January 12, 2005

Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our lives begin to end the day we become
silent about things that matter.

Forty years ago last month, Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with civil rights. He inspired by word and example and awakened the conscience of people in America and around the world to the plight of those who are marginalized and oppressed by race, poverty, and station in life. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, King’s tireless promotion of social change through nonviolent action brought new dignity and celebration to the worth of the human being.

Injustice anywhere is a threat
to justice everywhere.

The University of Utah will honor King at its 2005 Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration throughout the month of January with special programs scheduled for Jan. 12-17. The keynote address, The Challenge for a Multiracial Democracy in America, will be presented by civil rights activist Carlos Muñoz Jr. on Thursday, Jan. 13 at noon in the Union Ballroom.

“Carlos Muñoz is one of the most distinguished Latino scholar activists in the nation,” says Karen Dace, associate vice president for diversity at the U of U and co-chair of the planning committee. “He is an internationally recognized leader in civil and human rights – the very arenas in which Dr. King so diligently fought,” she adds. Muñoz is a professor emeritus at U.C. Berkeley. His book, Youth, Identity, Power: The Chicano Movement, won the Gustavus Myers Book Award and was a major resource for the PBS series Chicano! History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement.

Additional campus events celebrating the life of Martin Luther King will include films and discussions; a performance by singer Ledisi, with her band Anibade (rhythm & blues and hip hop jazz); presentation of the annual youth leadership awards; and an exhibit on the history of human rights at the U of U. The University Bookstore will feature a display of books about King during January.

For complete event information on the U’s Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration activities, contact Leo Leckie at 581-7569 or leo.leckie@utah.edu, or check online at www.diversity.utah.edu/mlk2005.html.

Back to the Hill – Utah Legislature Begins Jan. 17
This is the first in a series of articles dealing with the 2005 legislative session. Thanks to Paul Brinkman, associate vice president for budget and planning for providing the information.

What is the University Requesting?
The University’s annual budget request to the Legislature is part of a unified budget request for the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE). The unified request is the end result of discussions that occur each fall among institutional presidents, regents, and the Commissioner of Higher Education and his or her staff.

Both the outgoing and the incoming governors have submitted budgets for the various state agencies. The legislature will consider these budgets in its deliberative process, which will include a series of hearings and discussions conducted by the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee. The Executive Appropriations Committee has considerable input into the process, and ultimately the full legislature votes on appropriations bills. The legislative analysts for higher education play an important role as well in helping to set the agenda and bringing data and recommendations to the table.

This year, the highest priority for the USHE and the U (for additional funding for the operating budget) is an increase in faculty and staff compensation (salaries plus benefits). In the main, the legislature’s decision regarding such an increase affects all state employees equally, so no percentage increase is requested specifically for the U. We will get what everyone else gets.

With respect to institution-specific issues, the U is requesting $1.53 million for operating and maintenance costs of new facilities (primarily for the Emma Eccles Jones Medical Research and Health Sciences Education buildings). The U is requesting $7.88 million for fuel and power costs which continue to escalate.

The USHE is requesting funding for a variety of special initiatives. If the requests are funded, the U would receive a share of the funding in accord with regents’ directives. The initiatives include one-time funding for software licensing, engineering, nursing, libraries, several student financial aid programs, and ADA accommodations. The initiatives also included requests for ongoing (or “base”) funding for nursing, engineering, the Utah Education Network, and student financial aid. The one-time funding requests for special initiatives total $4.8 million and the ongoing funding requests total $7.3 million. The USHE also is requesting $5 million for access and other institutional funding imbalances, one of which is unfunded enrollment growth. The U would benefit if this category were funded.

For the capital budget (new facilities or major renovations), the University’s highest priority is the renovation of the Marriott Library. Watch for a description of this project in next edition of FYI.

