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Today in the News Media is a synopsis of some of the most prominent coverage of OSU people and programs. Inclusion of any item constitutes neither an endorsement nor a critique, but rather is intended only to make the OSU community aware of significant items in the media. Content appearing includes timely news and feature stories from broadcast, print and online sources. Occasionally, opinion pieces and first-person columns appearing in mainstream media outlets that are written by faculty members and pertain to their academic or professional expertise may be included based on their unique, informative value, timeliness and space constraints. It is not the policy of OSU Today to include Letters to the Editor.
Oregon State University researchers are conducting a unique study setting up real trees and then setting them on fire. "What we are doing is, we are measuring the total number of embers that are released when you burn a tree," said David Blunck, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Oregon State University.
Oregon State University President Edward J. Ray released a statement following the court ruling.
The extremophile bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans was first discovered in 1956 at Oregon State University, where it was busy ruining a gamma ray experiment designed to sterilise a tin of ground meat. The “sterilised” meat spoiled, thanks to D. radiodurans and its preternatural durability in the face of radiation: The hearty microbe can withstand somewhere up to 5,000 grey (Gy), or about 1,500 times the dose that would kill a human being.
Moderator Marissa Chappell, who spends her time as an associate history professor at Oregon State University, guided the hour-long conversation through a series of questions and topics for the experts, starting with how the panelists were reflecting on current protests and marches across the country.
The thickness of the pack ice is not the only thing that matters, though. Its topography is also important. This is the province of Jennifer Hutchings of Oregon State University. She is using buoys to track the motion of the ice around the ship. Though sea ice is solid, it is not rigid. It forms but a thin skin on the ocean—varying in depth from around 30cm in summer to a couple of metres in winter—so is readily moved by wind and current.
Two years after achieving recognition by the state, United Academics of OSU has ratified a four-year deal with the university. The 46-page collective bargaining agreement covers a wide range of issues, including compensation, benefits, disciplinary action and grievance procedures. The pact also contains a statement in support of academic freedom and a “no strike, no lockout” provision. (see also Register-Guard)
An opinion piece by OSU's Kendra Sharp, senior advisor to the Provost for International Affairs and the Richard and Gretchen Evans Professor of Humanitarian Engineering. (This piece is behind a paywall but was shared for those with access to WP)
As the University of Oregon and Oregon State University welcome more people back onto campus, both schools are now requiring face coverings to be worn in all campus buildings.
While Oregon ranks highly nationwide for its gender-affirming policies and health care for transgender women, many of those polices are not fully realized in practice, a recent study from Oregon State University found.
As Christopher Nichols, associate professor of history at Oregon State University, explained: "The questions they asked then are the questions being asked now. And while it's very rare that history provides a simple straightforward lesson for the present, this is one of those instances."
Honeybee lives are shortened — with evidence of physiological stress — when they are exposed at the suggested application rates of two widely used pesticides, according to new Oregon State University research.
Health experts including Professor Chunhuei Chi, the director of the Center for Global Health at Oregon State University, have advised that it’s generally safer for Oregonians to eat out if they live in counties with a relatively low number of cases or no cases at all, and that “the general public should not have a false sense of security” when visiting restaurants and bars.
An international team, led by researchers from Oregon State University, looked at short- and long-term “survival” – defined as ongoing operations, even after a change in ownership – of more than 100,000 Oregon-based organizations over a 25-year period. The team gauged whether a company provided a safe workplace by reviewing its history of disabling claims, using data provided by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services.
Camille Palmer at Oregon State University cautions that using Ru isotopes as a single indicator of reactor type is challenging, but she says the linkage is plausible and the team “did an outstanding job of isolating the Ru and measuring the stable isotopes.”
Today’s workspaces: Regulatory and Safety Compliance Officer Carrie Burkholder with the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station says she enjoys her home workspace. “I have two large windows that look out across our green space and I was able to bring home my standup desk and both monitors so working from home works quite well. If only I could stop Big Boy from eating my work!”
