OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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COVID-19 website: To facilitate the ongoing sharing of information about the virus, Oregon State University has added a link on the OSU homepage to a new page that provides detailed and up-to-date COVID-19 information; links to OSU, local, state and federal resources; updates on the latest federal travel restrictions; and previous university communications about the virus and other information. Additionally CDC information (including Spanish resources) can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/factsheets.html
BEaver STRONG: When times are tough, Beavers Unite. Oregon State students who are transitioning to a temporary new lifestyle need the support and encouragement of their community more than ever before. We invite you to join together with your OSU alumni family to send a short, encouraging note to students reminding them to #BEaverSTRONG, and that together, we can move beyond this — and any — obstacle. Share your message of hope, see others and support students at osualum.com/YouAreStrong.
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.
For diseases such as COVID-19, the type of density – how many people share a household or how many co-workers share an office – matters more than the total number of people living in one community, said Benjamin Dalziel, an assistant professor of integrative biology at Oregon State University.
It could help health officials determine if public policies are working. “It’s a key indicator in understanding how the overall patterns of people’s mobility changed,” explained Melissa Haendel, director of Translational Data Science at Oregon State University.
In response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Oregon State University students and their families, the university’s Board of Trustees voted today to freeze tuition rates for currently enrolled undergraduate students at OSU’s Corvallis and Bend campuses for summer session and the 2020-21 academic year.
A piece by OSU anthropology graduate student Argenis Hurtado Moreno.
No one likes to think about the damage that this virus is going to have globally, but one is comforted by thinking about the possibility of what my friend Molly Kile, an epidemiologist at Oregon State University, refers to as punctuated equilibrium. It’s a term she is borrowing from evolutionary biology, and it argues against the idea that species undergo steady, uniform, and gradual adaptations.
In a similar effort, the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at Oregon State University manufactured a fluid needed to transport COVID-19 test swabs in a sterile environment with the materials the lab had on hand. The fluid, known as viral transport medium, protects the virus's genetic material until the swab can be tested.
A piece by Barb Lachenbruch with the OSU College of Forestry.
Research led by Oleh Taratula of the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy and Ov Slayden of the Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University used photo-responsive nanoparticles to find and remove the lesions associated with the disorder.
Strawberries are self-pollinating, so you don’t need to pair them with another variety to increase yield like you do with blueberries, said Javier Fernandez-Salvador, Oregon State University Extension berry specialist. Strawberries have better yield and larger fruit with increased pollination from bees, so keeping a bee-friendly garden is a good idea.
Today’s workspace: Charlotte Headrick with the OSU theatre department writes, "As Emeritus faculty, my whole house is my office. Here is Daisy, my rescue Great Pyrenees." Send your home workspace photos to [email protected]. Follow OSU Today on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/osutoday1/ and catch up on any workspace photos you might have missed so far.
Oregon State University New Employee Orientation: This session is to orient new faculty and staff to the university. Terms of your employment and benefits will be reviewed. Zoom session, April 7, 9-11 a.m. Register here.
People and Nature Lunch Series: Tuesday, April 7, from noon to 12:50 p.m. via Zoom. Kali Abel (Geography) presents “Ice to Waves: Adaptation Limits, Mobility, and Anomic Activity in Santa Marta, Colombia.” The lecture is free and open to all. To join the webinar, visit https://PeopleAndNatureOSU.weebly.com. Sponsored by the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife’s Human Dimensions Lab.
NEW! Student Engagement Community of Practice meeting on Tuesday, April 7 from 1-3 p.m. via Zoom: This group is open to those who work with students outside of the classroom. This month’s topic is remote student engagement issues and strategies. We meet the first Tuesday of every month from 1-3 p.m. and all are welcome. Join our listserv or contact Gabrielle James or Sara Caldwell-Kan for more information.
BEavers HERE NOW Drop-In Meditation via Zoom: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 3 p.m. visit https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/207246816 to access each session. No experience necessary. All are welcome. Enjoy a different 15 minute guided meditation each week. Benefits of mediation include: Stress reduction, better sleep, sharper concentration, anxiety management and happier relationships. Contact [email protected] to coordinate extra credit for student attendance. Faculty and staff are welcome too.
