SPH News Nov. 24, 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
If you ever needed proof of the level of global economic interdependence, the current economic “meltdown” surely brings it home. I saw it in India from where I just returned. Although Indian banks avoided the huge risk taking of the US financial system and are therefore in better shape, they can’t avoid the global ripples of a worldwide credit crunch. Certainly India is bracing for the inevitable impact on the corporate sector as demand for its products, parts and services declines. But the Indian attitude I heard expressed constantly is: this is serious, but we will get through it and be strong again if the world acts boldly, collectively and avoids the tactic of “every nation for itself.” The lead proponent of that message is India’s own Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, who is an economist and one of the few world leaders at the recent G-20 that actually had deeper insight into what is going on.
Public research universities like Minnesota don’t function on the same economic model as the business sector, but we are definitely affected. As the economy declines, tax and other revenue flowing into state coffers drops. The standing obligations we have as a state don’t disappear (health, education, public safety, and the rest) but the total amount available to fund them declines. “Discretionary” spending is hit very hard and therefore severely limits our ability as a state to invest in new initiatives that are not obligatory. In Minnesota, even though state funding of the University has been largely flat over the past 30 years, we cannot do without the half-billion dollars we receive regularly from the State Legislature. The University will assuredly see a cut in this Legislative session likely on the order of $100 million or so as we find out how badly state revenue will fall short to fund existing obligations.
Like the state, the University has standing obligations that will not go away. But similarly, we are in danger as an institution if those obligations consume all of our resources and virtually eliminate “discretionary” investment for mission-related growth and progress that we also owe Minnesotans. The challenge facing this University right now is truly using this time to re-examine and restructure the finances of administration, colleges, and schools where current revenue and expense models are not sustainable and where some are consuming state resources beyond their value to Minnesotans and the University community. The questions, answers and actions will not be easy and many will have major political consequences, too.
So what’s the University doing? At the moment, we have a hiring “pause” and are collectively taking a close look at the University’s “hit” from the economic downturn. We are using this as a time to assess our own financial health and prospects. The SPH is, I believe, in a better position than many colleges and schools in part because we have a more “diversified” portfolio of revenue streams (e.g., extramural research and tuition). Over the years the SPH has received much less state money proportionately than many colleges and schools higher on the University’s priority list. Nevertheless, we are affected too because we can’t do without the state money we receive to pay our bills, and to make important investments for growth. We, too, are using this time to assess our financial health and prospects.
Let’s be clear that even in tough times we will teach the courses, advise and examine students, write the grants, build our research programs, conduct our studies, and transform research and learning into impact on people’s lives here and around the world. Tough times make it even more important that we do what we are obliged to do with purpose, excellence, and the public good firmly in mind. Like Dr. Singh, I believe this is a serious time, but we will get through it collectively and continue to be strong.
—John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
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Faculty News
Debra Olson and Mary Jane Madden participated in the Fourth International Nursing Management conference in Antalya, Turkey, which was sponsored by Hacettepe University. Health professional leaders from more than 23 countries attended the October conference. Madden was a conference host and Olson was a panelist for “Nursing Leadership in a Digital World.” Olson also discussed "More than Magic: The Development of Curriculum for Bioterrorism and Emergency Readiness.”
Michael Osterholm, has been appointed to the Pandemics Global Agenda Council, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional, and industry agendas. Osterholm joins 13 international pandemic preparedness experts from academia, business, and government sectors who will collaborate to create a central, global authority on the issue.
The SPH Fall Semester Faculty Meeting and Faculty Voting Meeting will be held on Thursday, Dec. 11, in 3-100 Mayo. Refreshments will be served at 8:45 a.m. and the semester faculty meeting goes from 9 to 10:30 a.m. The professors with tenure voting meeting on promotion will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Parking will be validated for those who park in the Washington Avenue Ramp or East River Road Garage. Bring parking tickets to the meeting for validation. For more information contact Barb Cook at barbcook@umn.edu.
The 19th annual edition of American’s Health Rankings: A Call to Action for Individuals and Their Communities will be released Wednesday, Dec. 3. The rankings are released in partnership with United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association, and Partnership for Prevention. Faculty members are invited to attend an informational webinar to learn results and new offerings.