“No fun animal photos because we are empty nesters,” says Corina Rampola, finance and accounting manager with the Business and Engineering Business Center. “My office is completely functional but a little lonely; thank goodness for all the teleconferencing tools we have access to. I meet with my team once week and nearly always video call now instead of using the telephone.” Follow OSU Today on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/osutoday1/ and catch up on any workspace photos you might have missed so far.
DFA Risk Appetite and Risk Assessment Tools: Train the Trainer: Insurance and Risk Management Services will facilitate a workshop for unit leaders and supervisors to provide exposure to the DFA Risk Appetite Statements and Risk Assessment Tools. Attendees will gain hands-on practice and develop the skills necessary to assist other employees in understanding and incorporating the DFA Risk Appetite Statements and Risk Assessment Tools into their work. Zoom session, June 19, 9-10:30 a.m. Registration required.
NEW! Black Woman in Green: A Conversation with Gloria Brown: Join Oregon State University Press for a Juneteenth conversation with Gloria Brown, the first African American woman forest supervisor in the U.S. Forest Service. Brown will share her experiences as a Black woman in the rural West and offer strategies for overcoming systemic racism in the workplace. Moderated by Kim Hogeland, acquisitions editor at OSU Press. June 19, 2-2:45 p.m. Register here: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcqf-CorjkuHd2d7q_Qh-mPNa3xpUZ-3fy. Order Black Woman in Green at http://osupress.oregonstate.edu/book/black-woman-in-green and receive 30% off and free shipping with the promo code JUNETEENTH.
Faculty Staff Fitness: OSU’s Faculty Staff Fitness Program is offering over 200 pre-recorded, accessible any time, online fitness classes for summer term June 15-Sept. 18. Classes range from 10, 20, 30 to 60 minutes and involves formats including Weight Training, Cardio Kickboxing, Cardio Dance (similar to Zumba), Barre Fusion, Pilates, various Yoga styles, and more. Registration is $35 and is now open via: https://health.oregonstate.edu/fsf/online.
No-cost access to online learning virtual conference: An institution-wide pass to the Online Learning Consortium’s Innovate conference, to be held online from June 15-26, is available for all OSU faculty and staff. OLC Innovate gathers higher education faculty, advisors and administrators throughout the U.S. to share ideas and best practices. In this virtual event, synchronous conference sessions will be available daily, and you’ll also have access to all session recordings. To learn how to register at no cost, visit the Ecampus website.
American Strings Webcast: An Evening with Jimmie Vaughan, Benefit for Beavers Care. Join host Bob Santelli for a conversation and live remote performance with Texas blues great Jimmie Vaughan in an American Strings event to support OSU students through Beavers Care, presented in partnership by the College of Liberal Arts, OSU Alumni Association and OSU Foundation. A founding member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds and the older brother of Texas blues legend Stevie Ray, Jimmie Vaughan brought renewed attention to Texas blues in the 1980s, ultimately leading to Austin becoming a major American blues center. Tuesday, June 23 at 5 p.m. Registration is required to receive link to live webcast. Donations to Beavers Care are encouraged.
PFLA discussion: How can the Professional Faculty Leadership Association (PFLA) help grow your own skills, connections and career? Join us on Wednesday, June 24, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. for an interactive discussion and opportunity to connect. All are welcome to join us! Non-members: Please contact Gretchen Dursch, PFLA Director of Professional Development to register & receive the ZOOM link.
Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB): 8-Week Series: CEB is a practical skills training committed to utilizing the experience of emotion as a path for developing well-being. By integrating wisdom traditions, modern psychology, current emotion research, and contemplative practices, CEB provides a secular platform for transformation. Led by Jacob Lindsley, an incoming member of OSU's SPS, and sponsored by OSU's Contemplative Studies Initiative. Eight Sundays: July 12-Aug. 30 noon to 3 p.m. via Zoom. $300 if registered by July 1. $100 for OSU Students. Email [email protected]. More info here.