Webinar: Stress management techniques to cope with social distancing and isolation: Cascade EAP is offering a variety of webinars to help employees and their families navigate and cope with COVID-19. Webinar 1 takes place April 7, 3:30-4:30 p.m. It deals with overcoming social isolation, mindfulness practice and tips for staying connected. Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6141472136477450507?mc_cid=e81c125b1c8&mc_eid=40b6fdee81. If the webinars fill up they can be accessed two days later on the Cascade EAP YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/CascadeEAP/videos?mc_cid=e81125b1c8&mc_eid=40b6fdee81
Nature & Health, and Community Building Webinars: Join the Adventure Leadership Institute as we host several webinars around health and community building topics during the age of social distancing. Click the links to register: Nature and Health, April 7 at 5 p.m., and Community Building in the Age of COVID-19, April 15 at 3 p.m. Check out more of our webinars offered Spring term here. Questions? Contact Emily Abrams.
OSU Science on Tap LIVESTREAM: Digging into Archeology — Hear about current research by College of Liberal Arts Professor Loren Davis, a nationally recognized expert. Learn about North America’s earliest people, showcasing the discoveries from the Cooper’s Ferry site in western Idaho and on Cedros Island along Mexico’s Pacific Coast. April 7, 6 p.m., osualum.com/sot.
NEW! Free Virtual Nutrition Counseling: Help the OSU dietetic interns get their internship hours so they can stay on track to graduate and join the healthcare workforce as Registered Dietitians. We’re offering 1:1 virtual counseling sessions over Zoom for OSU faculty/staff/alumni. Contact Michelle Bump at [email protected] if you’re interested.
Online Weekend Meditation Retreat: OSU's Contemplative Studies Initiative is hosting teacher, author, hospice chaplain, counselor and five-year retreatant Amita Lhamo April 17-19. The program begins Friday at 7 p.m. and is titled The Healing Nature of Presence. Screen time will be minimized and instruction/guidance maximized. Free and open to all; some meditation/centering experience recommended. Register by emailing [email protected].
NEW! Strategies for Being Effective in Times of Uncertainty: Uncertainty in organizations will affect each of us differently. Some thrive in ambiguity, while others are dominated by feelings of anxiety, fear and doubt that negatively affect productivity. This class will provide eight strategies with practical ideas to increase effectiveness in challenging, uncertain times. Zoom session, April 9, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Registration required.
NEW! Developing High Performing Teams: Why do some teams consistently produce outstanding results and other teams perform moderately at best? Distinguishing characteristics of high performing teams with practical tools and principles will be shared. Tips for implementing these practices with virtual teams will be included. Zoom session, April 9, 10-11:30 a.m. Registration required.
NEW! Managing People Through Change: If progress requires change, why can change be so difficult? Understanding how the change process impacts us is important to directing change efforts. You will learn what to expect in the cycle of change and how to work with each phase to ease transitions for yourself and others. Zoom session, April 9, 1-3 p.m. Registration required.
Bioinformatics Users Group (BUG): "Using Deep Learning and Cloud Computation to Answer Research Questions, i.e. An Undergrad's Journey Through Scientific Computing at the CGRB" - Michaela Buchanan (Undergraduate, Center for Genome Research & Biocomputing), Wednesday, April 8 from noon to 1 p.m. in the remote broadcast Zoom room https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/344627115. BUG consists of life scientists, bioinformaticians, computer scientists, mathematicians, engineers, statisticians, and researchers of all types who meet to discuss topics related to these fields of study. Meetings are generally informal, consisting of discussions, interactive talks, or short workshops. All are welcome. No experience needed to participate. For additional information, see https://cgrb.oregonstate.edu/bug.