Meet the Faculty
A Man for the Times – Ibrahim Karawan

Ibrahim Karawan is a man with energy – and from spending some time with him for this interview, it’s clear that he’s going at full speed! After September 11, 2001, as director of the U’s Middle East Center, he was determined to find a way to help people understand the reasons behind the attacks. In less than three months, he had initiated a campus-wide lecture series on issues of Islam and the Middle East with an impressive list of presenters including ambassadors and international scholars. Now in its fourth year, the series continues its tradition of excellence. The first lecture is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 24 at 3 p.m. in the UMFA Dumke Auditorium. For a complete schedule, visit www.hum.utah.edu/mec/Lectures/2005lectures.html.

About the Man
Born in a small village in Egypt, Karawan attended the university in Cairo and received his graduate degrees from UCLA. In 1987, he was granted a tenure-track position in Middle Eastern studies at the University of Utah, the only such position in the country that year.

When he has time, Karawan likes to walk in the park near his home and exercise in the Field House on campus. He watches Arab television and reads political books and magazines like The Atlantic Monthly and spends a lot of time reading online publications from the Middle East. He loves Asian food, especially Thai, Japanese, Indian, Afghani – and Mexican. Although he has no pets, he confides that he wishes he had a cat.

FYI: How has 9/11 changed the way you view the world?

KARAWAN: September 11 increased my interest in studying international security issues. I had already been studying the proliferation and spread of nuclear weapons, but 9/11 was a strong reminder that the issue of terrorism is as important as the study of weapons of huge damage. September 11 proved that a small number of people could inflict horrendous damage in human life, political attitudes, and financial stability. Because a group is small does not mean it is insignificant.

FYI: What changes have you seen in your students since 9/11?

KARAWAN: Middle East studies are on the rise. Security studies classes are on the rise – international security. There is a stronger interest in studying American foreign policy, Middle East international relations – a growth of interest in studying Middle East languages.

FYI: How do you separate Islam from extremist Islam?

KARAWAN: I make a distinction between somebody being a Muslim and somebody being a militant. The Muslim is like my mother. Someone who lived Islam, prayed five times a day, fasted, and gave part of her income to the poor. But she never thought of establishing an Islamic state. Some want to live their religion. Some want to make religion the launching pad for attaining power. We should not have a problem with the second if they do it through peaceful political competition. But problematic things will happen if fear and violence are used to impose the choices of a particular group on the society and the state.

People should not equate Islam with violence because, like any religion, it is subject to a variety of interpretations. The Sufi are caring; they want to bring people closer together and promote ways to co-exist. Then there are others who are pursuing a strategy to seize power through violence and impose their choices on everyone else.

FYI: What do you hope to accomplish with the lecture series?

KARAWAN: After September 11, I thought we should help the community understand the reasons behind the attacks by providing diverse voices discussing different perspectives on issues of terrorism and problems of regional conflict. This year, we are planning to have a distinguished task force produce a set of policy recommendations based on these lectures, and then send them to Congress and the media to try to influence policy debates on this issue.

Last year, we did a live Webcast of the lectures. People from across the country as well as some from Europe called in with questions. Thousands of people accessed the program. In fact, Butros Butros Galli e-mailed from Paris saying he praises our work. This year, we will again do a live Webcast of all six lectures. By doing this, we are bringing these lectures to the attention of more people, demonstrating that the University of Utah can contribute in a significant way.

Ibrahim Karawan is an associate professor and teaches comparative politics and international relations of the Middle East, democratization, and religious movements in politics. You can reach him at ibrahim.karawan@poli-sci.utah.edu.

Lectures from past series have been transcribed and are available to download from www.hum.utah.edu/mec/Lectures/lectureguide.html.

Celebrate our Incredible Utah Utes – Fiesta Bowl Champs!

Have you had a chance to cheer our Fiesta-winning Utes? If not, you’ll have an opportunity on Saturday, Jan. 22 when the team is honored during the Utah/New Mexico basketball game in the Huntsman Center. There will be an opportunity to meet the football team prior to the game, which begins at 1 p.m., and some free tickets to the basketball game will be available through Clear Channel.