NEW! Free Public Health Insider webcast series: The recent global health crisis has placed the public health field into the forefront of our daily lives. Explore the impact of public health on your life and community with the Public Health Insider webcast series, Wednesdays at noon on June 24, July 1 and July 8. Discover how shifts in policy, social and environmental influences, technology and more impact public health with talks from experts in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences. Learn more and register.
Upcoming Webinar: Disinfectant Safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Join OSU's National Pesticide Information Center as we address common questions about disinfectant safety. We'll talk about precautions; how cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants differ; and how to use EPA's List N to find products. Registration is required, space is limited, and the webinar will be recorded. Wednesday, June 24 at 11 a.m.
Community Building & Social Distance Webinar: Join the Adventure Leadership Institute for a webinar on community building during the age of social distancing. Learn some activities and talk about why maintaining community is crucial during this time. Click the link to register: Community Building & Social Distance, Wednesday, July 1, 1-2 p.m. Check out more of our webinars offered summer term here. Questions? Contact Emily Abrams.
Remote Floor Monitor Training: The Office of Emergency Preparedness is offering remote Floor Monitor and Building Manager evacuation training. This is open to OSU Floor Monitors and Building Manager to assist in their roles during building evacuation. To schedule, contact [email protected].
NEW! Minimum Wage increase: The Oregon Minimum Wage will increase in all three areas (Standard, Portland Metro, and Nonurban Counties), effective July 1, 2020. Any employees who are currently paid under the new minimum wage rate will have their rates adjusted to meet the new minimums. To see the new Oregon minimum wage rates, click here: http://hr.oregonstate.edu/policies-procedures/administrators/classification-compensation/new-oregon-minimum-wage-rate-summary
NEW! SEIU Classified 2.1% COLA: Effective July 1, 2020 all classified employees represented by the SEIU will receive a 2.1% COLA increase as negotiated in the 2019-21 OPU/SEIU Collective Bargaining Agreement. University Human Resources is in the process of updating the compensation tables on the OHR-Class/Comp website to reflect these upcoming changes. The new rates can also be found at the back of the 2019-21 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Appendices G & I, and located here: https://hr.oregonstate.edu/sites/hr.oregonstate.edu/files/2019-21cba_0.pdf
NEW! Not sure what the next step is in your business venture? The OSU Advantage Accelerator is currently accepting applications for its first-ever VIRTUAL SUMMER Accelerate cohort which begins Wednesday, July 8. Accelerate is open to Oregon teams and/or teams with a connection to OSU who want to launch a high-growth business or want to explore the commercialization potential of a technology. Upon completion of the eight-week program, teams will have: an elevator pitch, a five minute pitch deck completed, product market validation, feedback from many mentors, and more. For teams with OSU intellectual property, completion of Accelerate enables eligibility for $15k of OSU AID funding. To learn more and apply, visit: https://advantage.oregonstate.edu/advantage-accelerator/programs/accelerate
Call for Applications: Blended Learning Innovations in Pedagogy (BLIP) Faculty Fellowship. Applications for the 2020 – 2021 BLIP Faculty Fellow (.25 FTE) are now being accepted. The Initiative offers a teaching faculty fellow the opportunity to shape blended learning programming for colleagues across campus, in partnership with the Center for Teaching and Learning, Ecampus, Academic Technology, and the Office of Undergraduate Education. More information can be found here. Deadline to apply: July 1, 2020.
Proposed Updates to University Policies & Standards: Visit the University Policy Program’s What’s New page (http://policy.oregonstate.edu/whats-new) to view a pending policy amendment. Proposed University Policy 04-020 Use of the University Seal articulates the intended official university uses and purposes for which the university seal may be used. This page is updated frequently with new developments, so we encourage you to check back frequently. Comments or questions may be submitted to [email protected].
