Brief summer schedule: Brief will publish on July 28, Aug. 11, and Aug. 25. Weekly publication will resume Sept. 8.
- Board of Regents July meeting highlights.
- Features: Ending bias-based bullying; Combining interests to create unique research; Casting a critical eye on tear gas.
- Awards and Recognition: Julie Schumacher and Susan M. Wolf have been named Regents Professors; and more.
Board of Regents July meeting highlights
At its July meeting, the University of Minnesota Board of Regents discussed initial findings of the Positioned for Excellence, Alignment and Knowledge (PEAK) initiative, as well as potential strategic direction and recommendations. This systemwide effort is designed to identify and develop new approaches to providing administrative and support services. Regents also discussed campus-level strategic planning with leaders from the Morris campus, received an update on master planning from the Twin Cities campus, and received an annual update from the University of Minnesota Alumni Association. See the news release for more details.
Ending bias-based bullying
With support from Minnesota Masonic Charities, Department of Pediatrics faculty member Marla Eisenberg partnered with School of Public Health epidemiologist Marizen Ramirez to study bias-based bullying in Minnesota middle and high schools. Their research is educating schools about subtle behaviors that harm students.
Combining interests to create unique research
In his final semester at the School of Kinesiology, honors student Brian Neff was awarded an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program grant to help fund his honors thesis research. Neff, an avid snowboarder and certified personal trainer, combined some of his passions to explore a new way to improve performance for alpine skiers.
Casting a critical eye on tear gas
The U.S. military can’t use tear gas against wartime enemies, but police are free to deploy it routinely against protesters, including peaceful ones, at home. Five U of M neuroscience graduate students decided to investigate this practice. Besides their devotion to promoting health through their research, they were spurred by events that occurred in, essentially, their back yard.
Awards and Recognition
Julie Schumacher and Susan M. Wolf have been named as the University of Minnesota’s newest Regents Professors; 2021 Research Infrastructure Awards announced; 2021-22 MnDRIVE Neuromodulation Fellowship recipients; the Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center is one of four university entities in the country to receive the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities' 2021 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship Award; a College of Biological Sciences team’s research to develop a first-of-its-kind CO2 bioreactor platform will be supported by $1.1 million in funding from the Department of Energy; a project that developed technology to improve the fuel efficiency of last-mile delivery vehicles is the recipient of this year’s Robert C. Johns Research Partnership Award; U in the News features highlights of U faculty and staff cited in the media. Awards and Recognition
Administrative policy updates
Campus Public Art covers the selection, acquisition, installation, and maintenance of public art on our campuses. The Vacation Donation policy expanded to allow for donations from P&A employees and revised the definition of immediate family. The new proposed maximum vacation accrual for eligible faculty and P&A staff is 216 hours (Accrual of Vacation Leave policy). In the Non-Renewal of Appointment for P&A Employees policy, years of service now includes time spent working in a P&A or civil service position for eligible employees. Program curtailment in the in Early and Select Appointment Terminations for P&A Employees requires approval from the SVP (Finance and Operations) and the VP (Human Resources) for any program curtailment. Review and comment on the policies.
New diversity, equity, and inclusion progress report
The University is leaning into its commitment to advance a community and culture where a sense of belonging is strong, accessibility is valued, and equity and diversity are part of our everyday work. A new Progress Report: Representation, Climate, and Partnership, describes how the University—across all campuses, colleges, and centers—is advancing this work.
Return to 26 pay dates
The University returns to 26 pay dates for fiscal year 2022. Faculty and P&A staff paid over 12 months will have their annual salary divided by 26 starting in fiscal 2022. Because of this change, there will be a slight increase in the biweekly pay amount starting with the July 14 pay date. Employees paid a salary over 9 or 10 months and employees paid hourly will continue to be paid for hours worked. Contact the Office of Human Resources with any questions at [email protected] or call 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363.
U of M System at Twin Cities Pride
The University System will be represented at Twin Cities Pride, to be held July 17 and 18 in Loring Park, Minneapolis. Stop by the U of M booth to take a pic, play some games, and celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community.