For more information, contact Remi Barron at 581-7295 or remi@ucomm.utah.edu, or visit http://www.utah.edu/unews/releases/05/jan/fiesta.html.

Presidential Inauguration Set

The formal inauguration of President Michael K. Young as the fourteenth president of the University of Utah will take place Friday, April 15. Celebratory events will be held that day and for several days prior. Everyone is encouraged to hold open Friday, April 15, so that all members of the University family can participate in this special ceremony. Additional information will be made available as the inauguration approaches.

The Rosenblatt Prize for Excellence
Call for Nominations

Nominations are due Jan. 21 for the 2005 Rosenblatt Prize, which honors excellence in teaching, research, and administrative efforts, collectively or individually, on behalf of the University of Utah. The donors’ generosity makes this prize one of the most remarkable in higher education. The $40,000 prize is presented annually at Commencement and is particularly well-suited for faculty who are nationally recognized scholars. The prize recipient is selected by the University president, based on recommendations from the Rosenblatt committee.

Nominations should include a letter of nomination with supporting discussion indicating the candidate’s accomplishments; a current curriculum vitae; a minimum of five but no more than 10 letters of reference, a majority coming from referees external to the U of U; and a brief description of the referees’ qualifications and relationship to the nominee.
For 2005, nominations made during and since 2001 will be carried forward. Re-nominations with additional information are invited. Send nominations to:
David S. Chapman, Committee Chair
2004 Rosenblatt Prize Committee
The Graduate School, 310 Park Building

Nominations Now Open

NOTE: The first three award nominations are due Jan. 12. The other nominations are due the end of January and the first part of February.

• Hatch Prize Teaching Awards
The Calvin S. and Jeneal N. Hatch Prize in Teaching is awarded annually to recognize outstanding teachers and to “make a contribution to teaching, the dissemination of knowledge, and to improve our ability to communicate with each other.” Nominations are due Jan. 12.

• John R. Park Teaching Fellowship
The Park Fellowship is awarded to faculty who will undertake one semester of study at a site outside Utah in order to enhance and enrich the teaching art. Nominations are due Jan. 12.

• The Early Career Teaching Award
This award recognizes distinction in teaching by outstanding faculty at an early stage in their careers at the U, development of new methods, and curricular innovation resulting in increased learning by students. Nominations are due Jan. 12.

For more information on the three preceding awards, contact Ginnie Fox at 581-8661.

• Young Alumni Par Excellence Award
The Young Alumni Par Excellence Award pays tribute to a young alumna/alumnus who is making outstanding contributions to the community, the University, and/or her/his profession. The honoree must have attended the U within the last 15 years. The award will be presented at a banquet on April 21. Nomination forms are available at www.alumni.utah.edu/association and are due Jan. 21.
For more information, contact Nanette Richard at
581-3708 or nrichard@alumni.utah.edu.

• Faculty Community Service Award
• Adjunct Faculty Award
• Perlman Awards for Counseling Excellence
The Alumni Association is searching for outstanding candidates for the Faculty Community Service Award, Adjunct Faculty Award, and two Perlman Awards for Excellence in Student Counseling (faculty and staff). The awards will be presented at a banquet in their honor on April 21. Each recipient will receive a $500 stipend. Members of the U community are encouraged to nominate a faculty or staff member who fits the criteria. Application deadline is Friday, Feb. 4. For online nomination forms, visit www.alumni.utah.edu.

For more information, call Tricia at 585-9012.

Faculty: Encourage Your Students to Apply

• Scholar of Promise Awards
• Local and National Graduate Fellowships
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society will give Scholar of Promise awards of $1,500 to several local U undergraduates for study during fall semester 2005. Candidates from all majors must have completed at least 30 credit hours and have achieved an overall GPA of 3.5 or better.

