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News in Brief
AROUND CAMPUSUniversity begins preparing arts campus, Iowa Memorial Union for winter About 50 1,000-gallon liquid propane (LP) gas tanks were recently installed on the University of Iowa's west arts campus and near the Iowa Memorial Union (IMU) as part of an effort to prepare buildings flooded this summer for winter weather, ongoing mitigation work, and possible future reoccupation. Munters Corp., which provided ventilation, humidity control, and cooling to flood-damaged buildings this summer, is installing temporary heaters that are each fueled by one to three LP tanks while ongoing repairs and mitigation work continues. The heaters will remain in place until April 2009 or until the building heating systems become operational. Hancher Auditorium, Theatre Building, Voxman Music Building, Art Building, Art Building West, Museum of Art, and the IMU will all benefit from the temporary heating systems while they are evaluated for long-term flood prevention and use. Read the full University News Services release at http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2008/october/102408arts_campus.html.
Familiar sound returns to campus
The University of Iowa power plant’s steam whistle—part of daily life in the community for 80 years—can be heard once again. The plant is fully operational for the first time since the Iowa River flooded the facility and silenced the familiar sound. Last week, President Sally Mason helped sound the steam whistle for the first time since June 13, marking its return to full operation. The power plant took on 21 feet of water during the flood and sustained an estimated $25 million in damage. The closure of the plant knocked out service of four boilers and three steam-driven turbine generators. Equipment, instrumentation, wiring, and pipes were submerged, including 24 large electric motors, 4 boiler combustion air fans, 6 large compressors, 3 miles of piping insulation, and 42 miles of wire. Extensive recovery work was needed to bring the boilers back online ahead of the increased demands of the winter heating season. The boilers provide steam to the UI campus and are necessary for consistent and efficient cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. The steam whistle has been part of daily life in the area for 80 years, sounding at 8 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., and 5 p.m. every day except Sundays and holidays to mark the once official start and finish of the work day and lunch hour. In 1990, the University planned to stop the practice but was dissuaded by residents who asked the University to continue what had become a long tradition.
W-2 forms will be available on HR Self Service web site Once again, the University of Iowa W-2 and/or 1042-S (for nonresident aliens) forms will be available on the HR Self Service web site (http://hris.uiowa.edu/selfservice). The 2008 W-2/1042-S forms will be available mid- to late-January 2009, and by electing electronic delivery you will have access to your form approximately one week before the forms are mailed. For more information, refer to the Payroll web site, www.uiowa.edu/hr/payroll.
Benefits open enrollment period begins The 2009 UI benefits programs open enrollment period has begun for all benefits-eligible University staff and faculty. For faculty, professional and scientific (P&S), and merit supervisory exempt staff, the open enrollment period runs through Nov. 16. Merit staff open enrollment runs through Dec. 1. There are changes to flexible credits, some insurance plan premiums, the Group Life Insurance plan, and the spending account programs. Also, due to a change in Iowa law, employees can now cover dependents 25 and under on health and dental plans regardless of the dependent's student status. To enroll online, go to the Human Resources Employee Self-Service web site at https://hris.uiowa.edu/portal/, log in, click on "Benefits Enrollment" and make your selections. Upon enrollment, a confirmation statement will be sent through campus mail showing the employee's 2009 benefits and their costs. For more information, visit www.uiowa.edu/hr/benefits/index.html. Resources available for UI faculty, staff members impacted by flood An emergency relief fund is available to help faculty, staff, and students recover from the floods. Staff and faculty interested in applying for financial assistance from the UI Flood Relief Fund are encouraged to visit the UI Flood Assistance Request Page www.uiowa.edu/floodrecovery/uihelp.html. A Hawk ID and password are required to enter the site. Faculty and staff requesting financial support from the flood fund will be asked to schedule a confidential appointment to meet with an eligibility coordinator. Appointments can be scheduled by visiting the UI Flood Assistance Request Page or by calling 3UI-FUND (384-3863). Additionally, a UI Flood Exchange web site, www.uiowa.edu/floodrecovery/flood-relief/flood-exchange, has been created where members of the UI community can post messages seeking or offering assistance to one another. For more flood-related resources, news, and information, visit the UI Flood Recovery web site www.uiowa.edu/floodrecovery.
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:
DISCOVERIESUI study may explain exercise-induced fatigue in muscular dystrophies A University of Iowa study suggests that the prolonged fatigue after mild exercise that occurs in people with many forms of muscular dystrophy is distinct from the inherent muscle weakness caused by the disease.
The research, which was published Oct. 26 in Nature Advance Online Publication, identifies a faulty signaling pathway that appears to cause exercise-induced fatigue in mouse models of muscular dystrophy. Moreover, the study shows that Viagra can overcome the signaling defect and relieve the fatigue. The findings suggest that targeting the signaling pathway may lead to therapies for this type of fatigue. Read the full University News Services release at http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2008/october/102708muscular_dystrophy.html.
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