Weekly Bulletin

Healthy older adults needed for Exercise Science study

The Exercise Science department is looking for healthy males (60-75 years) who are willing to take an active interest in helping to advance our knowledge in the area of antioxidant supplementation and its possible benefits in maintaining quality of life during periods of injury, illness or disuse.

Participation involves two weeks of non-dominant hand immobilization in a plaster cast. Participants will be compensated $150. If interested, contact Maria at 5-4959 or by e-mail (murso@excsci.umass.edu).

Support group for lesbians

"Lesbian Connection: Pathways to Healthy Relationships," an eight-session educational and support group for lesbians who wish to improve their intimate relationships, will begin on the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 20 at the Everywoman's Center in Wilder Hall.

The group is free and open to lesbians from the Five Colleges and surrounding community. For more information and to register, call 7-0077.

Blood drives

The American Red Cross is conducting blood drives on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 19-20, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in 174 Lincoln Campus Center.

Faculty candidate presents Medical School seminar

Rick Russell of Stanford University's biochemistry department and a faculty candidate at the Medical School will present a special seminar on "Folding of Large RNAs: Toward a General Model" on Thursday, Feb. 21 at noon in the 8th floor conference room in the Lazare Research Building of the Worcester campus.

Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology seminar

Peter Walter, chairman of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco, speaks on "How the ER Talks to the Nucleus" on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at noon in S1-608 Hiatt Auditorium, Goff Learning Center at the Worcester campus.

Nursing faculty candidate to speak Feb. 15

Juliette Shellman, a candidate for a faculty appointment in the School of Nursing, gives a public presentation on "Providing Culturally Sensitive Care to Elders through Reminiscence: Understanding Life Experiences of African-American Elders" on Friday, Feb. 15, 9-10 a.m. in 321 Arnold House.

Shellman, who is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Connecticut, also holds R.N., C.S. and M.S. degrees.

This presentation is open to the campus community.

Subjects wanted for driving simulation

The Human Performance Lab is seeking subjects for a driving simulation experiment.

Participants will be paid $10 for the experiment, which takes about a half-hour. Volunteers should be 60 years or older with a driver's license, 20-25 with a driver's license, or 16 years old with a learner's permit or driver's license.

The lab is located in a white trailer at the west end of Marston Hall.
To schedule a slot, call 5-3393 or 549-1809.

Presidents' Day

Presidents' Day will be observed as a state holiday on Monday, Feb. 18. Most University offices will be closed.

Early payroll deadline

Due to the observance of the President's Day holiday on Monday, Feb. 18, all departments should submit Weekly Time and Attendance Reports and student and non-student payroll by noon on Friday, Feb. 15.

Monday class schedule

A Monday class schedule will be followed on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Special Sports Luncheon for school vacation

The Sports Luncheon committee has planned a family event on Wednesday, Feb. 20 for school vacation week. The special guest speaker will be John Doleva, director of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Men's and women's track coaches Ken O'Brien and Julie LaFreniere will also be on hand to discuss their seasons and take questions. Hall of Fame T-shirts and passes will be raffled.

The event takes place at noon in 1009 Lincoln Campus Center.

The buffet lunch is $6.50 for adults and $4.50 for children 14 and under. Call 5-4289 for reservations.

Distinguished Faculty Lecture nominations

Nominations are invited for the 2002-03 Distinguished Faculty Lecture Series.

For more than 25 years, the University has recognized distinguished faculty achievements through the lecture series.

The lecturers are selected by a faculty committee. Because only four lecturers are chosen from what is usually a large pool of nominations, re-nomination of previous candidates as well as new nominations are welcome.

Nominations should reflect the principal criteria applied by the faculty selection committee:

The significance of the candidate's achievements while a member of this University community.

The candidate's ability to address a broad academic audience. Some suggestions of a probable lecture topic would be helpful to the selection committee.

In recognition that teaching, too, is scholarly work, the committee encourages the nomination of a candidate who can offer a lecture that advances knowledge about teaching and student learning in the academic disciplines. Lectures on the scholarship of teaching should be aimed at deepening and broadening the foundation of teaching practice at the university level.

In addition to applying these criteria, the committee will also consider whether the candidate's department has been represented in past lecture series, whether women and minority faculty are fairly represented, and whether the candidate is nearing retirement and thereby will become ineligible for future lecture series.

When nominating a candidate, be sure to include a copy of the candi-date's curriculum vitae. All nominations should be returned to Jaclyn Bowdren in the Provost's Office, 362 Whitmore, by Monday, Feb. 25. For more information, call Bowdren at 5-2554.

All-faculty assembly

A special faculty assembly, convened by the Faculty Senate and Massachusetts Society of Professors, will be held Thursday, Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. Topics for discussion include the decline in faculty numbers, the closing of campus services, such as University Child Care and the Foreign Language Resource Center, campus planning, the FY03 budget, lobbying efforts, and the state of contract funding.

Nominations open for USA posts and delegates

The elections board of the University Staff Association is inviting nominations for stewards, parliamentarian and three member-at-large slots.

Nominations are also being accepted for delegates to the Massachusetts Teachers Association annual meeting in Boston May 17-18 and the National Education Association representative assembly in Dallas in July. Approximately 21 representatives will be sent to the MTA meeting, while seven are needed for the NEA conference.

Nominations may be made orally, in writing or via e-mail to Jane Litwin Taylor, USA office manager, at 5-0165 (usa@external.umass.edu) or David Litterer, elections board chair, at 5-4503 (litterer@admin.umass.edu).

Nominations may be made by any USA member in good standing and members may nominate more than one candidate. Self-nominations are also allowed.
The deadline to submit nominations is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Voting is scheduled for Thursday, March 7, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom or 304 University Health Services.

State sponsors thermometer exchange

In an effort to limit mercury use and accidental contamination, the state Department of Environmental Affairs is sponsoring a thermometer exchange through Feb. 23.

Under the program, mercury thermometers may be traded for free digital thermometers at participating pharmacies. Locally, thermometers can be exchanged at the Stop & Shop pharmacy on Route 9 in Hadley.

Thermometers should be brought to the exchange site in their original plastic cases or wrapped in two sealed plastic bags to prevent accidental breakage.
According to state officials, mercury is a hazardous substance that is more toxic than lead or arsenic and accidental exposure to mercury can pose a significant risk.

More information is available online (www.stopmercury.com) or by calling 866-9MERCURY.