In addition, a local Graduate Fellowship of $1,500 will be awarded to an outstanding graduating senior for full-time graduate study at any university beginning fall 2005. The successful candidate will be the U chapter’s nominee in the national competition for one of 60 national graduate fellowships of $5,000 each and 40 Awards of Excellence of $2,000 that will be awarded for the 2005-2006 academic year. Applicants need not be a member of Phi Kappa Phi. Applications are available at www.sa.utah.edu/phikappa/ and are due Feb. 1. For more information, contact Lori McDonald at lmcdonald@sa.utah.edu or 581-8061.

New Crimson Commons Opens in the Union
By Frank Chacon, Assistant Director, Olpin Union

The construction project on the first level of the Union Building was completed Jan 10, just in time for the first day of classes. The name for the new recreation space is ‘Crimson Commons,’ highlighting the U of U’s color and designating the space as a common gathering spot for the University community. Accented with vibrant colors, the renovated space includes updated bowling and billiards facilities, a student lounge, and restrooms. Expanded vending options include food and beverages, sundries, DVD rental, music ATM, arcade games, and Local Area Network Computer gaming consoles. Also new is the CampusLink interactive information station, which provides communication tools like telephones, computers, and TVs.

The grand opening will be Wednesday, Jan. 19. A ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. will feature President Young and other special guests. Celebration activities will include a billiards trick shot show at noon, live music, free billiards all day, bowling specials, and refreshments. The event is free and open to the public.

In addition to the new Crimson Commons, the University of Utah Pharmacy will open a branch store in the Union in early March. For more information, contact Frank Chacon at 585-0630.

U of U’s Annual Facilities Meeting is Jan. 26

The U of U will present its annual public planning meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 5 p.m. in room 241 of the Randall V. Turpin University Services Building located at 1795 E. South Campus Drive (directly west of the Huntsman Center). The meeting usually lasts an hour and a half and free parking is available in the lot in front (directly south) of the building. This annual meeting is held in compliance with the U of U’s Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM 1-6) and offers those attending a review of all current and proposed campus building plans. For more information, contact Coralie Alder at 581-5180 or coralie@ucomm.utah.edu.

Are You Keeping Adequate Records on Departmental Equipment?

All departments are responsible for maintaining records of U of U equipment costing between $1,000 and $5,000 for insurance purposes in the case of theft, loss, or damage. The property accounting department maintains centralized records of items costing over $5,000.

To substantiate a claim, insurance carriers require specific information. A simple, accurate inventory method is to use electronic or written records that are maintained off-site or in a secure area that include specific equipment information (make, serial, and model numbers) and purchasing documentation (date, vendor, method of payment, and/or purchase order or check request number). You may want to take digital photos of the equipment.

If the loss takes place off-campus, departments will be required to verify that off-campus use of the equipment was authorized. An off-campus authorization form, which has been completed prior to a loss, will serve that purpose. The form may be downloaded at www.utah.edu/property.

For questions regarding equipment insurance, visit www.utah.edu/risk_management or call 581-5590.

Mental Health Tip – Coping with Stress

Learn to plan: Disorganization can lead to stress and having too much on our plates can feel overwhelming. When possible, take projects one at a time and work on them until they are completed. Carve big tasks into smaller tasks. Prioritize work to be done and celebrate your accomplishments.

~Courtesy of the U of U Counseling Center
581-6826
www.sa.utah.edu/counsel

Intramural Sports Deadlines Approaching

Faculty and staff with Campus Recreation and Sports membership are eligible to participate in intramural sports. The new semester will include 6x6 volleyball, 5x5 basketball, 4x4 indoor soccer, tennis and racquetball leagues, and a cross country ski race held at Mountain Dell Golf Course. Deadline for the first session is Jan. 19. Register in person at HPER East 214 or online at www.utah.edu/campusrec. For more information, call 581-3797.