Investment and PERS webinars: The Maps Credit Union CFS investment team is conducting a Weekly Wednesday Webinar Series on a variety of investment topics that include current market updates. This is one way to educate yourself without leaving the comfort and safety of your own home. Wednesday, April 8 – Market Update; Keeping More of What You Earn - An Introduction to Tax-Free Investing, by Darren Kinney, Franklin Templeton; Wednesday, April 15 – Market Update; Investing in Tax-Free Municipal Bonds by Christine Neimeth, Aquila; Wednesday, April 29– Market Update; Perspective by Andrew Opdyke, First Trust. PERS Related Webinars: Wednesday, April 8 – PERS and Retirement Planning (OPSRP); Wednesday, April 15 – PERS and Retirement Planning (Tiers 1 & 2); Wednesday, April 22 – Retirement Planning as a PERS Member (This is not an OSU event but is tailored to OSU clients and during normal circumstances are held on campus. There is no charge.)
Writing Intensive Curriculum Program/”Teaching Peer Review Online: Tools, Resources, Strategies: To facilitate ongoing sharing about best practices for WIC as well as spring term migration of WIC courses online, the WIC Program will conduct its next scheduled lunch session by Zoom on Friday April 10, noon to 1 p.m. The April 10 session will feature digital interface resources and strategies for peer review online (Canvas, Eli Review) and will include time for discussion of effective peer review strategies and faculty interests as we migrate our lunches online through spring term. The session is designed for faculty who are currently teaching online, as well as for faculty who anticipate teaching face-to-face courses with online components. Register here. See also WIC “Migrating WIC Courses Online.”
Search Advocate Workshops: All OSU Search Advocate workshops will be offered via Zoom for the next 2+ months. Search advocates are outside process advisors who participate on employee search committees; their goal is to encourage culture and practices that favor equity, validity, and diversity. Search advocacy offers faculty and staff an opportunity to work with colleagues in other parts of the university, build new skills and perspectives, and contribute to the university’s progress towards inclusive excellence. The initial workshop series is a full two-day sequence. Those who complete the series may choose to have their names added to the Search Advocate Directory and will be eligible to serve as advocates until September 2021. Three-hour continuing education workshops for current advocates are also available. To register, go to the Professional Development website. Questions? Contact Anne Gillies at [email protected] or 541-760-6160.
Kognito: Recognizing and Supporting Students in Distress Training: College can be stressful at times and especially now! Build the confidence to talk with a student whom you’re concerned about. Be prepared to lead real-life conversations with students that build resilience, strengthen relationships and connect them with support. Visit beav.es/Zzp to access the faculty/staff online training so you can recognize and support OSU students in distress. To access the student version visit: beav.es/ZD3 For questions contact Tessie Webster-Henry: [email protected]
NEW! Today’s Timely Teaching Tip: Need help running Zoom for large lecture courses? Request a Tech Keep-Teaching Assistant (TechKTA) for remote teaching via Zoom. See Keep Teaching for all the Weeks 2 and 3 Timely Teaching Tips.
NEW! Outdoor burning alert: OSU Fire Prevention Officer Jim Patton is sharing this information for OSU employees. State agencies ask Oregonians to voluntarily refrain from outdoor burning while communities respond to COVID-19.
Join Our Conversation on Student Success: The Academic Success Center (ASC) is developing an informal publication to share with colleagues across campus and would like to invite you to sign up if interested. Signing up means that you’ll receive one or two emails each term. Possible content includes spotlights on ASC collaborations with campus partners, success strategies and tools, ASC resource updates, and more. Sign up by Thursday, April 9 to receive our first issue.
Visualize Your Bibliography Competition: The OSU Libraries and Press invite currently enrolled graduate students to enter this year’s Visualize Your Bibliography Competition. Submissions should creatively display 20+ sources used in a thesis, dissertation, or other scholarly work. Displays might range from a series of erasure poems made for each source to a multimedia timeline of your sources. Prizes: 1st: $750, 2nd: $500, 3rd: $250. Deadline EXTENDED TO April 13. For questions, contact [email protected].
Working with Students in Distress: Faculty and staff may be the first to notice a student is struggling and may be in the best position to reach out with care and concern. The CARE Folder is now updated for remote delivery of services and will provide you with resources and referral information. Visit https://beav.es/ZUi to login to Box and access these resources. Please bookmark this link for easy access on your phone, laptop or tablet.
