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April 4, 2007

Going, Going, Gone...
Conference will address endangered languages and cultures of Native America.

The Americas are home to about 180 language families—half of those recognized in the world. Several whole language families have become extinct as all their member languages have disappeared—others will soon follow.

~Lyle Campbell, Director
Center for American Indian Languages

The Center for American Indian Languages (CAIL) will host its third annual international conference on endangered languages and cultures of Native America. Dozens of presenters from across the country and beyond will cover topics from “The Role of the Language Activist in Documentation and Revitalization,” to “Protecting Indigenous Knowledge in Digital Times,” to the more arcane, “Tsimshian Language Renewal.” Keynote speakers include Christine Sims, University of New Mexico and Acoma Pueblo; and noted American Indian linguistic scholar Marianne Mithun, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Participants are coming from around the world, including several tribal groups. “The Santa Fe Indian School will bring nearly 30 people who are all involved in learning their pueblo languages,” says Lyle Campbell, CAIL director, “and a delegation of Shoshone elders is coming from Duck Valley, Nevada. Beverly Crum, scholar and Shosone elder, is leading one of the discussion groups,” he adds.

The conference is co-sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and will be held at the Peterson Heritage Center. For more information, visit www.cail.utah.edu and select CELCNA, or call 587-0720.

More about CAIL
Working to revitalize endangered linguistics and cultures, CAIL produces grammars, dictionaries, and texts to represent each researched language in its many uses; and trains students to address the needs involving these languages, their communities of speakers, and the cultural heritage they represent. Currently, CAIL is working on three research projects—preserving and enhancing accessibility of Goshute/Shoshoni materials; completing documentation of the endangered languages of Xinkan, Pipil, and Mocho; and documenting the Chorote, Nivacle and Kadiweu languages which are the three least known and most endangered languages of the Chaco culture.

Wade Davis joins CAIL faculty
Noted anthropologist, botanical explorer, and best-selling author Wade Davis has accepted a Visiting Scholar appointment with CAIL and the Environmental Humanities graduate program. Davis received his Ph.D. in ethnobotany from Harvard University and spent more than three years in the Amazon and Andes as a plant explorer, living among 15 indigenous groups in eight Latin American nations while making some 6,000 botanical collections. Davis presented the U’s Lyceum II Lecture in 2006 which is available to download at www.utah.edu/podcast. For more information on his appointment, visit www.cail.utah.edu.


New Coach for U Basketball

Known for his humor, commitment, and ability to hold people accountable, 41-year-old Jim Boylen is taking over as head coach of Utah Basketball. He comes to Utah after spending the past two years as assistant coach at Michigan State. (The team went to the NCAA tournament both seasons.) His five-year contract at the U will pay him $575,000 per year. Expressing his enthusiastic nature, Boylen says he was “born for this job” and would consider himself a failure if Utah doesn’t win the Mountain West Conference championship for the next 20 years. He also says his players will graduate.

“We’re here for the long haul,” says Boylen. He and his wife Christine have two young daughters. “You have to dream it before you can live it, and we’re going to dream it here.” For more details read the press release.

We welcome the Boylens to Utah.


Bryson Morgan Captures Coveted Truman Scholarship

U of U student Bryson Morgan got some exciting news in late March when he was named by Secretary Madeleine K. Albright, president of the Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation, as a 2007 Truman Scholar. He is one of 65 scholars selected from among 585 candidates and will receive a $30,000 scholarship for graduate study, priority admission to a premier graduate institution; and special fellowship opportunities within the federal government—all to prepare him for a career in public service.

At the U, Morgan is studying political science and economics and has worked at the Hinckley Institute of Politics for three years. An interview with Morgan is available on the U’s podcast site at www.utah.edu/podcast. You can listen from your computer or download to your IPod or MP3 player.

The Truman Scholarship Foundation was established by Congress in 1975 as the federal memorial to the thirty-third president. For more information on the Foundation and a listing of the 2007 Truman Scholars, see www.truman.gov.


FYI Mystery Photo Contest!
What is it? Where is it on campus?

Mystery Photo

Photo by Roger Tuttle

Send your answer (be specific!) to FYI@ucomm.utah.edu by noon on Thursday, Apr. 5 for a chance to win two tickets to Cirque Eloize Rain, playing April 13-14, courtesy of Kingsbury Hall.

