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   November, 2009

   "The only way you can tell the difference between disaster and opportunity is to decide to make an opportunity out of every event."                                                            - John T. Unger
 

EpiCH Winter Recognition Event
When: Friday, December 18, 2:00-4:30pm
Where: WBOB
The plans are coming together for what is sure to be an EXTRAORDINARY event.  Faculty, Staff and Students are invited to join together for a winter recognition of all our work,
energy and accomplishments of the past year. There will be socializing, games, delicious food, a Division gift for all, and drawings for fabulous prizes! Bring a donation for either Martha's Closet or Reuben Lindh Family Service and receive an additional chance to win in the drawing!

• Watch your e-mail and this newsletter for more information!
  
  
• Donations for the drawing - Contact Denise Henderson if interested in donating an item, (i.e., arts and crafts, jewelry, culinary specialties, special outings, event tickets, etc.). Last year's donations were exceptional (thank you again to those who donated!), we hope our talented community will be as generous this year.
  
  
• Decorations - Recycle your decorations or lights and help make the event festive! Contact Joan Portel.

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New Policy: Use of Personal (non-UMN) Computers in EpiCH
In order to comply with University and AHC policy, and to ensure the security of all electronic data, the Division has estabilshed a new policy regarding the use of personal (non-UMN) computers when working with University data.
 • Read more about EpiCH's policy

Good Job!
Henry Blackburn addressed an international scientific congress in Pioppi, Salerno, Italy on Sept. 24-27. He discussed SPH emeritus professor Ancel Keys and Margaret Keys’s work exploring the benefits of a traditional Mediterranean diet. During the proceedings, Keys’s daughter, Carrie Keys D’Andrea dedicated a state-sponsored Hotelerie and Culinary School newly named for her father.

Jamie Stang was awarded $199,988 from the Association of Schools of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control for the project “Prevention of Gestational Diabetes in American Indian Women.”

Kelvin Choi, Katarina Maria Grande, and Jessie Pintor are recipients of the SPH American Public Health Association (APHA) travel scholarship to attend the APHA’s annual meeting this November in Philadelphia.

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Slides from the National Children's Study Speakers' Series
Slides and audio from presentation "All in the Family: Fetal Effects of Maternal Overweight and Obesity" that took place at the Wilder Center in St. Paul on September 9, 2009, are now available online.
  •  The link is: cpheo.umn.edu/allinthefamily/index.html

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Green Tips
Each year Americans throw away approximately 4 million tons of office paper. That's enough to build a 12 foot wall from New York City to Los Angeles. Challenge yourself and your co-workers to do just a little more towards recycling.
    1. Print only when necessary
    2. Print on both sides of the paper
    3. Use e-mail, rather than snail mail, when appropriate
This will save not only trees, but water and oil as well. Recycling one ton of office paper saves 380 gallons of oil!
   • Taken from: 50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth
   • Want more? Read the GreenTeam Blog

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Shuttle Music & Movie Suggestions
Ever wondered what that great song was you heard while riding in the EpiCH Shuttle? Find out what they're is listening to.
   • Music & Movie Suggestions

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Student News:

Registration for Spring 2010 begins November 10
Tips from the Major Coordinators to make your Spring registration easier and more productive.

  • Make an appointment to meet with your academic advisor before you register.
  • If you have any questions about courses, please contact your Major Coordinator.
  • Find out exactly when you're eligible to register by going to www.onestop.umn.edu,
     then click on the "When to Register" link on the right side of the page.
  • Check to see if you have any holds and get those cleared before registration begins.
  • You might need to clear up an immunization hold. While incoming students were able
     to register for Fall 2009 without being compliant, a hold will become effective on
     November 1 that will prevent you from registering until you are in compliance. If you
     are not in compliance, check with Boynton Health Service to determine what you
     need to do.

Field Experience Registration
If you plan to register for your field experience for Spring Semester 2010 you must complete the online field experience contract by January 28. Begin the online contract by going to www.ahc.umn.edu/sphfieldexp.

If you plan to begin work on the field experience this semester but would like to register for the credits in a later term, you still need to complete the contract before beginning any actual work. If this is your situation, you do not need to meet the January 28 deadline as that is only for those students registering for field credits for spring 2010.

Master’s Project Registration
If you plan to register for your master’s project for Spring Semester 2010 you must turn in a completed master’s project approval form to your coordinator by January 28. The form is available at www.epi.umn.edu/students/pdf/mastersprojectapproval.pdf.

If you plan to begin work on the master’s project this semester but would like to register for the credits in a later term, you still need to complete the contract before beginning any actual work. If this is your situation, you do not need to meet the January 28 deadline as that is only for those students registering for field credits for Spring 2010.