UMN Headlines: July 2021
The July installment of the "UMN Headlines" video series shares highlights of recent accomplishments from around the University of Minnesota System, ranging from groundbreaking research to student successes and scientific breakthroughs. See past episodes here.
Program in Human Sexuality becomes Institute for Sexual and Gender Health
The Program in Human Sexuality (PHS) has achieved the status of an institute in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School. With this elevated status, PHS has changed its name to the Institute for Sexual and Gender Health.
U of M and Stanford researchers launch the Thinking Ahead Roadmap to help adults protect their money as they age
Researchers from the University of Minnesota and Stanford Center on Longevity released the Thinking Ahead Roadmap, a comprehensive toolkit funded by AARP that guides people to select someone they trust to help manage their money if financial decisions become too difficult in the future.
Treating Parkinson’s with surgical precision
A University startup based on Professor Noam Harel’s research recently reached a major milestone in helping to ensure that deep brain stimulation is effective for more patients with Parkinson’s disease. Deep brain stimulation uses an implanted electrode to electrically stimulate specific parts of the brain in a way that corrects the “noisy” neuron activity behind the involuntary movements common in Parkinson’s.
Medical School report details the effects of COVID-19 on adolescent sexual health
A new report from the Medical School’s Healthy Youth Development - Prevention Research Center highlights that Minnesota youth continue to contract sexually transmitted infections at alarmingly high rates, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
A renaissance of infectious disease interest
The role of healthcare workers has never been more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic, and young people are noticing. Applications to the U of M Medical School Twin Cities campus are up 40 percent while Duluth campus applications are up 70 percent from last year. The pandemic has also generated a renewed interest in the study of infectious diseases. Rachel Marks, a first-year Medical School student, spearheaded a revamped Infectious Disease Interest Group in response to growing student interest in the field.
Hot weather fertilizer tips for your yard and garden
Extension educators provide a set of guidelines for midsummer and hot-weather fertility management for lawns, flowers, trees and shrubs, and vegetables and fruit. Get their expert insight for your lawn and garden.
Research Brief: New fossil sheds light on the evolution of how dinosaurs breathed
Using an exceptionally preserved fossil from South Africa, a particle accelerator, and high-powered x-rays, an international team including a University of Minnesota researcher has discovered that not all dinosaurs breathed in the same way. Additional recent Research Briefs include “How effective is targeted livestock grazing?” and “U.S. hospitals slow to respond to new price transparency rule.”
July 23 - Should Colleges and Universities Mandate Vaccination for COVID-19? Debating Public Health & Community Trust
Regents Professor Susan Wolf will moderate a webinar about whether colleges and universities should require vaccination for students and employees. The event will feature Michael Osterholm, director of CIDRAP at the University of Minnesota, Larry Gostin, director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, and Stephen Thomas, director of the Center for Health Equity at the University of Maryland.
U of M featured events
July-Aug. - Universe in the Park
July 20 - Coffee and Career Connections: Communications Industry
July 22 - Story Maps 101: Visual Storytelling with Maps
July 23 - Supporting Our Community Through Legal Education and Outreach
July 29 - Inclusive Teaching Basics
Aug. 13 - Minnesota Twins U of M Day
Aug. 31 – Commenting on and Grading Student Writing: Workshop for New Teaching Assistants
Sept. 1 - Assigning and Assessing Student Writing: Workshop for Graduate Student Instructors
Crookston student designs Golden Eagle Garden for Polk County Fair
Horticulture student Marina Wiley’s work was recently on display at the Polk County Fair as part of her independent study. Wiley has shown a great talent for floral design and color schemes that showcase the artistic side of floral design.
Aug. 3 - Night to Unite
Night to Unite’s annual celebration of communities and law enforcement will be held on the University of Minnesota Crookston campus. Walmart of Crookston, the event’s main sponsor, came forward with a financial contribution to fully support this year’s event.
