OSU Corvallis campus to open two hours late today

Oregon State University’s Corvallis campus operations will have a two-hour delayed opening today, Tuesday, Feb. 28, due to continuing early morning snowfall accumulations and sub-freezing temperatures. Campus operations will open at 10 a.m. Any further change in Corvallis campus operations due to changes in weather conditions will be shared on the university website at oregonstate.edu, by calling 541-737-8000, and through notifications via social media through Twitter and Facebook.

 

Today in the News Media


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. For more about this section, see: https://today.oregonstate.edu/email/submission-guidelines


Whale skin provides clues to elusive migration habits (Science)

To conduct the study, Solène Derville, a marine ecologist at Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute, and colleagues focused on the whale skin samples scientists occasionally gather to learn about the animal’s sex, genetics, diet, and health. The researchers, who included scientists with the Southern Ocean Research Partnership of the International Whaling Commission, already had 419 samples from southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) in their possession. 

 

Genetically modified trees are growing in US forests for the first time (IFL Science)

The project is the brainchild of the California-based biotech company Living Carbon. Together with Oregon State University, the start-up recently released research – which is yet to be peer-reviewed – that suggested the GM trees accumulate 53 percent more biomass than their standard counterparts, resulting in them capturing up to 27 percent more carbon dioxide. 
 

Climate Change's Catch-22 (Impakter)

“Due to the complexity of the Earth system, we expect more climate accelerators to be discovered in the near future,” OSU's William Ripple told Impakter. “This is a global emergency.”
 

Former Oregon State University dean wins whistleblower retaliation lawsuit (OPB News)

A Multnomah County jury has decided in favor of a former Oregon State University dean who sued the school two years ago for whistleblower retaliation. University officials disagree with the verdict and plan to appeal. Grace Kuo, former dean of OSU’s College of Pharmacy, claimed in her lawsuit that the university aided and abetted in retaliation against her when she reported student concerns of discrimination and harassment. (see also Seattle TimesOregonian

 

Transferring college credits just got easier in Oregon. Here are 4 things to know (Register-Guard)

The standardization is primarily meant for students transitioning from community college to a four-year university, but this system will benefit students transferring between any combination of public institutions in Oregon.
 

Troy Aikman has set another record in Texas with his latest business endeavor (Sportscasting)

“We partnered with Oregon State University and their food and science program,” Aikman explained to Pompliano. “They’ve got a great beer program there. Had some top-notch people involved, and we just kept pushing the envelope.”
 

Today's photo


Time for lunch: Jody Hill, 4-H office specialist with OSU Extension Service - Linn County, says, “I am submitting a picture of this lovely fellow that graced us with his presence in the field next to our office. He is carrying a desiccated nutria carcass.” We are accepting photo submissions at [email protected].

Timely Teaching Tips: Want to learn more about cultivating a true sense of belonging in the classroom for students with disabilities/disabled students? Join InclusiveExcellence@OSU for a panel discussion with Kathleen Bogart (psychology) and three student representatives from the Disabled Students Union, 4-6 p.m., March 2, MU 109 and on Zoom. More information and RSVP.

Today

Food for Thought: Make a Food Drive donation and take home a new book. Bring cash, a check or a non-perishable food item to the Linus Pauling Institute (LPSC 307), 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Feb. 28, and choose from one or more of our books on nutrition and/or Linus Pauling. Also, come to our Linus Pauling Day Celebration, 4-6 p.m., on the third floor for a free raffle entry to win a copy of Visions of Pauling, edited by OSU’s Chris Peterson. Those who bring Food Drive donations to the event will get an extra raffle ticket. Light refreshments provided.

NEW! Canvas workshop: Join UIT-Academic Technologies, 11-11:45 a.m. today, to learn how graded activities such as assignments and quizzes in Canvas are connected to the Grades page, and make sure your Canvas course site and grading scheme align with your course syllabus. Registration is required. Questions? Emails us at [email protected]

Financial literacy: Beaver Family Connections will present Financial Literacy for Families from noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 28 via Zoom: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/94557146897?pwd=Tk96RFlxZ3l1TmkwMHB6ZHBXNFJxZz09 Leela Varadharajan, finance instructor in the College of Business, and Joshua Nishimura, peer advisor with the Center for Advancing Financial Education (CAFE), will share best practices for family budgets and strategies for financing higher education. For more information, contact [email protected].

Linus Pauling Day webinar: Anitra Carr from the University of Otago Christchurch will speak on vitamin C and the immune system as part of the 2023 Linus Pauling Institute webinar series. Optimizing Immune Health: How Much Vitamin C Do You Need? will occur 2-3 p.m. Feb. 28 online. Registration required: https://lpi.pub/VitaminC2023

TEK partnership talk: Cristina Eisenberg, associate dean for inclusive excellence and director of Tribal initiatives in OSU's College of Forestry, will speak at 2 p.m. Feb. 28 in Burt 193 and via Zoom. Her talk is titled "Decolonizing, Deconstructing, and Indigenizing Ecosystem Science: Creating TEK Partnerships across Cultures.” Registration required only for virtual attendance: tinyurl.com/2v5zf3vh

Global Opportunities Drop-In Advising Session with the Department of World Languages and Culture in the College of Language Arts: An in-depth look at the details of participating in an international program. Learn about the application process, applying for a passport, financial aid details, and other mechanics of how to make going abroad possible. 3-5 p.m. Feb. 28, Kidder 210 Little Gallery and via Zoom. For more details, visit Office of Global Opportunities (OSU GO) event details and the list of pop-up advising events.