Undergrad Research & Writing Studio is open: The Undergrad Research & Writing Studio remains open through our new online feature, Studio Live. Our hours are Monday-Friday, noon to 5 p.m., Week 2 of the term through finals week. Support is available via chat, Zoom, telephone or email. Visit our website for more information: http://writingcenter.oregonstate.edu/undergrad-writing-studio
Remote Advising Office Hours: To support the current transition to remote advising facing academic advisors and academic counselors, Jenesis Long is offering Remote Advising Consultations via Zoom. Bring your questions or specific situations for in-the-moment problem-solving now through April 17: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 10 a.m. to noon. Join here. Additional resources for remote advising available in Canvas for Advisors.
Online Professional Development Workshops for OSU Employees Now Open for Registration: UHR Learning and Organizational Development presents a variety of online professional development workshops this spring, including: Strategies for Being Effective in Times of Uncertainty, Developing High Performing Teams, Managing People Through Change, and Core Curriculum for Current OSU Supervisors and Managers. View and register for upcoming workshops here. Is there a topic you’d like us to cover this term? Email [email protected] with your request.
Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences: Provides funding to young investigators of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health. The current grant level is $300,000; $75,000 per year for four years. For the 2020 award, one nomination will be invited from each of the participating institutions The internal deadline for submitting a letter of recommendation for a nominee is Monday, April 27. https://research.oregonstate.edu/program/pew-scholars-program-biomedical-sciences
Facilities Services: Facilities Services continues to work hard to maintain, preserve and protect the Corvallis campus, including working with our custodial partner ABM on developing a specialized cleaning protocol for our campus facilities. The Work Coordination Center is open and up-to-date information on services, resources and access during the COVID-19 response is available on the Facilities Services website.
University Ombuds Office Offers Remote Consultations to Staff, Faculty and Students: Finding the transition from on-site work and study to telecommuting challenging? The University Ombuds Office is available for the university community during this time of transition. Whether addressing ongoing conflict that has become more complex, or new issues that are arising, the Ombuds are available to listen to your concerns and help you explore options for addressing them. All consultations are confidential and informal. Ombuds are available Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., via phone or Zoom. To schedule an appointment, call 541-737-4537 or email [email protected]. (Confidentiality cannot be promised in matters relating to threats of public safety, child abuse, or when there is imminent risk of serious harm.)
OSU Homecoming Court 2020: Encouraging all OSU students to apply to represent Oregon State as a member of the 2020 Homecoming Court. Members are honored with a one-time $500 scholarship and opportunities to voice their ideas to distinguished university leaders, partners and alumni throughout the year. Applications will be open through April 20.
Fiscal policy feedback: In accordance with the fiscal policy program, the Fiscal Policy Committee is soliciting your feedback on new fiscal policy drafts for Cash Out and for Gift Funds. For more information and instructions on how to provide your valued feedback, please visit Policy Under Review on the Fiscal Policy Program website.
Annual Program Assessment Reports, New Due Date: As many faculty are adjusting their courses and student advising to remote delivery, we are extending the due date for undergraduate Annual Program Assessment reports, and Graduate Learning Outcome (GLO) reporting. The new due date is Monday, June 1. Please reach out to Tam Belknap or Heath Henry for questions about undergraduate reporting, or to Steph Bernell or Maureen Childers for questions about GLO reporting. Visit https://apa.oregonstate.edu/assessment-resources for tools and support.
Temporary closure of electric vehicle parking spaces near Fairbanks Hall: Closure will take place from 7 a.m. April 6 to 5 p.m. April 7. As part of the Fairbanks Hall Renovation project, the geotech company working on the project will be drilling test holes and there will be a drill rig on site. The site will be set up in two electric vehicle spaces on the west side of Fairbanks Hall (view map). For questions or comments on this closure, contact Construction Manager Amy Keene at (541) 214-1038 or Capital Construction Manager Lori Fulton at 541-737-4625.
"Learning is a gift, even if pain is the teacher." ~ James Garner, born today in 1928.
Corvallis: Sunny today, high of 62, low of 35. Sunny and warm tomorrow.
Central Oregon: Sunny today, high of 61, low of 32. Sunny tomorrow.
Newport: Mostly sunny today, high of 51, low of 37. Sunny tomorrow.
Statewide: For OSU employees around the state, find your local forecast here: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/
