- Board of Regents meets Oct. 10-11.
- New Driven to Discover campaign kicks off.
- Features: Medical School resident goes viral; The engineer who leads the band; Back in her lane.
- People: The U of M Alumni Association has recognized 15 outstanding volunteers and programs; and more.
Board of Regents meets Oct. 10-11
In its October meeting, the Board of Regents will discuss two U of M educational programs that offer Minnesota students the opportunity to explore college classwork and earn college credit while still in high school: Post-Secondary Enrollment Options and College in the Schools. The Board is also expected to learn about the University’s research into pollinators, act on the President’s Recommended Six-Year Capital Plan, and hear proposed next steps on policy recommendations regarding future building renamings.
New Driven to Discover campaign kicks off
This year’s Driven to Discover campaign kicked off on Oct. 7. The campaign builds on last year’s success, which focused on engaging the entire state—especially Greater Minnesota—with stories told through media channels that our audiences frequent. This year, the University is telling nine new stories that connect to Minnesotans by demonstrating the University of Minnesota’s relevance and value in their everyday lives. The campaign will reach the entire state through digital, radio, TV, and social media. See the stories and watch the TV spots.
Medical School resident goes viral
Not long ago, Rose Marie Leslie would probably have told you that her most famous moment of 2019 was winning a blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair for her special honey vinaigrette. But, this “local celebrity chef” earned a new title this month—TikTok’s (unofficial) healthcare expert—when her medical advice on the dangers of vaping went viral on social media.
The engineer who leads the band
Chamberlain Gregg loves generating ideas, whether for a new 3D printing design, a plan to make business operations more efficient, or a new morale booster for the University of Minnesota Twin Cities’ 320-member marching band. A junior from Minneapolis, Gregg is the University’s 64th drum major and a College of Science and Engineering student majoring in industrial and systems engineering.
Back in her lane
Chloe Portela was 11 when she underwent surgery to correct a genetic malformation of the sternum and rib cage that left her chest caved in and made bouts of pneumonia and bronchitis regular ordeals. Her experiences in the hospital helped shape her future. Today, she’s completing a master's degree in nursing to realize her childhood career ambition.
People
The U of M Alumni Association has recognized 15 outstanding volunteers and programs; the Community-University Health Care Center is part of a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services award to improve oral health infrastructure; Don Luce has been presented with the Jay N. "Ding" Darling Memorial Award for Wildlife Stewardship Through Art; U in the News features highlights of U faculty and staff cited in the media. People
Administrative policy updates
A new administrative policy, Equity and Access: Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Names, and Pronouns, helps promote a respectful University community free from discrimination based on gender identity or expression. The Outside Consulting and Other Commitments policy has new sections on summer appointments, authorship disclosures, and summer camps. The Campus and Building Closing policy now covers the University system, includes a new appendix on weather thresholds, and expands the policy to address reduced operations. Using Vehicles for University Business incorporates new requirements pertaining to handheld devices, lowers the minimum driver age from 19 to 18, and specifies a self-reporting requirement. Review and comment on the policies.
Medical School offers first-in-the-country course to fight opioid epidemic
The University of Minnesota Medical School has introduced a new, easy-to-grasp, tangible training class aimed at improving provider education on the approaches to battling the opioid epidemic. The work was developed in response to requests from state senators and representatives and is the first curriculum in the country offered to medical students that tackles this growing issue.
Applications are open for IAS 5x5s
The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) is a University-wide center supporting interdisciplinary research, collaboration, and critical conversations. Its 5x5 initiative brings together small groups (about 5 people) from differing disciplinary backgrounds and positions in the University and off-campus communities for a low-stakes, short-term exploration (about 5 gatherings over several months). Applications are open through fall semester.
Talking seasonal depression with the U of M
About 5 percent of the U.S. population experiences seasonal depression. It most commonly affects people starting in the fall and continues into the winter months. Jeannie Larson, assistant professor in the Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing, talks about what causes seasonal depression, its symptoms, and what people can do to lessen the symptoms. Additional recent “Talking with U of M” features include “Talking language immersion schooling” and “Talking positive dental hygiene habits.”