The winner will be randomly selected from the pool of those submitting the correct answer. The winner will be listed in the April 18 FYI News.

Thanks to Kingsbury Hall for providing the prize!

This contest is open to U of U faculty and staff only.

 

Last Issues FYI Mystery Photo Contest Answer

Previous Mystery Photo

Previous Mystery Photo
Click on photo for
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The Mar. 21FYI Mystery Photo was of the west side of Orson Spencer Hall.

We received 60 correct answers and from those randomly chose the winner. Congratulations to Sue Young, winner of the March 21 FYI Mystery Photo contest. Sue has been with the U of U for eight months and is the advisor for the PMBA program in the David Eccles School of Business. There are over 300 students in the program and she works with them from the time they are admitted to the program to their graduation two years later. “We have great students and I have enjoyed getting to know them and all the wonderful people who work here,” she adds.

Sue wins one golf lesson and a free round of golf for two people courtesy of Outdoor Recreation Services. Many thanks to Outdoor Rec for providing the prize. And thanks to everyone who entered the contest!


Campus Master Plan Under Way
Making the Pieces Fit

In response to strategic business, education, and service initiatives, the U of U has initiated a comprehensive planning effort to develop a new campus master plan. The project will be driven by the vision expressed in President Young’s inaugural address when he spoke of “engagement, preparation, and partnership.” The master plan will guide efficient development to give physical form to the University’s mission, vision, and academic programs. It will provide an analysis of site locations for research and teaching facilities; broader campus land-use and landscape; formal and informal open space; and pedestrian and vehicular circulation. The analysis also will assess TRAX and public transportation, parking, predominant building use, utility infrastructure, land ownership, campus edges and community interaction, design features, and opportunities.

The master plan’s five phases include:
• Project start-up
• Discovery
• Development of campus concepts
• Plan alternatives
• Strategy refinement
• Documentation of the plan

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, (SOM) has been hired to assist in developing the master plan, which will be administered by the U’s Office of Facilities Planning. The plan will provide a clear vision to guide physical development of the campus over the next 20 years. It will supersede the 1997 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP); the 1998 East Campus Plan (ECP); and the 2003 LRDP Supplement.

There will be a number of opportunities for campus and community involvement and input during this anticipated one-year process. Information on this planning effort will soon be available online. For more information contact the Office of Facilities Planning at 585-6751.


“What’s the Rush?”
A look at the causes and effects of fast-paced lifestyles

Americans are experiencing ever-greater demands on their time, with serious consequences that come primarily from work schedules, but also from an increasing emphasis on convenience and the over-scheduling of children and adults. A free public fair at the City Library on Saturday April 14 will address the causes and effects of a fast-paced lifestyle on health, work, and family. Sponsored by the Honors Think Tank on Quality of Life, the fair, titled “What’s the Rush?” will run from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Panel discussions will address work and commuting (10:30-11:30), health and well-being (11:30-12:30), and education and family (3:30-4:30). John de Graff will deliver the keynote address, “America’s Time Famine,” at 1 p.m. followed by a screening of his video, Take Back Your Time: Fighting Overwork and Time Poverty in America. De Graaf is a producer at KCTS Public Television in Seattle. For more information visit www.pacefair.org.

A few stats...

• Only 28 percent of American families with children eat together seven nights a week (a 10 percent drop from three years earlier)

• Teens who eat five or six meals a week with their families are seven to 24 percent less likely to smoke cigarettes or marijuana, drink alcohol, get lower grades, or show signs of depression.

• Nearly one in five American workers spends more than 50 hours per week at work.

• Men who take regular vacations reduce their risk of having a heart attack by 30 percent.

• Women who take frequent vacations reduce the risk of death from heart disease.

• Nearly 26 percent of Americans never take a vacation from their work.

 


Know Your U: History 101

Cottam’s Gulch, located on the academic campus by the Stewart Building (formerly Stewart School), honors Walter P. Cottam, professor of botany at the U from 1931-1962. He was a significant force in the ecology of the West and his legacy transcends the gulch which carries his name. From the book, Why Hurry Through Heaven, a Biography-Memoir of Dr. Walter P. Cottam by Maxine Martz, Bertrand F. Harrison said “Long before most people had ever heard of the word ‘ecology,’ Dr. Cottam was calling us to repentance for overgrazing our range lands, for over-harvesting out timber, and for recklessly denuding farmlands, roadsides and mining properties. No one has been more effective in showing us the divine obligation of stewardship of our world; no one has given us greater appreciation of the beauty and fragility of our environment; no one has impressed us more with the urgency for its care.”

