October 8, 2008
Uncovering the past
Until recently, just one of the original Civil War-era buildings at Fort Douglas was believed to have survived the various expansions and demolitions at the fort—Building 55, a small adobe house located at the south end of the Peterson Heritage Center. But now, a portion of a second Civil War-era building has been discovered inside a house located at 604 South Fort Douglas Boulevard (across the street from the Gueset House).
The structure, recently rededicated and currently undergoing renovation as the Pierre Lassonde (hotlink to http://www.lassonde.utah.edu/About_Pierre.html) House, will be the new home to the executive offices of the University’s entrepreneurial programs (hotlink to http://www.techventures.utah.edu/Entrepreneurial_Programs.html), including the Lassonde New Venture Development Center, the Utah Entrepreneur Challenge, Tech Titans Competition, and the Opportunity Quest Business Innovation Competition. Funds for the renovation came from a generous $1 million gift from Lassonde. The building will be used for events for these programs and is available for rent by other organizations.
The house, built in 1875-76, has been vacant for the past 50 years. It sits on the original site of the quarters that were built in 1863 for Colonel Patrick E. Connor, the first commander at Fort Douglas. During the recent renovation, Ephriam Dickson, curator at the Fort Douglas Museum, made a surprising discovery. The rear wing of the building appeared to be part of an earlier adobe structure dating back to the first years of the fort. “Who could imagine that after all these years we could still discover a Civil War-era building hiding at the post?” Dickson says.
In 1862, shortly after Camp Douglas was established, soldiers constructed temporary structures using logs and adobe. Within a decade, the buildings had deteriorated so badly that Congress appropriated funds to rebuild the post. Between 1873 and 1875, nearly all the original Civil War-era structures were demolished and a number of new buildings were built, many of which still stand today—including the house on Fort Douglas Boulevard.
The front, two-story section of the house was built of red sandstone—quarried from nearby Red Butte Canyon—in the Gothic Revival style. This was the first home at Fort Douglas to be constructed with indoor plumbing, supplying hot and cold water for the bath tub. After a fire damaged the second floor in 1927, the home was remodeled into quarters for lower ranking officers.
The section of the building that caught Dickson’s attention was the wing extending from the rear, which once housed the kitchen, laundry room, and servants’ quarters. Instead of being built of stone like the front of the house, the first level was constructed of adobe. A second floor, made of brick, was clearly added later. The varied building materials—adobe, stone, and brick—are indicative of the different building periods at the fort.
It turns out that prior to construction of the 1875 sandstone house, an earlier adobe building stood on the site. Dickson speculates that the Army salvaged one wing of this earlier building, adding the new stone structure to the front and using the adobe portion for servants’ quarters. “This means that we actually have two surviving Civil War buildings at the post,” Dickson notes. “This is probably the most historic building surviving at Fort Douglas.”
A news release (hotlink to http://unews.utah.edu/p/?r=090908-1) with more information is available online.
Policy bans employees from selling complimentary books
A proposal to amend Policy 6-318-III-E (hotlink to http://www.regulations.utah.edu/academics/6-318.html) (formerly PPM 1-4), which governs faculty acceptance and disposal of complimentary books, was approved by the Academic Senate in May. The policy states that books received from publishers by U of U employees—and not purchased with personal funds or received as compensation for lawful services rendered—are the property of the University and may not be sold or exchanged for the personal gain of the employee. The employee may use the books for professional purposes and then dispose of the books when they are no longer useful for University purposes.
The new policy ensures that faculty will not risk being prosecuted for violations of the Utah Public Employees Ethics Act, which prohibits employees from accepting gifts in situations in which the employees have the power to steer business to the gift givers. Publishers typically send books to faculty to aid them in selecting books to require or recommend for their courses. Receiving such books is appropriate so long as they are treated as University property—not as a personal gift.
The policy came about after an opinion was issued from the Utah Attorney General’s office, which stated that if faculty were to accept such books and then turn around and sell them to bookbuying services for personal gain, that action could be prosecuted under the Ethics Act.
Informed of this opinion, and the risk it poses for criminal prosecution of faculty, the Academic Policy Advisory Committee worked with the Office of General Counsel to develop a policy that would allow faculty to carry out their work of selecting textbooks without running afoul of the Ethics Act. The new policy is the result.