Oct. 14 - Class Climate: Widening the Circle for a Diverse Student Body
Join colleagues from all five system campuses in an online discussion of a chapter from Creating the Path to Success in the Classroom by Katherine Gabriel. The book combines data, theory, and best practices of inclusive course redesign to improve classroom climate and spur engaged participation, confidence, and success. Register to gain access to readings and the online Zoom link.
Oct. 22 - Canvas Learning Data and Analytics Foundations
The Learning Analytics Meet Up will host this 90-minute webinar (enroll) about current trends in learning analytics, Canvas tools that enable access to learning data, potential insights from learning data, and the ways in which faculty, instructors, researchers, and academic support professionals might put those insights into actions that help support learning. 1-2:30 p.m.
Oct. 31 webinar - Talent Acquisition Strategy: Start with an Inclusive Culture
Achieving workplace diversity has become a top priority, but many organizations don’t recognize the barriers that exist to recruiting diverse candidates and welcoming them onto their teams. This webinar will explore tools to create and foster a more inclusive workplace. Noon-1 p.m.
Oct. 31 - ArBOOretum
Visitors wearing a Halloween costume get in free at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s annual ArBOOretum event, featuring a 10:30 a.m. story time in the library, apples, and treats at different stations. No charge for kids 15 and under.
The University of Minnesota Crookston has been ranked #271 among the top 300 in Money magazine’s “Best Colleges For Your Money 2019” ranking.
Crookston a top performer on social mobility
The University of Minnesota Crookston was recently ranked #21 in U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of “Top Performers on Social Mobility.”
Studying the "freshman fifteen"
Associate Professors Lara and Rick LaCaille, Department of Psychology, have launched a longitudinal study to better understand what factors contribute to weight gain among first-year students. The faculty members have put together a team of undergraduate and graduate students who will assist with recruiting students for the study, collecting data, and eventually interpreting data.
Emphasizing American Indian child welfare
UMD’s Center for Regional and Tribal Welfare Studies has received a grant from the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute. The funding will enable 17 students to complete undergraduate or graduate degrees in UMD’s social work program. The grant will improve access to education for child welfare workers from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and assist in ongoing capacity building for the Leech Lake Child Welfare Program.
Class of 2023 profile
U of M Morris welcomed 406 new students to campus this fall, including 322 first-year students and 84 transfer students. Transfers are up 17 percent over last fall. Of the 2023 class, 30 percent are American Indian students, 40 percent are first-generation students, 37 percent are Pell Grant recipients, and 76 percent are from Minnesota.
Nov. 1 - An evening with Roxane Gay
U of M Morris will present an evening with essayist, fiction writer, and New York Times columnist Roxane Gay, made possible in part by the Engaged and Engaging Humanities grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. 7 p.m., Morrison Performing Arts Center.
2019-20 Theatre Discipline schedule
The U of M Morris Theatre Discipline announces its 2019-20 season: Julius Caesar, Hunting and Gathering, Miss Electricity, and Ordinary Days. The season opens Nov. 14 and concludes May 4.
Invest in Success Scholarship celebration
UMR recently held its Invest in Success Scholarship celebration in recognition of its benefactors, who make higher education possible for many of UMR’s students. Recipients of individual scholarships were present, as were those receiving scholarships with multiple recipients. Students, UMR benefactors, community supporters, and UMR faculty and staff attended. Rochester mayor Kim Norton also participated in the celebration.
School of Public Health redesigns Center on Aging
The University's School of Public Health has re-launched the Center on Aging with plans for convening a yearlong executive committee that will explore how to leverage new state and national resources. Leading the effort are Professor Joseph Gaugler and Associate Professor Tetyana Shippee, both engaged scholars and nationally recognized experts in aging and related issues.
