Weekly Bulletin

UCard Office to sell departmental cards

The selling of Departmental UCards will move to the UCard Office from Printing Services, effective with the start of the Spring semester. Departments will be able to purchase Guest UCards that can be used only for making photocopies; they also may add value to their existing Guest Cards through the UCard Office.

The UCard Office is open 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Monday - Friday) and is located on the campus side of Franklin Dining Hall. For further information, call 5-0197.

Kaffeepause

The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures is offering a Kaffeepause on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from noon to 2 p.m. in the fifth floor lobby of Herter Hall. All are welcome to join in German conversation and enjoy free coffee and snacks.

Spring tour schedule

The University Tour Service will conduct twice daily tours at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. throughout the semester, except for March Break (March 15-23).

The Tour Service will cease operation for the semester on Friday, May 23. No tours will be conducted Commencement weekend (May 24-25) or Memorial Day, May 26.

For questions regarding the spring semester tour schedule, call 5-4237. Questions regarding summer tours should be directed to the Admissions Office at 5-0222.

TIAA-CREF offers retirement information

TIAA-CREF is offering individual financial counseling sessions to University employees Wednesday, Feb. 19, and Thursday, Feb. 20, from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. in the Treasurer's Office, 100 Venture Way, 2nd Floor, Small Library. Sessions are available at the same place and time March 12 and 13.

Appointments may be scheduled on the TIAA-CREF Web site
(www.tiaa-cref.org/moc) or by calling Kathleen Maida at (800) 842-2004. Space is limited.

TIAA-CREF also will be offering two Financial Education Seminars from noon to
1 p.m. in 903 Lincoln Campus Center. The first, "Save on Taxes, Invest in SRAs," is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11. The second, "Reaching Your Financial Goals, is set for Tuesday, May 13.

UWN luncheon

Astronomy professor Judith Young will be the featured speaker at the Feb. 13 University Women's Network Luncheon. Young will speak on "Sunwheels for the 21st Century" at the noon gathering in 1009 Lincoln Campus Center.

The buffet luncheon of quiche, salad, vegetable, beverage and dessert is $7 for UWN members and $9 for nonmembers. Beverage and dessert only is $2.50. Brown baggers are welcome, but nonmembers will be charged $1.

RSVP by Thursday, Feb. 6 to Avis Fusek, Biology Dept, 221 Morrill South
(5-0902). Lunch cannot be purchased at the door.

Big Friday

Paychecks for the period of Jan. 12-25 will be issued on Friday, Jan. 31.

Sports Luncheon

The next Weekly Sports Luncheon is scheduled for noon on Wednesday, Feb. 5 in 1009 Lincoln Campus Center. Featured speakers will be Donna Heinel, academic advisor, who will describe Athletics' Life Skills Program, and baseball coach Mike Stone. The cost for the buffet luncheon is $6.50. For reservations, call 5-4289.

EWC Counseling Services

The following weekly groups are being offered by Everywoman's Center Counseling Services. The groups meet for six weeks and are free of charge and open to women from the Five College and surrounding community. Registration is required. Call 7-0077 to register and for more information.

"Express Yourself: A Constructive Approach to Anger for Women." Free yourself from destructive emotions and improve your relationships.

"Keepin' It Real With the One You Love: Pathways to Successful Relationships." Women of all sexual orientations are welcome.

"Coming Out: A Group for Lesbian and Bisexual Women." A safe space to explore the journey of coming out to yourself, family, friends and others.

Grants available for public service projects

Faculty and professional staff are invited to submit proposals for Public Service Endowment Grants for the 2003-04 academic year.

Created to encourage outreach and public service activities at each of the UMass campuses, the grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 are available for projects that address regional needs as defined by community leaders, such as the Pioneer Valley Plan for Progress.

To be considered, applicants must identify a collaborative partner organization in Franklin, Hampshire or Hampden counties. Proposals should be submitted to the Office of Industry Liaison and Economic Development, 406A Goodell by March 14. Forms, guidelines, and regional priorities are all online (www.umass.edu/oed/pseg.html).

For additional information, contact Michael Wright of the Office of Industry Liaison and Economic Development at 5-1334 or via e-mail (michael.wright@admin.umass.edu).

Blood drive

The Hampshire County Chapter of the American Red Cross will conduct a blood drive on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. in 174 Lincoln Campus Center.