Walter Cottam died in 1988.

~Paul Mogren
Librarian


America at a Crossroads
New series on KUED Channel 7

A special series of 11 independently produced films, “America at a Crossroads,” comes to KUED six consecutive nights April 15-20 at 8:00 p.m. The documentaries explore the challenges confronting the world, including the war on terrorism; the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; the experience of American troops; the struggle for balance within the Islamic world and Muslim life in America; and perspectives on America’s role globally. Distinguished journalist Robert MacNeil hosts.

Combined with extensive outreach, KUED’s goal is to contribute to a dialogue about U.S. policies and priorities while providing riveting—and often disturbing — glimpses into some of the most important public policy issues of our times.

Episodes include “Jihad: The Men and Ideas Behind Al Qaeda,” “Warriors,” “Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience,” “Gangs of Iraq,” “The Case for War: In Defense of Freedom,” “Europe’s 9/11,” “Muslim Americans,” “Faith Without Fear,” “Struggle for the Soul of Islam: Inside Indonesia,” “Security Versus Liberty: The Other War,” and “The Brotherhood.”

KUED is hosting a free public forum Tuesday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m. at the City Library, in conjunction with the Hinckley Institute of Politics, the Middle East Center, and the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy. Panelists will include Ibrahim Karawan, director, Middle East Center; Peter von Sivers, University historian and political scientist; and U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman. Kirk Jowers, director, Hinckley Institute of Politics, will moderate. Other forums will be hosted at universities and colleges around the state. For more information contact Mary Dickson at 581-3263.


Upcoming on Campus

• Utah Conversation with Ted Capener
Sunday, April 8, 5:30 p.m., KUED Channel 7
Capener’s guest is Ali Hasnain, ASUU president in 2005-06.

• Behind the lines: Political cartooning in Utah with Pat Bagley
Hinckley Institute of Politics
Monday, April 9, 1:30 p.m., 255 OSH
Pat Bagley is the political cartoonist for The Salt Lake Tribune. His work has been published in TIME magazine, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, and more than 450 newspapers.

• Center on Aging to host scholars
Tuesday-Wednesday, April 10-11, Olpin Union Building, Saltair Room
The Center on Aging invites the public to a reception and poster presentation Tuesday, April 10, from 3:30-6:30 p.m. and a research retreat on April 11, 8:30 to noon, both in the Olpin Union Saltair Room. Robert and Rosalie Kane, scholars from the University of Minnesota and internationally known experts in long-term care policy issues and quality of life concerns for older adults will be featured presenters on Wednesday. Robert will speak on “Building a Health Care System that Adequately Addresses Chronic Disease” and Rosalie will speak on “Long Term Support Services for Old People Wherever They Live: The Quality-of-Life Connection.” To RSVP, call Anne Romney at 581-7554. For more information visit http://aging.utah.edu.

• Meet the SLC Mayoral Candidates
Hinckley Institute of Politics
Wednesday, April 11, 11 a.m., 255 OSH
Candidates Ralph Becker and Dave Buhler will share their views with host Doug Fabrizio on this live RadioWest Broadcast.

• Calling all cyclists
Wednesday, April 11, 2 p.m., Crimson View East (formerly Panorama East), Olpin Union Building
Do you cycle to and from campus? If so, you might want to consider joining the U’s bike committee. Plan to attend the next meeting. Commuter Services also invites your comments about cycling on campus. Visit www.parking.utah.edu and select the “TRAX, Bike, and Bus” link, then select “Bike to the U.” To see a PowerPoint presentation on proposed campus bike lanes and information on bike committee meetings, including agendas and minutes, select the “Committees” link.

• U Women’s Club to meet
Saturday, April 14, Salt Lake Country Club
The U’s Women’s Club will hold its spring scholarship lunch April 14 at 11:45 a.m. at the Salt Lake Country Club. Thirteen young women will receive U scholarships for the coming year, made possible by contributions from the club’s members. For more information call 581-6995.