Oct. 14 - ‘Moving the Needle to Cure Every Child with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia’
The 14th annual Children’s Cancer Research Fund Norma K.C. Ramsay, M.D. Distinguished Visiting Professor Lectureship will feature Mignon Loh, professor of pediatrics and chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology at the Benioff Children’s Hospital. 1:15-2:15 p.m., 450 Masonic Cancer Research Building.
Oct. 14 - IonE Second Mondays: From Farm Field to Garbage Can
Join a panel of experts from the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Institute on the Environment (IonE) as it discusses wasted food at the consumer level of the U.S. food system and opportunities to create a more equitable system for all Americans. 3:30-5 p.m., Learning and Environmental Sciences Building, St. Paul.
Oct. 15 - Clinical Affairs and U
Hosted by Jakub Tolar and Carolyn Porta, these 30-minute sessions are open (RSVP) to anyone at the University and will be opportunities to bring up questions, ideas, or topics related to clinical affairs. These might include questions like, “What is clinical affairs?”, “How do I get involved in clinical affairs efforts?”, and “I’m working to prevent a problem in society; is this ‘clinical affairs’?”
Oct. 18 - Teaching Writing in Quantitative Disciplines
Writing is critically important in all disciplines, but how can faculty integrate meaningful writing activities in classes that emphasize quantitative reasoning? This multidisciplinary panel, including Will Pomerantz (chemistry), Craig Westerland (mathematics), and Elizabeth Wrigley-Field (sociology), will share strategies for teaching with writing in quantitative fields. Lunch is provided for registrants. Noon-1:30 p.m., 321 Mechanical Engineering.
Oct. 21 - Leading with Purpose: Best Practices and Insights for Minnesota's Leaders
The Leading with Purpose conference will provide a new opportunity for leaders to find the tools and support to bring the best out of their teams and organizations. This year features industry experts exploring the "why" that drives leadership and inspires culture around us. 12:30–5:45 p.m., Carlson School.
Oct. 22 - Scallen Lecture in Human Rights
“Principled Voices: Indigenous Peoples Need a Say on the Environment” will feature Kathleen Padulo, Chiefs of Ontario environment director, speaking to the importance of Indigenous peoples’ rights and leadership in environmental policymaking.
Oct. 29 - Institute for Engineering in Medicine Otto Schmitt Distinguished Lecture
The Institute for Engineering in Medicine will host the Otto Schmitt Distinguished Lecture “The Death and Re-Birth of the Intervertebral Disc Cell,” featuring Lori Setton, the Lucy and Stanley Lopata Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the McCelvey School of Engineering. 11:50 a.m.-12:50 p.m., 2-620 Moos Tower, with a networking lunch at 11:20 a.m.
Oct. 29 - The Economics of Trade Wars: 25 Years of NAFTA
With global trade issues making headlines daily and analysts carefully watching for signs of a recession, what advice do economic research and history have to offer? Join Pete Kappelman, Timothy Kehoe, and Stefanie Lenway for a discussion (register) exploring which trade policies have been most beneficial to Minnesota's businesses and residents, whether USMCA—the "new NAFTA"—will benefit its member nations, and more. 5:30 p.m. panel, 7 p.m. reception; Carlson School.
Nov. 5 - Wellbeing lecture: ‘From Egosystem to Ecosystem’
Otto Scharmer will explore the concepts of systems evolution and transformation in economies, healthcare, and education, and will make the case for a shift in consciousness and action from a focus on individual wellbeing toward that of the collective. 4 p.m., McNamara Alumni Center. On Nov. 4, Scharmer will host the workshop Leading from the Emerging Future.
UMTC Featured Events
Oct. 9 - In the Field: Conversations with Creatives
Oct. 10 - CEHD Reads: First Generation Panel Discussion
Oct. 12 - 19th Annual School of Music Collage Concert: Celebrating Women in Music
Oct. 14 - MN Cup Final Awards Reception
Oct. 14 - Ambassador Thomas Shannon on American Foreign Policy in an Age of Uncertainty
Oct. 15 - The Future of Conservatism
Oct. 17 - Natalie Diaz Reading