Faculty may continue to receive complimentary copies of books sent by publishers to be considered for course adoption. The key to compliance with the policy, and avoidance of Ethics Act violations, is that faculty must not sell the books for personal gain. The most obvious prohibited conduct is to sell the books to the commercial book-buying services that typically visit campus offices. Faculty may retain possession of the books for as long as they continue to be professionally useful. Once a book is no longer useful for carrying out professional activities, it may be disposed of through various means that do not result in personal financial gain for the individual faculty member, such as individual donations or collection by the U of U libraries, departments, or student groups (for donations or perhaps to use in raising funds for scholarships or other worthy causes), or simply recycling.
For more information on the new policy, contact Susan Olson (hotlink to susan.olson@utah.edu) or call 581-8763.
12 Questions for Robert A. Young
Associate professor of architecture and recipient of the 2008 Distinguished Service Award.
1. What book should every person read and why?
How Buildings Learn by Stewart Brand. The book explores how buildings adapt to changes in the environment around them and what should be done in their original design and construction to allow them to embrace later adaptations.
2. What building on campus do you think is the most interesting architecturally?
Many of the buildings at Fort Douglas come to mind but the most singular one is the Officers Club. It demonstrates many of the principles of preservation and adaptive use that I try to teach my students in architecture and historic preservation classes.
3. If you could meet one notable person, who would it be and why?
Leonardo DaVinci. I would like to see how a person with true artistic and mechanical genius relates to those around him. I would discuss his approaches to gaining the inspirations which manifested those genius qualities.
4. Name a favorite local place to eat.
My house is my favorite place to eat, since my wife and I love to cook and entertain. For public places, the restaurants at the 15th East and 15th South neighborhood provide the best ambience with my favorite being The Paris.
5. How will the next generation of scholars—today’s students—change your field in the decades to come?
I hope that they, as architects, planners, and citizens, succeed in keeping the built and natural environments vibrant and sustainable. In particular, I hope they practice good stewardship of the built environment that recognizes that adaptive use, rehabilitation, and preservation of existing buildings is the highest form of recycling available.
6. List two of your favorite websites.
I frequently access the online digital resources available at the Marriott Library or websites for the professional societies of which I am a member. I am a lifelong Red Sox (hotlink to http://www.bostonredsox.com) fan, so I visit that site quite often.
7. Will a liberal arts education remain relevant to students in our increasingly technological society?
Yes. As technology increases, opportunities to appreciate the humanist aspects of life diminish and more mechanistic and bottom-line oriented solutions will prevail. Solutions that ignore the humanist aspects of life often do not provide an enriching experience.
8. What reading material is on your bedside table?
I try to read 20 or 30 books each year and have a backlog of reading material. The top layer includes Halfway to Everywhere by William H. Hudnut, Digital Photo Pro (magazine), The Politics of Historic Districts by William Schmickle, and T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton.
9. If politicians had to pass an exam before they were allowed to serve in public office, what question would you add to the test?
Explain in detail your true agenda for seeking this office and how the public will benefit from it.
10. What is one thing you would like to ask people to do to change the world for the better?
Be the change that you want to see in the world (quoted from Mohandas Gandhi). Do not wait for others to do all the work. Act now for real change.
11. Among the complex moral and political issues that affect humanity, which do you believe will never be resolved and why?
The growing mistrust and fear mongering that are being perpetuated by both political parties seem to be increasingly irresolvable. I find that the lack of objectivity, the unending use of spin, and unwillingness to constructively solve problems between the two political parties is counterproductive to any real progress.
12. What’s the best advice you ever got?
Treat others the way you want to be treated—essentially, the proverbial “Golden Rule.”
Emergency family finances
From an online KSL News story, published Oct. 3, 2008
Reported by Marc Giauque
With permission from KSL News
Preparing for financial disasters may be one of the last things on your list, especially if you’re already living on the edge, but money managers say there are things most people can do right away to put themselves in a better position. Jerry Basford, an adjunct professor in the David Eccles School of Business, teaches a personal finance course and suggests that people develop a written plan to get rid of debt and save money, and make plans for quickly reducing expenses in a crisis. “If you've got a cell phone plan that costs $50, could you cut that back to a $10 or a $20 plan?”
