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News in Brief
AROUND CAMPUSUniversity evaluates replacement for two flood-damaged building complexes The University of Iowa last week presented the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, with its analysis of the costs to replace two major building complexes damaged in the flood of 2008. The analysis examines the costs of replacing the Art Building East complex and the Hancher/Voxman/Clapp complex. No site recommendations for new buildings were made at the meeting, but that issue remains under active consideration. The Board of Regents will make the final decision on whether to replace or restore the existing buildings and protect them from future flooding. A final decision is expected in April at the earliest. The University announced Jan. 26 that the Art East and Hancher/Voxman/Clapp complexes were the only flood-damaged facilities eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) financial support to cover 90 percent of the eligible cost for either a new building or restoration and flood mitigation for an existing building. For the other UI buildings damaged by the flood, FEMA will provide 90 percent of the eligible cost of restoration and mitigation only. After a comprehensive study of the costs of the replacement and restoration options, as well as costs for prospective flood mitigation costs and for temporary facilities for displaced faculty, staff, and students, UI officials estimate that the total campus-wide flood recovery cost will be $740 million. This amount assumes that Art Building East and Hancher/Voxman/Clapp are replaced entirely in order to meet current program needs. After factoring in contributions from commercial and federal flood insurance and from expected FEMA grants, the remaining cost to the University for replacing the two buildings and all other flood recovery is estimated at $185 million, which would be spread over six years. Read the full University News Services release at http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2009/march/031309flood_damage.html.
Budget web site features Mason's update to Regents, cost-saving suggestions from faculty and staff, and more University of Iowa officials are communicating budget messages to faculty, staff, students, and alumni through a budget updates web site, http://budget.uiowa.edu. New entries on the site involve the following topics:
Click here to subscribe to the budget updates web site's RSS feeds.
Campus, public invited to UI forum on flood mitigation March 26
Nobel laureate Krugman to deliver law school's Levitt Lecture Nobel economics laureate and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman will discuss the U.S. economy when he delivers the University of Iowa College of Law's annual Levitt Lecture at 4 p.m. Friday, March 27 in MacBride Auditorium. Admission to Krugman's lecture, "Improving the U.S. Economy in the Short and Long Term," is free and open to the public. Krugman won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2008 for his work on international trade and economic geography, which studies the economic dynamics that determine how and why certain places—like Silicon Valley—end up specializing economically and the advantages this kind of clustering brings to companies and economies. Also a professor of economics at Princeton University, Krugman has written a twice-weekly op-ed column about economics for the New York Times since 1999. Read the full University News Services release at http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2009/march/031609krugman_lecture.html.
Staff Council to host diversity event March 25 Staff Council invites the campus community to enjoy "The Tastes of Sound and Diversity: A Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration of Staff by Staff" from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, in Old Brick. The event, which was originally scheduled for Jan. 15, is free and the public is welcome. Marcella David, special assistant to the president for equal opportunity and diversity and associate provost, will make opening remarks on the role staff play in creating a welcoming environment for diversity. The event will feature performances by talented UI staff, including the Goosetown Vipers, Beats from the Gold Coast, and more. Refreshments will be provided.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences names Dean's Scholars, Collegiate Scholar Four College of Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty members are being honored for excellence in teaching and scholarship or creative work. The 2009-11 Dean's Scholars are Rebekah Kowal of the Department of Dance, David Peate of the Department of Geoscience, and Ahmed Souaiaia of the Department of Religious Studies. Political scientist Caroline Tolbert is the new Collegiate Scholar. Linda Maxson, dean of the college, presents the Dean's Scholar award to newly tenured faculty to recognize achievements early in their careers. She presents the Collegiate Scholar award to mid-career faculty recently promoted to full professorship. Awards are made on the advice of the college's committee on faculty promotion and tenure. Read the full University News Services release at http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2009/march/031209clas_scholars.html.