Call for Applications: Bridging the Gap From Education to Employment (BGEE) Seminar. Applications for the 2020 BGEE seminar for teaching faculty and instructors are now being accepted. $500 will be awarded to participants. The Seminar will provide tangible ways to include career readiness in the classroom, while also taking a hard look at the barriers to access that our first generation, high financial need, and/or students of color face. More information can be found here. Deadline to apply is June 26.
Call to Artists: The 37th Annual Art About Agriculture Competition and Touring Exhibition wants your visions of Oregon’s agricultural future.Tension/Harmony is sponsored by Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences. The College invites artists to explore the relationship between the conservation of natural resources and agricultural production. Call closes June 27. Full prospectus: https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/art/tension-harmony
Applications for PCOSW scholarships and event co-sponsorships for Fall term projects are now being accepted. The President’s Commission on the Status of Women provides funding to faculty, students, and staff who are pursuing professional development, research, outreach, or creative projects related to women’s issues. Scholarships average $300 and are paid by reimbursement. Applications are due Friday, July 31, with notification by Aug. 12. Visit http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/pcosw/awards-scholarships for detailed guidelines, qualification requirements, and application links. Questions? Contact Joy Jorgensen at [email protected]
Alumni Fellows nominations are due June 30: The OSU Alumni Association is seeking nominations for the Alumni Fellows Recognition Program. Due to COVID-19, Alumni Fellows are no longer required to be on campus for the 2020 celebration. Virtual presentation and online recognition are welcome. All colleges are encouraged to submit a nomination. For departments outside of academic colleges, please submit the nomination in partnership with the alumnus’ graduating college. View application and specifics online and email nomination form and supporting materials to [email protected].
COVID-19 Disposable Facemasks are available at Chemstores: As the Corvallis campus begins to re-open, the College of Science Chemistry Department’s Chemstores is here to provide disposable face masks as well as other COVID PPE. Chemstores is located at 154 Gilbert Hall; open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Purchases are exclusively made using grant Index/activity Codes. There are no cash or card sales. An online listing of products can be found at https://chemstores.chem.oregonstate.edu/. Questions? Call 541-737-2271.
Faculty & Staff COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund Under IRS Code Section 139: In collaboration with the OSU Foundation, Oregon State University is offering emergency financial assistance grants through the OSU Faculty and Staff COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund. The purpose of this fund is to help regular classified and unclassified employees in our university community with unexpected needs during this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic. All classified staff, professional faculty and academic/research faculty are eligible regardless of service time or FTE. An individual must be actively employed on the date of grant distribution. Read more about the details of the program here. Student hourly employees, graduate assistants, and stipend recipients (e.g., fellows) are not eligible. There are separate programs for students located here: https://financialaid.oregonstate.edu/covid-19.
Postponed: Annual Steam Shutdown-Campus Wide: Each year Facilities Services performs necessary maintenance on the university’s steam system, which requires shutting off the steam throughout campus, to complete maintenance services at the plant, throughout the steam tunnels and in each building. This process affects hot water supply, heating, and all equipment that uses steam, campus wide. The decision has been made to postpone the annual steam shut down until August in order to stay within the guidelines from the Governor, university, State and CDC’s orders. The steam shutdown for 2020 will occur from Aug. 24 at 11 p.m. to Aug. 27 at 8 a.m. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you all for your understanding. For questions or comments on this closure, contact Facilities Services at 541-737-2969.
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” ~ Jimi Hendrix.
Corvallis: Mostly sunny today, high of 83, low of 57. Chance of showers Saturday, mostly sunny Sunday.
Central Oregon: Sunny today, high of 83, low of 54. Partly sunny Saturday, mostly sunny Sunday.
Newport: Partly sunny today, high of 63, low of 55. Chance of showers this weekend, followed by sunshine.
Statewide: For OSU employees around the state, find your local forecast here: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/