Basford cautions that any agreements to borrow money from family or friends should be in writing. If the loan is in writing, and a person defaults on that loan, the lender can declare a loss. (Any gains from interest are taxable and interest must be charged for loans over $10,000.) “A family loan can have its advantages, including lower or no interest, and usually no collateral—and loan paperwork doesn’t need to be signed by a lawyer. In most cases, it can be patterned after a typical loan application at a bank,” he says. Basford recommends having about a week’s worth of cash on hand since there are situations, either because of economic transitions or even a natural disaster, where people can’t immediately access their money.
Beyond the “Bank of the In-law,” credit with a structured lender is important in a crisis. But Scott Schaefer, a professor in the Department of Finance says getting that credit will become tougher. “It isn’t clear that it’s going to be easy to borrow going forward.” And credit scores will become much more important in a new borrowing world. “They are just as important as income and net worth in our lives,” he says. And that 401(k) that’s taken a pounding on Wall Street? Some advisors say not to watch it every day since the plan should be well thought-out and diversified so better to just stick with it. Advisors strongly recommend against cashing in or even borrowing from a plan unless other options are gone. “On average, the stock market still grows at seven percent a year, and that’s a rate far better than most people can ‘give themselves’ by borrowing from their retirements,” concludes Shaefer.
Financial Survival Tips
1. Eliminate debt, but maintain credit.
2. Save enough to replace up to a year of lost income, beginning with one month, then three months, then six months, etc.
3. Keep at least a week’s worth of cash on hand for emergencies.
4. Plan and write down ways you could immediately eliminate expenses in a crisis.
5. Plan and write down ways you could increase income by renting a room, selling items, etc.
6. Prioritize debts that must be paid, mortgages, etc.
7. Consider family as a source of income or savings for housing and other needs.
8. Carefully examine other assets such as retirement funds, but use them only as a last resort.
9. Contact your lender early if there’s a problem.
Source, various from KSL interviews and related publications.
Changing Identity
Recent works by women artists from Vietnam
Fresh from its stunning exhibition, Monet to Picasso, the UMFA opens a new exhibit—Changing Identity: Recent Works by Women Artists from Vietnam (hotlink to http://umfa.utah.edu/pageview.aspx?id=21821)—featuring 52 works by 10 contemporary Vietnamese artists who challenge the stereotypes and traditional roles of women in Vietnamese society. Each of these women has a particular way of shaping her work and of identifying herself that is both personal and universal. Through the use of various media, subject matters, and aesthetic sensibilities, the artists explore gender and cultural identity and offer a diversified view of Vietnam itself. The exhibition runs Oct. 18 through Jan. 11, 2009. Faculty and staff are admitted free with their UCard.
Attention faculty!
An opportunity for your students
Please encourage your students to participate in Opportunity Quest, a campus-wide executive summary competition sponsored by the Pierre Lassonde Entrepreneur Center. Students prepare an executive summary based on their innovative business plan. They can compete individually or in teams to win a share of $10,000. Give your students the opportunity to apply what you’ve taught them in a real-life setting. Online registration (hotlink to http://www.oq.lassonde.utah.edu) is due Friday, Nov. 7.
A few tips from our friends at Environmental Health & Safety
Anticipating Flu Season
While the weather turning colder may get us thinking about colds and flu, the fact is, most viruses are spread by hand-to-mouth contact or in airborne droplets caused by coughing or sneezing, not catching a chill. That’s why it is so important to wash your hands frequently. Use warm water and soap and scrub for at least 15 seconds. Always wash hands before and after eating; after using shared office equipment like phones and faxes; and after you shake hands with someone you believe is ill. Clean your desktop and the items on it with a disinfectant two or three times per week. If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze into your elbow instead of your hands. Avoid touching your eyes, lips, or mouth with your hands. Check online for information on pandemic planning (hotlink to http://www.pandemicflu.gov/), or contact EHS (hotlink to http://www.ehs.utah.edu) for more information.
Storm Ready?
Did you know that Utah is ranked second in the nation for lightning fatalities? Lightning can strike from six to ten miles away and there is no 100 percent safe outdoor location when lightning is present. The Office of Environmental Health and Safety offers a new online resource for lightning safety (hotlink to http://www.ehs.utah.edu/Lightning.html) which includes guidelines for programmers and event managers hosting outdoor events and for departments supervising employees who work outdoors. During the next year, EHS will be working with the National Weather Service to earn StormReady (hotlink to http://www.stormready.noaa.gov) status for the U.