Healthy women wanted to participate in nutrition study

Researchers in the Nutrition Department are looking for healthy postmenopausal women to participate in a study on the effects of dietary flaxseed consumption on hormone levels in blood and urine.

Participants must have undergone a natural menopause, and not have taken any hormones, including estrogen replacement therapy, for the past six months; be non-smokers and have no prior medical history of cancer, diabetes or bowel disease.

Qualified individuals need to plan on participating in the study for four months. Financial compensation will be provided.

Anyone interested in being part of the study should contact research manager Sara Sabelawski at 7-4298 or by e-mail (sara@nutrition.umass.edu).

Ecological Landscaping Winter Conference set

"Building Viable Habitats: Resources for the Ecological Landscape," the 10th annual winter conference on Ecological Landscaping will be held Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1 at the Holiday Inn in Boxborough.

This year's conference has been expanded to a two-day long series of workshops. Presented by University faculty, UMass Extension educators and green industry professionals, the workshops will provide information on lawn care, soil management, pest control, tree and shrub care, ecological design, weed management, and other topics.

The conference will be keynoted by Leslie Sauer of Andropogon Associates, who will discuss ecological landscape management, and Elaine Ingham, a national expert on the soil-food web, who will explain the complex soil system and ways to manage its health.

The conference will include an Eco-Marketplace which will feature more than 50 vendors of products and services related to ecological landscaping and conservation.

The program is co-sponsored by the Ecological Landscaping Association, UMass Extension and the New England Wild Flower Society.

Pre-registration rates are $125 for Friday only, $95 for Saturday only, or $185 for both days (Late Registration: $145, $110, $215 respectively). Discounts are available to businesses or organizations sending two or more people. The first registrant pays full price; additional registrants from the same organization pay: Friday only, $95; Saturday only, $75; both days, $165. All registrations must be received together. Discounts apply to early registration only.

Send checks payable to ELA to: ELA Conference, c/o NEWFS, 180 Hemenway Rd., Framingham MA 01701.

For more information, contact ELA's conference coordinator, Nancy Askin, at (978) 425-0101 or Kathleen Carroll, UMass Extension, at 5-0895 or via e-mail (kcarroll@umext.umass.edu).

Retirement dinner for Jim Coopee

A retirement dinner in honor of Personnel administrator Jim Coopee, will be held Thursday, Feb. 20 at The Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Coopee is retiring after 35 years of service.

The cost for the dinner is $30. Contact Cheryl Daggett (5-6106) or Peggy March (5-6129) for further information.

Community Service Fair

The Fall Community Service Fair will offer students volunteer and internship opportunities for the fall semester on Tuesday, Feb. 4., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.

Recruiters from more than 70 community agencies - many in the areas of human services, the environment, law/advocacy, government, and arts and culture - will be available to speak with students, as well as faculty who are interested in developing community service learning courses. The event is open also to University employees who are interested in volunteering or learning about local services.

Post-college service opportunities, such as the Peace Corps, also will be represented.

For more information about the Community Service Fair, Community Service Learning, or community service on campus, call 5-2015 or visit www.umass.edu/csl.

Community Tree Conference

The 2003 Community Tree Conference, "Preservation of New England's Vintage Trees," will be held Thursday, March 13 in Stockbridge Hall.

The one-day conference will introduce tree wardens, arborists, foresters, landscape architects and other land managers to some of the challenges and opportunities facing them in the preservation of vintage trees. Topics include financial evaluation of vintage trees; structural problems; pruning, bracing and cabling; soil amendments, mulches, and pest management options; and old growth forests.

All proceeds are used to support outreach and Extension activities in Arbori-culture and Community Forestry.

The conference is sponsored by UMass Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service's Northeast Center for Urban and Community Forestry. The co-chairs are David Bloniarz and H. Dennis P. Ryan.

The cost is $50, which includes a coffee break and parking pass. Send check payable to UMass to: Tree Conference, UMass Extension, French Hall, 230 Stockbridge Rd., Amherst, MA 01003. For registration information, contact Kathleen Carroll at 5-0895 or by e-mail (kcarroll@umext.umass.edu).
For program information, contact Dennis Ryan at 5-6626 or by e-mail (hdpryan@forwild.umass.edu).

A description of the program, registration form, and directions are available online (www.umassgreeninfo.org).