• Antiques Roadshow: Salt Lake City
Monday, April 16, 7 p.m., KUED Channel 7
In this first of three programs from Salt Lake City, Roadshow experts see a mid-19th century archive of materials documenting the career of Phil Margetts, a prominent Utah actor, valued at $100,000 to $150,000. Two additional programs produced in Salt Lake City will air Monday nights at 7 p.m., April 23 and April 30. (The programs are repeated several times throughout the week.) For more information visit www.kued.org.


Bulletin Board

• We Will Never Forget
Holocaust Commemoration
The University of Utah will remember the millions of victims of the Holocaust during its 23rd annual Days of Remembrance commemoration in April. These events coincide with the national Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 25, and include a keynote address by Edward B. Westermann, titled, “Annihilation: The German Police & the Conduct of Genocide,” on Thursday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in room 103 of the James Fletcher Building (JFB). Westermann, who is a military historian at the United States Air Force Academy, will examine the organized culture of the German uniformed police that transformed them into a corps of political soldiers and enabled them to commit mass murder with impunity. He is the author of Hitler’s Police Battalions: Enforcing Racial War in the East.

Additional holocaust commemoration events include a workshop on April 11, from 1-5 p.m. in the Francis A. Madsen Building Green Auditorium; the state observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 13 at noon at the City Library, and a screening of the film, Yanush Korchak, on April 15 at 4:30 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center (2 North Medical Drive). Posters and yellow cloth remembrance stars are available from the Office of the Associate Vice President for Diversity, 204 Park Building.

All events (except the workshop taken for credit) are free and open to the public. For a complete schedule or more information, see the Diversity Web site, or call the Office for Diversity at 581-7569.

• Just what is space planning at the U?
Did you know that there are 298 buildings on campus containing nearly 10 million square feet of space? The Office of Space Planning & Management is charged with tracking all university physical spaces and is responsible for negotiating space assignments, room numbering, and building numbers, names, and abbreviations. Retiring director Regina Schaub has spent the last 33 years becoming intimately acquainted with every nook and cranny on campus. “It’s been three decades of huge challenges, great relationships within the university community, and many wonderful memories,” she says. Bruce Gillars, current director of space planning for Health Sciences, will take over for Schaub starting May 4.

• An inside view…
Half-day Insider Tours of campus are now being offered to alumni, donors, and community members, providing them an opportunity to experience the vast array of educational, research, and service opportunities offered at the U. Participants spend the morning observing classes or visiting research labs. So far, Insider Tours have focused on engineering, business and entrepreneurship; medical research and student life; health sciences; and natural sciences.

A recent fine arts tour showcased the exhibit at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, “Utah’s Past Revisited;” Simmons Pioneer Theatre for a behind-the-scenes look at the complexities of producing a theatrical show; a modern dance class with a demonstration on the choreographic process; and a rehearsal for the jazz ensemble class in preparation for its upcoming concert at Gardner Hall. Tours will be held April 11 (research and science) and April 17 (all around the U). To schedule a visit for your program or college, register your site, or suggest participants, contact Nancy Lyon with Institutional Advancement at 587-7684 or nancy.lyon@utah.edu.

• Time to Update Your Qwest Dex White Pages Listings
The deadline to submit changes for the Qwest Dex 2007-2008 Salt Lake City White Pages is April 30. University Health Care listings begin on page 222 and U of U listings are on page 224 in the business section of the 2006-2007 White Pages. Qwest has increased charges for each listing. Instead of $2.10 a month the charge is now $3.00. All changes should be made online at www.it.utah.edu/services/phones/qwestdex.html. If you have no changes, there is no need to submit the form. The Dex media representative will contact departments directly about current Yellow Pages listings. If you wish to advertise in the Yellow Pages, contact Beckie Penman at 284-5055 or Beckie.penman@dexmedia.com. For more information on U of U listings contact Robin Horton at 585-7205. For University Health Care listings contact Allyson Tanner at 581-3879.

• Summer Camp for kids 5-8 years old
Open enrollment begins April 16
“Explore the World One Habitat at a Time” with the Early Childhood Education Center Summer Camp, June 4-Aug. 17 at U Student Apartments. Experienced staff will lead activities and field trips. Lunch and snacks will be provided. For more information call 581-8058 or visit www.apartments.utah.edu.

• Discount tickets at the Campus Store
Discounted REAL Salt Lake tickets are available at the Campus Store: $12 for bleacher seats; $20 for chair back seats. For more information call 581-8108.


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