Study Plan
If you are planning to graduate at the end of Spring Semester 2010, your study plan is due to your Major Coordinator by December 7, 2009. The study plan allows your Major Coordinator to review your coursework and make sure you are on track for graduation. If the study plan is not turned in the semester before graduation, you may be unable to graduate as planned because of missing required coursework. The study plan is available at www.epi.umn.edu/students/pdf/MPHSTUDYPLAN.pdf.

Application for Degree
The application for degree form is due the first business day of the month you plan to graduate. For example, if you plan to graduate in March, your application for degree is due on March 1. The application for degree form is available at www.sph.umn.edu/img/assets/9103/application%20for%20degree.pdf

SAS Help
Judy Baxter (cubicle 377C), an experienced SAS programmer from the Division, is available to help students with SAS problems several days per month. Her availability will be announced each month via the Division’s student email list.

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New Training Fellowship Opportunity
The Division of Epidemiology & Community Health and the Nutrition Graduate Program of the University of Minnesota is seeking candidates for predoctoral and postdoctoral training fellowship in Nutrition and Cancer beginning immediately.  This National Cancer Institute sponsored training program supports predoctoral trainees up to five years and postdoctoral trainees up to three years including stipend, health care and related costs. 
  • Read more at: www.epi.umn.edu/research/training/T32Training.shtm

Fall Semester Faculty Meeting and Faculty Voting Meeting
When: Thursday, Dec. 17, 8-11:00 am
Where: Location to be determined
Faculty and staff are invited to attend.
 • Read more

4th Annual EpiCH Chili Cookoff Winners!
We made $375.00 for the 2009 Community Fund Drive! At $5.00 a donation means we sold 75 bowls of chili! It was a lip-smackin' good time for a heart-warmin' good cause! And the winners are...
       1st - Janelle Willard        2nd - Jan Pearson       3rd - Ginger Hughes
 • View photos from the event

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New Presentation Equipment
A large flat-panel display was added recently to WBOB 310 for use as a presentation display.  It can be used in the same way as a projector, but without the need to round up a projector and get it set up each time.  You can just connect your laptop to the video cable and away you go.  The equipment in WBOB 310 is a rather inexpensive test setup, with the hope that we can do something similar in WBOB 364 before long.  Feel free to schedule your meetings in this room and use this equipment if you have need for a large screen.

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Teaching (with) Digital Writing
When: Thurs, November 12, 12:00-1:30pm
Where:50 Humphrey
Most writing today is done digitally, creating opportunities for instructors to embrace digital tools, technologies, and techniques as a part of the writing they assign and the response they offer to student writers. This interactive workshop considers a variety of tools such as, wikis, blogs, social networking apps (Facebook, Twitter, Ning), course management software (Moodle, WebVista), document-sharing and co-authoring programs, online document mark-up tools, chat tools, clickers, and a slew of others.
  • More information and registration

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Just in Time Teaching Seminars
Using A Course Management System Like Moodle or WebVista to Encourage Student Collaboration
When: Tuesday, November 17, 1:00-2:00 pm
Where: MechEng 1130
Find out more, and register at: www.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/justintime

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Media Mentions

Who Said What During October?
Find out more

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Tech Tips & News

This policy puts no restrictions on data or software that students may use for working on their own tasks for projects that are not related to Division-supported work.  However, non-University equipment may not be used for housing private data from a Division research project. Data from any Division research project must be housed on a computer owned and supported by the University.

-  Such restrictions are required by the AHC policy for the use of private data located at:
    ahc.umn.edu/prod/groups/ahc/@pub/@ahc/
    documents/asset/ahc_65968.pdf

- The UMN Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources policy is at:
      policy.umn.edu/groups/ppd/documents/policy/
     Acceptable_Use.cfm

When an employee has a computer of their own that they wish to use for doing their work, an acceptable alternative to providing a UMN-owned computer for that employee will be to make use of a virtual computer that resides on campus.  The Division operates a server that contains virtual computers that can be remotely operated using the employee's own computer.  This allows for staff to do their work on a shared computer that is located on campus, by using their own personal computer as a communication tool.

This option greatly reduces the risk posed to any private data, and ensures that all data remains on EpiCH computers.  More information about this system and policy can be obtained from the EpiCH Computer Systems Support Group.

  • Download complete policy

Answer: Turn on switch 1 for a minute, then turn on switch 2. Enter the room and feel the bulbs. The one that is warm is switch 1, the light that is on is switch 2 and the cool, dark bub is switch 3.

Congratulations and thanks to the many who played the Riddle! Good job all!:
   First correct answer: Pat Svedberg
   Second runner up: Andrew Flood, Anthony Guzzardo   

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Download a PDF of last month's EpiCH News
EpiCH News October 2009

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