Spring Fitness Classes Now Available

• Peak Academy
Registration for faculty and staff spring semester fitness classes at PEAK Academy is now open. Classes offered include aquatone, circuit training, indoor cycling, Pilates, martial arts, total body fitness, triathlon training, walking for fitness, weight training, and yoga. The classes are inexpensive, fun, and open to participants of all experience and fitness levels. For more information, call 585-7325 or visit www.uuhsc.utah.edu/peak.

• Campus Recreation Services
Registration for spring semester fitness classes offered by Campus Recreation Services begins Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 3 p.m. in the Field House. Classes begin the week of Jan. 31. The fitness program is for U of U students and Campus Recreation Services members. For more information, call 581-8898, visit www.utah.edu/campusrec, or stop by the Field House.

Bookstore News

• In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., the bookstore will accept donations of dictionaries for the West High Literacy Center during the month of January. Those who donate will receive a 20 percent-off coupon for a general book purchase. A donation drop-box will be located in the store. The bookstore will also feature a display of books about King during January. For more information, contact DeeAnn Garcia at 581-6326.

• 2004 tax forms are now available outside the post office door inside the south entrance of the bookstore.

• Political cartoonist and author Pat Bagley will be in the bookstore Tuesday, Jan. 18 from noon to 2 p.m. to sign his latest book, 101 Ways to Survive Four More Years of George Bush.

Learn More about the MPA Program

The Center for Public Policy and Administration will sponsor an open house for U of U staff who are interested in learning about, or applying for the executive or traditional (evening) Master of Public Administration Program.

Join MPA students, faculty, and staff in room 216 Orson Spencer Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 19 between 4-6 p.m. for information and light refreshments. If you have questions but are unable to attend, contact Jackie Grant at 585-7985 or jackie.grant@cppa.utah.edu.

Leadership Program
Call for Applications

Applications for the 2005 Staff Optimizing Abilities and Resources (SOAR) program are now available. This new, free program, sponsored by the Division of Human Resources, is designed to provide leadership development for mid-career staff utilizing the experience of senior administrators and facilitators from across campus. Participants will explore career goals and contemporary challenges in higher education, and network with others while earning certification in leadership development. Supervisors are encouraged to nominate employees; self nominations are also acceptable. Nominations are due Jan. 13. Visit www.hr.utah.edu/forms/lib/SOAR.pdf for an application. For more information, contact Terri Crow at 585-0928 or terri.crow@hsc.utah.edu.

Learn About Research and Sponsored Projects – Free

The Office of Sponsored Projects, in cooperation with the Center for Teaching & Learning Excellence, will present a workshop, Introduction to Research and Sponsored Projects, on Wednesday, Jan. 19 at the Sterling Sill Center from 2 to 4 p.m. Information will include:
• An overview of sponsored activities
• Identifying funding opportunities
• Proposal development and submission
• Award Administration
• Legal issues and export control
• Regulatory compliance

This workshop will be beneficial to faculty and researchers who are new to the U of U, however all faculty are invited to attend. There is no charge to attend, but please RSVP by Friday, Jan. 14 to Terri Pianka at terri.pianka@hsc.utah.edu or 585-5707.

Purchasing Card Conference Reminder

The second purchasing card conference for cardholders, re-allocators, supervisors, and managers will be held Tuesday Feb. 8. For more information, send e-mail to pcard@purchasing.utah.edu or visit www.purchasing.utah.edu.

Seeking Study Participants

The Department of Psychology is currently seeking participants for an IRB-approved study investigating how relationships influence physiology. Healthy couples between ages 18 and 50 who have been living together for at least nine months are eligible. Participation involves coming to campus for two lab sessions (a total of four hours) where partners will interact while cardiovascular and blood samples are taken. Compensation will be provided. For more information, contact Rebecca at 585-5548 or rebecca.campo@psych.utah.edu.

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