• Register for the webinar
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School News
Attend the All-School Winter Reception and be treated like the star that you are! Dean John Finnegan invites faculty, staff, and students to walk down the red carpet and join him at the 2008 All-School Winter Reception from 2:15 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11, at the Weisman Art Museum. Attendees will get the A-list treatment, including free food, drinks, and a gift. See your professors, classmates, and others participate in the SPH version of Hollywood Squares. Plus, everyone is eligible to win fabulous raffle prizes. Questions? Contact Nichole Axtman at 6-9303 or mart1047@umn.edu.
• Register online (requested, but not required)
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar will host a national summit on health care reform entitled “Prescription for Reform,” on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Featured speakers include Senator Klobuchar; Karen Davis, president, Commonwealth Fund; Denis Cortese, president and CEO, Mayo Clinic; Jack Wennberg, director of the Center for Evaluative and Clinical Sciences, Dartmouth Medical School; and former U.S. senator David Durenberger, founder and chair of the National Institute for Health Policy. The free summit will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Mayo Auditorium. All are welcome to attend.
Register by sending an e-mail to: healthsummit@klobuchar.senate.gov.
• More about the summit
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SPH Events
"Single-SNP Association Analysis in Genome-wide Association Studies" is the title of Xiang Li's Plan B presentation on Nov. 24, 2:30 p.m., in room A434 Mayo. Refreshments will be served prior to the presentation.
“Assessing, Managing and Communicating Environmental Risk: A Call to Action” will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium. Three panel discussions will describe Minnesota’s current institutions and processes for assessing and communicating environmental risk; explore various innovative approaches and perspectives on risk assessment and management; and, evaluate the challenges faced by public officials and the media in accurately communicating about environmental risks.
• Register online
• More about the Communicating Environmental Risk event
Some Old and New Tests of Disease Association with Multiple SNPs in Linkage Disequilibrium will be presented by Wei Pan, Division of Biostatistics, on Dec. 3, 3:30 p.m., in Moos Tower 5-125. A social tea will be held at 3 p.m. in A434 Mayo. All are welcome.
“The Impact of Public Reporting on Post-Acute Care” is the topic of Rachel Werner’s presentation on Thursday, Dec. 4. Werner is an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The SPH Division of Health Policy and Management seminar will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in 2-530 Moos Tower.
• Details about Werner’s presentation
The SPH Roundtable Series: Public Health 2050, "The Changing Face of Minnesota Communities Now through 2050: How Will Public Health Respond?" will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Dec. 4. Minnesota state demographer Tom Gillaspy is the keynote speaker for the event, which will be held in Coffman Memorial Union Theater. There will also be a panel discussion that includes Jocelyn Ancheta, Mitchell Davis, Katherine Fennelly, SPH Dean John Finnegan, Sean Kershaw, Yusef Mgeni, and SPH Associate Dean Debra Olson. The moderator is Edward Ehlinger, director and chief health officer of Boynton Health Service. The roundtable is free, but registration is requested.
• More about the roundtable. Questions? Call 6-4515.
Johannes (Hans) Brug is the keynote speaker for the Epidemiology and Community Health Division Seminar on Friday, Dec. 5. Brug is the director of the EXGO Institute for Trans and Extramural Health and Medical Research. He is also a professor of epidemiology at VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The seminar will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. in room 364 of the West Bank Office Building. For more information contact Carol Raichert at 5-1836.
For more events, go to the SPH Online Calendar
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CPHEO Announcements
Upcoming Courses
Introduction to Epidemiology: Online Module
This online training provides an overview of epidemiology, key terms, and examines the role of epidemiologists in public health practice.
• Access the module
Tools for Managing Volunteers During and After a Disaster
These tools were developed for Medical Reserve Corps coordinators, public health agencies or any organization that may deploy volunteers to assist during or after an emergency or disaster and can be adapted to meet your agency needs.
• Access tools online
Public Health Policy and Advocacy – Online Module
In this online module, learners will examine how policy becomes law and the "nuts and bolts" of advocacy that influence legislators.
• Access Module
8-Hour Emergency Response Refresher
Dec. 4
• View course description
8-Hour Hospital Decontamination
Dec. 11
• More about this training
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Other Events
Dec. 1, 7 p.m.
Allan Spear Forum sponsored by the Minnesota AIDS Project
Dec. 3, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Assessing, Managing and Communicating Environmental Risk: A Call to Action
Dec. 10, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
LifeScience Alley 7th annual Conference and Expo
For more events, go to the SPH Online Calendar
Subscribe to SPH calendar updates by e-mail
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Events on the AHC Web Site
Events on the SPH Web Site
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Last modified on Monday Nov 24, 2008