News

Downey joins Emergency Management staff

Thomas S. Downey Jr. has been named emergency management and business continuity coordinator at Environmental Health and Safety.
 
Downey most recently worked as a disaster recovery/business continuity manager for Plymouth Rock Assurance in Boston. From 2007-11, he was assistant vice president for global continuity services for State Street Corporations in Quincy. He also held several positions at Fidelity Investments, including contingency risk operations manager.
 
“The hiring of Tom Downey as emergency management and business continuity coordinator clearly demonstrates the continuing

MWPHE Professional Development Awards available

Massachusetts Women in Public Higher Education (MWPHE), a non-profit organization, is offering a Professional Development Award in the amount of $1,000.

Eligible applicants must be UMass Amherst woman employees and members of MWPHE, which is committed to strengthening the status of women as professionals. The organization will award a total of three Professional Development Awards in the amount of $1,000 each. Winners will be selected from the women employee applicants of each sector: university, sate university and community college.

Download the guidelines and an application at

Obituary: William Bramlage, professor emeritus of Plant and Soil Sciences

William Joseph (Bill) Bramlage, 75, professor emeritus of Plant and Soil Sciences, Jan. 6 in Roanoke, Va., from complications of a congenital form of muscular dystrophy.
 
Born in Dayton, Ohio, he attended Chaminade High School. He earned a B.S. from Ohio State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in horticulture from the University of Maryland.
 
He joined the faculty in 1964 as an assistant professor of Horticulture. He also taught in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture.

Sorcinelli leads student-centered learning institute in Saudi Arabia

Mary Deane Sorcinelli, associate provost for Faculty Development, director of the Center for Teaching and Faculty Development, and professor of Educational Policy, Research and Administration, last month led a four-day institute on student-centered learning for faculty at King Faisal University in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

She was invited by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education and King Faisal University's dean of faculty affairs.

NERCOMP workshop, 'Mobile unSIG: Roam If You Want To,' set for Feb. 11

The NorthEast Regional Computing Program (NERCOMP) workshop, "Mobile unSIG: Roam If You Want To," will be held Monday, Feb. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Campus Center.
 
This unSIG brings together all members of the higher education community interested in the impacts and evolution of mobile technology on campus. A rapidly evolving sector, mobile technology is challenging all members of the university community and the unSIG format allows for a day of discussion, collaboration, learning, exchange of ideas and best practices.

Local production of 'Fiddler on the Roof' coming to Bowker stage

Amherst Leisure Services is staging "Fiddler on the Roof" at Bowker Auditorium on Jan. 17-20 and 24-27.
 
Tickets are available at http://www.alsct.org/.

Showtimes are as follows:

Thursday, Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m. (general admission)
Friday, Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 20, 1 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m. (general admission)
Friday, Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 26, 1 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 27, 1 p.m.

Poster: fiddler_flyer.jpg

 

Doctoral oral exams for Jan. 22-25

The graduate dean invites all graduate faculty to attend the final oral examinations for the doctoral candidates scheduled as follows:
 
Jaime Hutchison, Ph.D., Physics. Thursday, Jan. 24, 1 p.m., 409 Hasbrouck. Dissertation: “The Effect of Vesicle Shape, Line Tension, and Lateral Tension on Membrane-Binding Proteins.” Anthony Dinsmore, chr.

James Carroll, Ph.D., Afro-American Studies. Friday, Jan. 25, 10 a.m., 601 Herter Hall. Dissertation: “Composing the African Atlantic: Sun Ra, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, and the Poetics of African Diasporic Composition.” Steve Tracy, chr.

Adam Kolek, Ph.D.,

Nominations sought for Chancellor's Citation Awards

The campus community is invited to submit nominations for the Chancellor's Citation Award, which recognizes outstanding work performance by University staff.

Members of the campus community may nominate any benefited exempt or non-exempt staff member who has demonstrated outstanding performance in helping the University achieve its goals and objectives.

Shabazz named faculty advisor to chancellor for diversity and excellence

Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy has appointed Amilcar Shabazz, professor of Afro-American Studies, to serve as his faculty advisor for diversity and excellence.
 
“Professor Shabazz has written and consulted extensively on issues of race and diversity,” said Subbaswamy. “We will benefit greatly from his scholarship and leadership experience on this campus and in his previous appointments, and I look forward to having his invaluable perspective on our work in this critical area.”
 
In his new role, Shabazz will serve on the Campus Leadership Council and be the chancellor’s representative to all

Chancellor looking forward to preparations for upcoming football season

Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said today he is looking forward with enthusiasm to preparations for the upcoming FBS football season.

“As the college football post-season concludes, the University of Massachusetts community is looking forward to preparing for a second season of competition in the Football Bowl Subdivision,” Subbaswamy said. “Having successfully concluded our transitional first season, the Minutemen look forward to their first bowl-eligible season at the FBS level next fall.

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