season, Jim Luby and other university horticulturists are introducing their newest creation, Zestar!.

While the Honeycrisp is known for its sweetness and juicy crunch, Zestar! packs a tarter taste with just a hint of brown sugar. Luby describes his latest breed as “fresh apple cider with a bit more zip.” With an early blooming season and two and a half month storage life, Zestar! is also great for cooking.

Like many of the university’s apple varieties, Zestar! has a cold hardiness that makes it perfect for Minnesota. Any apple-grower in Minnesota knows that the state’s climate is nothing like the Southern Hemisphere; cold, harsh winters are brutal on fruit farmers. That’s why Luby engineered Zestar! to withstand the elements and retain its flavor.

So the next time you bite into a Minnesotan apple, whether it is the sweet and juicy Honeycrisp or the tangy Zestar!, be confident to know that Luby and his team are always working to find that next tough and tasty apple for you to enjoy.

If you would like to interview Luby, contact Jeff Falk at (612) 626-1720 or jfalk@umn.edu; or Drew Swain at (612) 625-8962 or dswain@umn.edu.

University of Minnesota offers unique class about 9/11 and how the world has changed
Sept. 11 , 2006

When the twin towers fell in New York City, the world forever changed for Americans. Called “The United States Since Sept. 11,” a unique class that looks at every aspect and impact of the 9/11 tragedy from historical and the economy to sociology and art is taught by professor Rod Ferguson of the University of Minnesota’s American Studies department.

His course analyzes the changes that took place within the United States and how those changes have a history in prior and forgotten wars in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. In addition, the students will study how the day was remembered, officially and unofficially and how the lives of citizens and immigrants have changed in the aftermath.

“One thing we were interested in is how the world has changed since 9/11, and 9/11 as a historical marker. What kind of shifts have been made in terms of law, criminalization, race, war and immigration,” said Ferguson.

The class, which expected 75 students, got 150. Students were about 13 years old when 9/11 happened, so they came of age in the wake of 9/11.

To interview Ferguson, contact Mark Cassutt at (612) 624-8038 or cassu003@umn.edu. .

Rooting for the underdog: Do people who root for the underdog (or favorite) have common or similar personality traits and personal values?
Sept. 6 , 2006

As the baseball playoff races heat up and the NFL season kick off approaches, sports fans everywhere will be choosing teams to root for, whether a perennial favorite or the classic underdog. From sports to movies, rooting for the underdog is a time-honored American tradition. A new study by the University of Minnesota’s Todd Wilkinson, visiting assistant professor in the psychology department, looks at the relationship between an individual’s personality traits and personal values and choosing to root for an underdog or backing a favored team.

In his analysis, Wilkinson tested such attributes as openness to experience, right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, belief in a just world, as well as personal values of conformity, benevolence, power and achievement and found that some traits would make you an “underdog” or a “favorite” person.

If you would like to interview Wilkinson, contact Mark Cassutt, University of Minnesota News Service, (612) 624-8038.

Back for another school year
Sept. 1 , 2006

Once again, returning University of Minnesota students are making their way towards the Twin Cities to begin the new school year. Parents are wishing them goodbye and settling in for a quieter household. Overconfident, yet secretly nervous, freshmen are debating what can fit in a dorm room as university faculty finish up class curriculums.

Back to school jitters and empty-nest syndrome
Attending college after a summer of full-time working and no-time studying, no matter if it is for freshmen or fifth year seniors, can be a difficult transition. Motivation, homesickness and adoption to a new lifestyle are challenges that students can face. Back at the home front, some parents must cope with an empty nest. Professor at the Institute of Child Development, Martha Erickson, is available for interviews on how students deal with returning to college. Marjorie Savage is the director of the University Parent Program and is hosting back to school information sessions for parents this weekend. She has also helped create alcohol online education courses for parents with young adults new to college.

Electronic socializing craze
Dorms, off-campus houses and apartments are all social gathering places for university students. But public interaction has recently gone digital with networking websites such as Facebook, Myspace and Friendster. Users can create groups of friends, share photos and send out electronic party invitations. Colleen Gengler, a family relations educator with the U of M Extension Service, thinks that these online sites are just another place for students to hang out, make friends and be accepted in new ways.

Wireless available on-campus
With Minneapolis working to approve a city-wide wireless network, the University of Minnesota is one step ahead. Since early 2000, the Office of Information Technology has continually developed a more extensive wireless network. It is committed to the goal of creating a common, secure Twin Cities ‘Wireless Campus’ experience for all wireless network users. Students and faculty have more freedom and flexibility to access the internet, whether it be from a dorm room or a study session in one of the libraries. Steve Cawley is the associate vice president for the Office of Information Technology and is working to advance wireless communications technology on campus.

To interview any of the university representatives above, contact Drew Swain at (612) 625-8962 or dswain@umn.edu; or Asim Dorovic at (612) 624-0214 or dorovic@umn.edu.