- September Regents meeting highlights.
- Features: Coronavirus: the inside story; A beautiful sound.
- People: The School of Public Health will establish the Public Health Center of Excellence on Dementia Caregiving; and more.
September Regents meeting highlights
At its September meeting, the Board of Regents approved a plan to reduce staffing and compensation across Gopher Athletics’ in response to the department’s anticipated $75 million revenue shortfall. The Board also reviewed a recommendation to discontinue four existing Gopher programs: men’s gymnastics, men’s tennis, and men’s indoor and outdoor track and field. Additionally, Regents heard strategies for enhancing diversity and inclusion among University staff, received updates on academic program changes and projected student enrollment, and discussed President Gabel’s recommended six-year capital plan and 2021 state capital request, as well as the proposed fiscal year 2022 and 2023 biennial budget request. See more details in the news release.
Coronavirus: the inside story
New studies from the College of Science and Engineering (Twin Cities) analyze how the coronavirus spreads indoors and in human lungs. This information may help businesses and schools control the spread of COVID-19 and help target medicines to virus particles in the lungs.
A beautiful sound
After Livi was born with hearing loss in both ears, her parents wondered whether she would ever be able to hear them clearly. Their search for help led them to M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, where Livi received a life-changing bilateral cochlear implant. Read Livi’s story and watch her hear her mother’s voice for the first time.
People
With more than $2.5 million in support from the CDC, the School of Public Health will establish the Public Health Center of Excellence on Dementia Caregiving; Wendy Smythe and colleagues have received an NSF workshop grant for “The Role of Geoscience In Environmental Health Through Food Sovereignty”; U in the News features highlights of U faculty and staff cited in the media. People
A place of opportunity for everyone
Scholarships make a world of difference for students, says Keisha Varma, associate vice provost at the Office for Equity and Diversity and a member of the systemwide Faculty Staff Campaign Advisory Committee. “I see the difference it makes when a student doesn’t have to worry about finances as much,” she says. “They feel more secure and can focus on academics and on immersing themselves in the University of Minnesota experience.” Watch a short video featuring Varma.
New instructor resource on blended/HyFlex courses
HyFlex Teaching at the University of Minnesota provides instructors with useful information on what defines a blended/HyFlex course; scheduling options; suggestions on teaching in-person, remote, and online students simultaneously; identifying classroom technology requirements; and teaching tips.
Reminder: Creative content available
Faculty and staff have access to creative content through the U of M Photo and Video Library, with thousands of University-themed images and a licensed Stock Content Library offering more than 100,000 stock video clips, audio clips, and graphics.
Discount on U of M professional development short courses and certificates
University of Minnesota faculty and staff from all campuses receive a 50 percent discount on many professional certificates and courses offered through the College of Continuing and Professional Studies. Most offerings are being held remotely through the fall semester. Browse the full list of courses or choose courses by certificate. The discount will be applied during registration.
Incorporating names and pronouns into your courses
The recently approved Gender Equity and Access Policy impacts four areas of campus and academic life: names, gender identities, and pronouns; programs, activities, and facilities; data collection; and data privacy. This guide was developed in response to requests for instructional support resources. It is a concise list of practical strategies and resources for course design and daily classroom application.
VPN to require Duo beginning Sept. 16
Beginning Sept. 16, Duo Security will be required for VPN access. This will affect the Full Tunnel and Split Tunnel VPN pools and is being implemented for compliance with the University’s Information Security Policy (Appendix AAAM.B). There will be no disruption to connected users and no expected downtime. Contact Technology Help with questions.
Research Brief: New insight on the impacts of Earth’s biosphere on air quality
A new study led by a team of University of Minnesota researchers provides the first global satellite measurements of Isoprene—one of the most important chemicals affecting Earth’s atmosphere.
Sept. 23 - Public Engagement Town Hall
Join Associate Vice President for Public Engagement Andy Furco, members of the University's Office for Public Engagement, and publicly-engaged colleagues systemwide for a virtual town hall-style meeting to share ideas, concerns, and suggestions for managing and navigating community-engaged research, teaching, and outreach activities during this time of challenge and change. 1-2 p.m., via Zoom.