PEAK Pilates studio opens Oct. 20
PEAK Academy (hotlink to http://www.health.utah.edu/PEAK) is offering group Reformer Pilates classes as part of its University Employee Fitness Program. Classes run Oct. 20 to Dec. 12 and are held in HPER East, room 118. The program is offered to full and part-time employees of the U, including employees at University Hospital, Primary Children’s Hospital & Clinics, and U of U affiliates in Research Park. Family members and partners of employees may also participate in PEAK classes at the same price. PEAK classes cost $140 per 15/16 class session (less than $9.50 per class). Private Pilates sessions also are available. Registration (hotlink to https://secure.uuhsc.utah.edu/peak/registration/) is online. Contact Traci Thompson (hotlink to traci.thompson@has.utah.edu) or call 585-7325 for more information.
Upcoming on campus
• Gunther von Hagen’s Bodyworlds 3 & The Story of the Heart
Now open at The Leonardo
209 E. 500 S.
See the anatomy exhibit displaying real human bodies preserved through plastination. University Health Care is a major sponsor of the exhibit. U employees receive a discount of $3 off regular adult admission (some restrictions apply). Purchase tickets online or by phone for $19 using the code printed on vouchers available at a University Health Care center near you. A list of locations (hotlink to http://healthcare.utah.edu/primarycare/locations/index.html) is online. For more information on the exhibit, call (801) 220-1100.
• Benefits and barriers to bicycle commuting in the Salt Lake Valley
Thursday, Oct. 9, 7:00 p.m.
City Library, 4th Floor Conference Room
Join the conversation, share your insights, and learn more about the benefits and barriers to using your bike to get around the city. Panel members include Ralph Becker, mayor, Salt Lake City; Alma Allred, director, U of U Commuter Services; Jonathan Morrison, executive director, Salt Lake Bicycle Collective; and Travis Jensen, transportation consultant, Jacobs Engineering. Craig Forster, director, U of U Office of Sustainability, will moderate the discussion.
• Candidate debate: First Congressional District
Friday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m.
Utah NOW on KUED 7
KUED continues its schedule of candidate debates, moderated by Doug Fabrizio. On the docket are candidates for Utah’s First Congressional District: Democrat Morgan Bowen, and incumbent Republican Rob Bishop.
• What’s in the basement? Bugs, bats, and bones!
Saturday, Oct. 11, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Utah Museum of Natural History
The Museum’s 15th annual What’s in the Basement event celebrates the opening of its first-ever permanent live exhibition: Bugs Alive! focusing on insects native to Utah. Visitors will have a rare opportunity for a behind-the-scenes peek at some of the museum’s 1.2 million artifacts. You can see rarely-displayed dinosaur fossils, gems and minerals, baskets and pots, and plants, insects, and mammals. Faculty and staff are free with their UCard.
• Frontline: The Choice
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m.
KUED Channel 7
In an historic election year, Frontline pesents the story of the two presidential contenders and what they say about America, drawing on in-depth interviews with the advisers, family, and friends closest to the candidates, as well as with seasoned observers of American politics, who together tell the story of these men and their ascent to their party’s nominations.
• Annual staff meeting with President Young
Monday, Oct. 20, 9:00 a.m.
Olpin Union Saltair Room
Plan to attend this annual event. It’s your opportunity to hear from President Young on the state of the U. Please RSVP (hotlink to president.events@rems.utah.edu) by Oct. 14.
• 2008 Business, Humanities & Social Science Career Fair
Thursday, Oct. 23, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Olpin Union Ballroom
This fair is available for all students and alumni. See which employers (hotlink to http://careers.utah.edu/downloads/FallCareer08.pdf) have signed up to attend.
Bulletin Board
• Library Booksale Moves
The Marriott Library Booksale—with lots of books to sell—has moved from the library to the archives in Building 213, located at 666 Guardsman Way, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or by appointment. For more information on making donations or setting up an appointment, contact Teddi Kachi (hotlink to teddi.kachi@utah.edu) or call 581-7526. The new location offers excellent parking and great prices. Check it out!
