SPH News March 17, 2008
SPH News is a school-wide electronic newsletter distributed to SPH faculty and staff every other week during the school year. Please send news items to SPHNews@umn.edu.
From the Dean
A couple of weeks ago the University unveiled its latest tool in emergency preparedness: a Web site designed to alert students, staff, and faculty of dangerous situations instantly.
The site is the latest resource in an effort to ramp up U-wide preparedness efforts. Last fall, the U launched the TXT-U emergency notification system that sends alerts on emergencies and campus closings. More than 12,000 people have registered for the text-messaging service, which proved successful in December during a campus bomb threat. The U also recently established an emergency voice message line at 612-301-SAFE (612-301-7233).
As we know in public health, preparedness is essential to safety. As Assistant Vice President for Public Health, I serve on emergency preparedness groups for the Academic Health Center and the University. These latest preparedness efforts are part of a larger planning initiative that will continue to evolve and grow.
I encourage you to visit the new site at www.umn.edu/prepared. You can sign up for TXT-U, learn about preparing for emergencies, and find out what do to in various emergency scenarios.
--John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
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Faculty News
John Sirard recently provided expert testimony to the Minnesota Senate E-12 Education Budget Committee. Sirard has been working with the American Heart Association led coalition, Minnesota for Healthy Kids, to establish physical education curriculum standards and graduation requirements at the state level. His testimony was related to physical education, obesity, academic performance, and health.
Debra Olson has been named chair of the Public Health Training Center Leadership Council. Public Health Training Centers are partnerships between accredited schools of public health and related academic institutions and public health agencies and organizations. Public Health Training Centers were responsible for training 283,639 public health workers through the fiscal year 2004 and 93,278 in the most recent year. These totals represent public health workers from over 17 different public health disciplines.
Panama Global Connections is proud to announce a new global education symposium. The symposium is designed as a sampler for faculty as well as an opportunity to develop the tools needed to set up and teach a course in a global setting. The symposium will be offered twice this summer.
• Download more information (PDF)
• Download the application form (PDF)
The Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH) provides monthly highlights in its free E-newsletter.
• Learn more online
• Subscribe to the newsletter
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School News
Attend an open house and see the new home of the AHC Office of Clinical Research in room 202, 717 Delaware St. S.E. Attendees will get to meet members of the Office of Clinical Research, hear about the services offered, tour the state-of-the-art facilities and enjoy complimentary continental breakfast or lunch. Open house dates and times: April 1, Noon to 1 p.m.; April 8, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.; April 22, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.; or May 6, Noon to 1 p.m.
• More about the Office of Clinical Research
The deadline for nominations for the 2008 SPH P&A Excellence Award is Friday, April 11. The award was established to recognize members of the Academic Professional and Administrative (P&A) staff who have made distinguished contributions to the missions of the University of Minnesota and the School of Public Health. For questions contact Stefannie Anderson at stef@umn.edu or 6-1428. Send nominations to: Recognition, Awards and Honors Committee c/o Stefannie Anderson SPH Dean's Office, MMC 197, A302 Mayo Bldg.
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SPH Events & Courses
"Bladder Cancer--A Model Disease for Investigating Genetic and Environmental Effect," presented by Jian-Min Yuan, will be held Wednesday, March 26, 3:30 p.m., in 5-125 Moos Tower. A social tea will be held at 3 p.m. in A-434 Mayo. All are welcome.
• Learn more online or
call 4-4655
"The Impacts of the State Children's Health Insurance Program on Children Who Enroll: Findings from Ten States," will be the topic of discussion on Thursday, April 3 during a seminar presented by the Division of Health Policy and Management. The keynote speaker is Genevieve Kenney, principal research associate and health economist at the Urban Institute. The seminar, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in 3-100 Mayo.
• Learn more online or call
4-6151
CPHEO Announcements
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS): A Primer for Volunteers
• Access online module
Public Health Emergency Training (PHET) Series Contact Investigation Online Training and Skill Development Guide
• Access online module
Upcoming CPHEO Courses
8-Hour Hospital Decontamination will be held on Thursday, March 27.
Learn more/register online
Care of Mothers and Neonates during Disasters in Low-Resource Settings: 2008 Skill Building Workshop April 2-3.
• Learn more online
Incident Management Systems Awareness will be held on Thursday, April 3.
• Learn more online
NIOSH-Approved Spirometry Training will be held April 7-11.
• Learn more online
8-Hour Site Worker Refresher will be held on Tuesday, April 8.
• Learn more online
2008 MERET Tribal Preparedness Conference will be held on Thursday, April 17. Contact Ruth Rasmussen 6-4515 for more information.
Confined Space Entry and Retrieval will be held on Friday, April 18.
• Learn more online
24/40 Hour Emergency Response Training will be held April 21-25.
• Learn more online
Health Disparities Work Group Forum -- Mobilizing Communities of Color to Promote Healthy Living and Eating will be held on Thursday, April 24.
• Learn more online
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Other Events
March 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Medical Arms Race: Health Policy, Media Coverage and Public Relations
April 4 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Motherland Afghanistan film screening and reception with filmmaker Sedika Mojadidi
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Events on the AHC Web Site
Events on the SPH Web Site
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Last modified on Friday Mar 14, 2008