Sept. 25 - Thinking Spatially: Politics and Polarization
This third annual Thinking Spatially symposium will explore the topics of politics and polarization, a defining characteristic of today’s political climate. Geographic relationships may help to provide clarity in the factors related to political discourse. The symposium is for everyone interested in politics, partisanship, idealism, voting patterns, racism, civil rights, community development, mapping, and more. View the full schedule, featured presenters, and register to attend. 9 a.m.-noon, via Zoom.
Sept. 28 - Immigration: Building a Career in the U.S.
Join the University of Minnesota's Technology Commercialization Venture Center for a webinar on U.S. immigration law, strategies, and U of M processes and resources. Robert Webber, partner at Dorsey & Whitney, and Marissa Hill-Dongre, director of the University of Minnesota's Immigration Response Team, will highlight recent changes to U.S. immigration law and its enforcement, and how international students and scholars interested in a career in the U.S. can navigate the current immigration environment. 3-4:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 - Webinar: Research Tool Commercialization
Register for a mini webinar on research tool commercialization. Research tools facilitate the progress of research and discovery and are valuable assets to make widely available. Participants will learn how U of M Technology Commercialization can help you to commercialize and distribute the research tools developed in your lab to scientists at a variety of organizations, both academic and industrial. 11-11:30 a.m.
Oct. 1 - Headliners: Sustainable Solutions for our Plastic Planet Predicament
Hosted by Lifelong Learning in the College of Continuing and Professional Studies, Headliners kicks off its 15th-anniversary season with a presentation by Marc Hillmyer, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair, Distinguished University Teaching Professor, and director of the Center for Sustainable Polymers. Hillmyer will highlight the work being conducted in the Center for Sustainable Polymers, where today’s research discoveries will undoubtedly lead to the packaging, construction, household, clothing, automobile, and energy materials of tomorrow. No charge, but registration is required.
U of M featured virtual events
Sept. 17 - Wellbeing Series for Planetary Health
Sept. 22 - Mental Wellbeing and Self-Care
Sept. 23 - Minnesota Book Award-winning memoirist Kao Kalia Yang reading
Sept. 24 - Green Homes and Homelessness: The Challenge of Equitable and Sustainable Housing in 2020
Sept. 24 - Mindfulness Trends in the Workplace
Sept. 29 - Northrop Presents: Katelyn Emerson, Organ
Sept. 30 - Distinguished Carlson Lecture with Ibram X. Kendi
Council allows student-athletes to have their voices heard
The Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) serves as the voice for all of the student-athletes on campuses across the nation. At Crookston, the council has been planning for its 2020-21 initiatives and recently met with SAAC groups from across the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
Crookston joins the University Digital Conservancy
The University Digital Conservancy (UDC) recently welcomed a new campus partner. Crookston joins Duluth, Rochester, and the Twin Cities in the systemwide institutional repository. UDC worked with Stephen Hearn and Crookston staff to generate metadata and upload more than 800 digitized publications and items related to Crookston campus history.
Taivan named Labovitz MBA program director
Associate Professor Ariuna Taivan, economics, is the new director of graduate studies for the Labovitz School of Business and Economics’ MBA program. She is also the faculty advisor for the International Economics Honor Society and will continue to teach economics classes. Taivan succeeds Associate Professor Al Roline, business law, who served in the director role for the past five years.
Marsh bird conservation
UMD’s Natural Resources Research Institute collected bird data as part of a collaborative effort by the National Audubon Society to identify the most important U.S. Great Lakes coastal wetlands for 14 marsh bird species. The findings were recently published in Biological Conservation. Human activity has significantly degraded coastal wetland habitats in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin, resulting in severe marsh bird population declines.
Choir moves outdoors
Choir at U of M Morris may look a little different this fall, but it still sounds just as great. That’s because Bradley Miller, associate professor of music and director of choral activities, has found a different way to rehearse his ensembles in the era of social distancing: outdoors at a local park, for all to enjoy. Read more in the Stevens County Times.