• Call for Study Participants
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (hotlink to http://medicine.utah.edu/obgyn/) is participating in a research network that is enrolling women who are interested in becoming pregnant in an IRB-approved EAGeR study to assess the effects of low dose aspirin in pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes. The study’s researchers believe that low dose aspirin may decrease miscarriage rates, pre-term birth rates, late losses, and other pregnancy complications. If you or someone you know has had one or two pregnancy losses and would like to be a part of this study, visit EAGeR (hotlink to http://www.eagertrial.org) online or call toll free 1 (866) 912-1967. Study participants will receive a fertility monitor, folic acid supplement, an early ultrasound when they get pregnant, and compensation for time and travel.
• Star Parties–Scouring the skies
Wednesdays at dusk
Physics Building
Watch for clear skies on Wednesdays, then bring your family and friends to the weekly star parties atop the physics building located directly east of Kingsbury Hall (across the side street). It’s free! Come anytime after dusk. Star parties are also held the first Monday of the month in conjunction with the Utah Museum of Natural History’s Monday family night. For more information, contact Paul Ricketts (hotlink to radioman99@hotmail.co), call the physics department (hotlink to www.physics.utah.edu) at 581-6901, or check the U of U observatory (hotlink to http://web.utah.edu/astro) online.
• Mental Health tip of the day
How’s your mental health? Want to see how you’re doing? Take the Counseling Center's (hotlink to www.sa.utah.edu/counsel) anonymous online mental health screening for depression, anxiety, alcohol, and eating disorders.
—The Counseling Center
• Try the new U Fan Fone service...
and fan wallpaper
The U Fan Fone service is a tool to assist fans attending football games at Rice-Eccles Stadium who are being plagued by disruptive behavior, safety concerns, or suspicious activity. Use the U Fan Fone service: Text 953-7778 or call 587-7777.
And get the latest wallpaper (hotlink to www.utahutes.com/fans) of your favorite Utah teams along with ring tones, music videos, and pre-game fan information.
• U Arena capacities
| Eccles Tennis Center | 1,500 |
| Fort Douglas Theatre | 260 |
| Huntsman Center | 15,000 |
| Kingsbury Hall | 1,913 |
| Libby Gardner Concert Hall | 680 |
| Marriott Center for Dance | 333 |
| Rice-Eccles Stadium | 45,634 |
| Pioneer Memorial Theatre | 900 |
| Olpin Union Ballroom | 1,000 |
| UMFA Dumke Auditorium | 260 |
| Natatorium | 1,000 |
• Employee Day Roundup
The fifth annual Employee Appreciation Day was another success. Over 4,000 employees attended. Some tried their hand at mechanical calf roping and others had their future read by tarot card and palm readers. Mark your calendar for Employee Appreciation Day 2009 on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, and enjoy the photos online.
FYI Mystery Photo Contest
FYI Mystery Photo
Where is this on campus? Send your answer (be specific) to FYI@ucomm.utah.edu by noon on Friday, Oct. 10 for a chance to win two tickets to the Utah football game against Colorado State on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 12 p.m., courtesy of Utah Athletics. A pair of tickets will be given to three winners to be randomly selected from the pool of those submitting the correct answer. Their names will be listed in the Oct. 22 FYI News.
Thanks to Utah Athletics for providing the prize!
Note: This contest is open to U of U faculty and staff only.
Last issue’s FYI Mystery Photo Contest answer
The Sept. 24 FYI Mystery Photo shows the gazebo near Stilwell Field at Fort Douglas. Congratulations to to Deepa Mishra, Nathan Coombs, and Lynn Higgs, winners of the Sept. 24 contest! They were randomly selected from a pool of 124 contestants who sent in the correct answer. They each received two tickets to the Homecoming game against Weber State. (We won!) Thanks to Utah Athletics for donating the passes. And thanks to everyone who participated in the contest. We invite you to try your luck with each issue this fall. |
Sustainability Tip
Since the U’s behavioral energy saving program began in July 2003 the U has saved the CO2 emissions from the electricity use of 7,488 homes for one year. It is a common misconception that turning down the heat at night doesn’t save any energy because you just have to warm it up again. The truth is that it takes less energy to warm up a cold building in the morning than it does to maintain a constant temperature throughout the day. Having the thermostats set back when buildings are unoccupied will save energy here at the U.
For questions, suggestions, or comments contact Bianca Shama (hotlink to Bianca.shama@fm.utah.edu) or call 585-1171.
