Professor John A. Jenkins has begun a three-month appointment from President Norihito Tambo as Visiting Foreign Professor to the Center for Research and Development in Higher Education, Hokkaido University. Professor Jenkins' assignment is to provide "experience and leadership" for President Tambo's University Task Force engaged in "multidimensional strategic planning for a flagship research university in the 21st Century." The Task Force is headed by Department of Chemistry Professor Ogasawara, Head of the Research Division of Higher Education. Professor Jenkins is Associate Director of the Fine Arts Center and Associate Chair for Academic Affairs in the Department of Music and Dance. He returns to UMass February 5.