Health science student enrichment opportunities
Rochester faculty, staff, and industry partners have created an array of evidence-based enrichment opportunities for their undergraduate health sciences students. Important to sustaining the equity outcome for which the campus is known, 100 percent of UMR undergraduates engage in course-based career pathway exploration and research, showcasing their efforts at the annual Research and Education Symposium. These and other enrichment opportunities were recently featured in the virtual Fall 2020 Involvement Fair.
Sustaining wellbeing in crisis
UMR’s commitment to prioritize health and wellbeing for students, faculty, and staff is being challenged in new ways. Some speculate that when we look back on this time we will be more grateful, more present, and more aware—while others see this disruption through a societal lens, predicting massive shifts in many sectors—including higher education. For more, see Chancellor Carrell’s most recent blog, Learning Matters: United by Loss.
UROC research agenda and RFP
The Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) has initiated a request for proposals as part of its new University/community UROC Research Agenda, a five-year research framework for addressing critical community-identified urban issues. Research topic areas include community healing and wholeness, systems and systemic racism, and individual, family, and community financial wellbeing. A selection committee will decide the winning proposals. Interested research teams should complete and submit the RFP application by 5 p.m., Oct. 26.
U of M startup to reroute unused medications
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities has launched RoundtableRx, a nonprofit startup that will donate unused medications to Minnesotans across the state who struggle to afford their prescriptions. The startup, spearheaded by students from the College of Pharmacy, is the state’s first medication repository.
Hippocrates Cafe to debut in first-ever TV episode, ‘Reflections on the Pandemic’
Jon Hallberg, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, partnered with Twin Cities Public Television to produce “Hippocrates Cafe: Reflections on the Pandemic,” an hour-long episode dedicated to healthcare and frontline workers that is designed to educate, entertain, and inspire viewers during the pandemic.
Jingle Dress Dancers in the Modern World: Ojibwe People & Pandemics
Northrop Professor Brenda Child (American Studies and American Indian Studies) discovered that the Jingle Dress Tradition arose in response to the 1918-19 influenza pandemic. A new documentary explores the origins of the Jingle Dress Dance Tradition with Child, who also describes what the tradition means to dancers and Ojibwe people today, and how it has evolved to include modern protest movements such as Standing Rock and calls for racial justice.
Ensuring vulnerable college students have enough to eat, especially during COVID-19
A new paper highlights findings from a review of federal bills addressing food insecurity among college students and points to a need to update SNAP eligibility requirements, communication, outreach, and technical assistance to better serve today’s college students.
Evaluating changes in food insecurity, stress, and weight-related behaviors among mothers during pandemic
The findings of a recent study by School of Public Health PhD students Jessica Friedman and Junia N. de Brito will help clinicians and policymakers improve their understanding of how the pandemic is affecting the health of mothers and connect women and their families with community resources and support.
Study: Brain scans and spinal fluid tests can help correctly diagnose dementia types
A new study from the School of Public Health’s Minnesota Evidence-Based Practice Center could help researchers identify the underlying causes of dementia, which could eventually lead to better treatments.
New parking equipment goes live at 4th Street Ramp
Replacement parking equipment will be installed at facilities on the Twin Cities campus over the next 18 months. The 4th Street Ramp has been converted and the public began using the new equipment recently. Public parkers cannot use cash at the new exits; they can use a credit card at the exit or pay cash at a walk-up pay station before they leave. Contract holders should watch their email for when they should start using the new equipment. See a facility conversion timeline and project details online.
Sept. 22 - Go car-free
The University of Minnesota is participating in the Move Minneapolis Car-Free MSP employer challenge. On Sept. 22, employees are challenged with living car-free for 24 hours, choosing instead to bike, walk, ride a scooter, take public transit, or telework. Participants can enter into a Move Minneapolis drawing to win a new Pedego electric bike, valued at over $3,000. Learn more at Parking & Transportation Services.