Catalyst Award diversity seed grants announced The University of Iowa Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity has announced six Catalyst Award Seed Grant recipients for 2009–10. Supported campuswide, the Catalyst Award Seed Grants target creative projects that enhance and encourage the diversity goals of The Iowa Promise, the UI's five-year strategic plan. Recipients of the 2009-10 Catalyst Award Seed Grants and their projects are:
Program grants from $300 to $1,000 were provided as seed money for startup projects or programs that have potential sustainability, as well as short-term projects that demonstrate significance and impact. Collaborative grant proposals were sought that supported projects and/or programs to advance cross-cultural understanding, strengthen positive intergroup relations, and promote a welcoming learning, living, and working environment.
Apply now for Robert F. Ray Staff Scholarships University of Iowa staff members who wish to begin or continue their undergraduate education can apply for funding support from the Robert F. Ray Staff Scholarship, offered through the Division of Continuing Education. The scholarship fund was established in honor of the late Robert F. Ray, former dean of continuing education. Ray was a recognized leader in distance education, regional accreditation, forensics, and intercollegiate athletics. The Robert F. Ray Staff Scholarship for University employees was established to honor the contributions and vision of this inspirational leader. The recipient will be awarded $1,500 to cover the cost of valid educational expenses at The University of Iowa over the course of one year. Applicants must be employed by the University at least half-time, for not less than one year from the date of application, in a position classified as Office and Clerical, Service, Technical, or Professional and Scientific, and must remain employed by the University during the period of the award. While this award is not need-based, applicants must not be receiving tuition reimbursement or other grants (with the exception of staff tuition grants) in order to be considered. The deadline for application is June 1. For an application or more information, go to www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/ccp/media/pdf/rayscholarapp.pdf. If you have any questions, contact Laura Sinn at the Center for Credit Programs at 319-353-2656 or laura-sinn@uiowa.edu.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recognizes staff accomplishments The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences honored more than 100 staff members at its ninth annual staff recognition reception March 3. Thirty-five individuals were acknowledged for their years of service to the college. Dean Linda Maxson recognized staff for volunteerism and advocacy, professional development, and general excellence. She also honored individuals and teams for their contributions to improving the workplace. For a complete list of award winners, visit www.clas.uiowa.edu/hr/rewards/staff_recog/gallery09/awards09.html.
See what Learning and Development courses are right for you UI Learning and Development, a unit of Organizational Effectiveness, provides professional development services to faculty and staff. There are many learning opportunities that will support your professional development and growth. Look for classroom instruction on leadership issues for managers, frontline supervisors, human resource professionals, and office professionals. Check out the following links:
DISCOVERIESCognitive training lowers the risk of worsening depressive symptoms The risk of worsening depressive symptoms, one of the most common mental health problems experienced by older adults, can be significantly reduced by cognitive training aimed at maintaining and improving the speed of information processing, according to a team of University of Iowa researchers. The research team, led by Fredric Wolinsky, who holds the John W. Colloton Chair in Health Management and Policy in the UI College of Public Health, evaluated three different cognitive interventions to see if they could prevent the worsening of depressive symptoms. Of the 2,802 original study participants, complete data were analyzed for 2,014 (72 percent) at the one-year follow-up evaluation and for 1,516 (54 percent) at the five-year follow-up evaluation. The group that participated in the speed-of-processing training, a computer-based program designed to improve their ability to identify and locate visual information quickly, was 30 percent less likely to experience clinically important worsening of their depressive symptoms at both the one- and two-year follow-ups, according to Wolinsky. The two other cognitive interventions, involving memory and reasoning training, did not demonstrate similar protective effects against worsening depressive symptoms. Read the full University News Services release at http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2009/march/031709cognitive_training.html.
Study finds school buses among safest way to travel in Iowa University of Iowa researchers recently published findings that may put some parents at ease: school buses are among the safest forms of road transportation in Iowa. Jingzhen (Ginger) Yang, assistant professor of community and behavioral health in the UI College of Public Health, and colleagues examined the incidence of school bus crashes in a study published in the March issue of the injury prevention journal Accident Analysis and Prevention. On average, there were about 13 nonfatal injuries and less than one fatality per 100 million bus miles traveled. When compared with overall vehicle crash fatality and injury rates, fatalities in school bus crashes were more than three times less likely, and injuries during school bus crashes were more than five times less likely. Read the full University News Services release at http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2009/march/031309school_bus_safety.html.
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