O’Neill receives Teach Access award
Teach Access awards 15 grants each year to encourage the development of courses that help close the accessible technology skills gap. Professor John O’Neill will use his $5,000 award to redesign the curriculum for Graphic Design V, an upper-level interactive design course, and to purchase assistive technology that will help students learn to design websites and apps for users with disabilities.
Statz selected for American Bar Association’s Access to Justice Cohort
Michele Statz, U of M Medical School Duluth Campus and U of M Law School affiliate faculty, has been named a 2021-22 Access to Justice Scholar. Statz will explore how rural place attachments are used by active judges and interpreted by individuals without counsel in rural tribal and state courts.
UMD renames College of Liberal Arts
UMD’s College of Liberal Arts is now the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, effective July 1. The change follows a year-long process that began when the College of Liberal Arts and the School of Fine Arts merged in July 2020. The new name was chosen to reflect the college’s broad academic focus.
Gateway Program back on campus
The University of Minnesota Morris Gateway Program, a four-week summer course to build college skills prior to beginning fall first semester, will be back on campus this summer beginning July 19. This intensive residential experience builds relationships, prepares students for college, and paves the way for their success. Please welcome students when you see them on campus.
Register for the Cougar Golf Classic
Join colleagues for the annual Cougar Golf Classic on July 30 at the Pomme de Terre Golf Club. Attendees will have to opportunity to connect with Cougar alumni, friends, and coaches. Create your own team of four or sign up as an individual to be placed on a team.
Mejia selected as 2021-22 Engaged Scholar
Assistant Professor Angie Mejia has been selected as a 2021-22 Campus Compact Engaged Scholar. The Engaged Scholars Initiative aims to develop a diverse group of early-career faculty and staff who can lead equity-focused change at their institution and in communities.
Nichols presents at University of Victoria event
Advancing UMR toward its vision of transforming higher education, UMR’s Marcia Nichols and Margaret Carlyle, UBC-Okanagan, presented their latest research at Perfecta: Images and imaginations of the female body, University of Victoria, British Columbia. Professor Nichols' talk was titled "Flap Anatomies and Victorian Veils: Penetrating the Female Generative Interior."
Public parking rate changes
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus will change the public parking rate structure on July 15. The Church Street Garage and Washington Avenue Ramp will see the daily maximum increase from $13 to $15 per day. The previous "daily lots" will increase from $5 to $6. Contract parking rates will also increase on Oct. 1. See Parking and Transportation Services for more details.
Faculty and staff resources on One Stop to move
Starting Aug. 16, the Faculty/Staff page on onestop.umn.edu will be permanently moved to ASR Faculty and Staff Resources as a part of the One Stop Website Upgrade Project. Update any bookmarks and links on departmental websites by Aug. 16. At that time the page will no longer be accessible via onestop.umn.edu.
New software shows how to maximize the benefits of investing in urban nature
The University of Minnesota is a part of a multi-institutional effort to bring forward an innovative and free open-source software—Urban InVest—developed by the Natural Capital Project. Urban InVEST creates maps to assist city planners and developers to determine where investments in nature, such as parks and marshlands, can maximize benefits to people.
Leveraging technology to improve health
This July, Assistant Professor David Haynes of the Institute for Health Informatics will launch a pilot study offering a mobile app called Smart Community Health. The app offers patients a comprehensive assessment in four categories: My Living, My Mind & Networks, My Body, and My Self-Care. Based on that information, the app then connects people to community organizations providing the needed services and resources.
An ocean scientist in Minnesota
Rose Jones is an ocean scientist in Minnesota, “which is a very logical place to be,” she says with a bit of a laugh. Her interest in microbes that live in extreme environments and survive without sunlight led to her postdoc position in Professor Brandy Toner’s lab in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate. The lab studies the geochemistry of low-temperature environments, including the seafloor. Jones took part in a month-long research expedition to the middle of the Pacific Ocean earlier this year.
New U Libraries website
A new U of M Libraries website features a complete content overhaul and a clear organization. A decade of carrying content forward through previous website upgrades had resulted in outdated information, lost links, and lack of clarity.