EMT seminars: Craig Marcus will speak on “Molecular Mechanisms for Regulation and  Alternative Splicing of Xenobiotic Metabolizing Enzymes”  at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 28 in ALS 4001 and by Zoom: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/93596989146 

Linus Pauling Day Open House: In celebration of Linus Pauling Day, the Linus Pauling Institute will hold an open house 4-6 p.m. Feb. 28 on the third floor of the Linus Pauling Science Center. Come join us for discussions of our research or Linus Pauling, or just to have some refreshments. RSVP requested. For more information see https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/lpday

OSU Authors and Editors Recognition Series: The Authors and Editors Recognition Series celebrates the literary and scholarly books published by university faculty by featuring selected authors and editors for readings and discussion. The 2023 recognition series includes three nights of readings and receptions. Join the OSU Community in the Memorial Union Lounge, 5-7 p.m., Feb. 28, March 1 and 2. All are welcome.

The Oregon State University Wind Ensemble will play David Maslanka’s “A Child’s Garden of Dreams” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at The LaSells Stewart Center. The project will involve a performance of the work by Maslanka and original artwork created by Anna Fidler's and Michael Boonstra's art students that will be on display during the live performance. 

Events

NEW! Announcing the 2023 Alumni Fellows: Since 1988, the Oregon State University Alumni Association has recognized caring, passionate and talented members of Beaver Nation who’ve distinguished themselves in their professions and communities. This year, we took a special look at the amazing ways alumni are making positive change in the Portland area. Please join the OSU Alumni Association in congratulating the 2023 Alumni Fellows at 5:30 p.m. April 11 during the online celebration. Register and learn more about the 2023 Alumni Fellows.

Students: Non-Profit & public service fair: Join Community Engagement & Leadership and the Career Development Center for the Non-Profit and Public Service Fair, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. March 1 in the MU Ballroom. No dress code. Link to register and view agencies: https://beav.es/npsf. Questions? Contact [email protected].

OSU Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan: Public comment meeting 1-3 p.m. March 2 in Cascade 136 for the five-year update to the OSU Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan. This plan update helps OSU identify ways to reduce the potential loss of life and property by studying the impact of natural hazards and identifying ways to lessen the impact of disasters caused by earthquakes, floods and other hazards. The plan can be reviewed at https://emergency.oregonstate.edu/emergency-preparedness/planning/osu-emergency-plans; email comments to [email protected].

Grad Inspire 2023: Join the Graduate School and Inspiration Dissemination for Grad Inspire at 3:30 p.m. March 2 at the LaSells Stewart Center. Now in its sixth year, Grad Inspire is a free event where four current graduate students share the motivations and questions behind their research in a short-format presentation. Add to your calendar. For more info visit: https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/current-students/grad-inspire

Register now for Open Education Week: Oregon State is on a mission to lower the cost of learning for students. You can join the efforts during Open Education Week from March 6-10. This annual celebration raises awareness of open educational resources and explores other important ways to make higher education more accessible and affordable to all. Sessions are hosted online. View the schedule of webinars and register today.

American Strings celebrates Women's History Month featuring Shannon McNally with Marilyn Jordan and Fiona Daly: Host Bob Santelli will talk to GRAMMY® nominated Americana musician Shannon McNally about her career and her experience navigating the many layers of the music business. Joining them will be grad student Marilyn Jordan and freshman Fiona Daley, both students in the College of Liberal Arts. 7:30 p.m. March 6 at the LaSells Stewart Center C&E Hall. Attendance limited to 200. $15 general admission, free to OSU students while seats last. Purchase tickets in advance at oregonstatecla.universitytickets.com

Attend the Think Affordable Summit on March 7: Join 300+ of your OSU colleagues for a new event focused on college affordability. The morning will start with a panel discussion, hosted by Provost Edward Feser, featuring statewide legislative and higher education leaders. Following the panel, there will be a series of lightning presentations that highlight affordability initiatives happening across OSU. You’ll leave better equipped to support OSU students — and empowered to make a real impact on the cost of higher education. This event is at capacity for in-person attendance, but you can still register to join virtually.

American Strings: An Evening with The Kingston Trio: Join University Director of Popular Music Bob Santelli in a conversation with the legendary folk group The Kingston Trio. Following the interview, the trio will perform such classics as “Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” and “Tom Dooley.” 7:30 p.m. April 18 at 7:30 p.m. in The LaSells Stewart Center C&E Hall. Attendance is limited to 200. Tickets are $25 and go on sale at 8 a.m. Feb. 27 at oregonstatecla.universitytickets.com

Lectures, Workshops, Webinars

NEW! Microbiology Ph.D. defense: Parker Smith will present “The Social Interactions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa,”  10 a.m. March 2, LPSC 402. Smith is completing his Ph.D. in microbiology under the guidance of Martin Schuster. Contact the microbiology department at [email protected] for details and the Zoom link.

NEW! HMSC Research Seminar: Marli Miller from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oregon will give a seminar entitled “Geotouring the Pacific Northwest and encountering the unexpected,” 3:30 p.m. March 2. In person at HMSC’s GVMSB Auditorium or on ZoomClick here for more information.

NEW! Department of Botany & Plant Pathology seminar series: “Language and Neighborhood Arrangements of BFFs (Bacterial-Fungal Frenemies),” presented by Nancy Keller of University of Wisconsin, 4 p.m. March 2, ALS 4001 and via Zoom. For complete schedule visit the BPP Seminar website.

NEW! One Hundred Years of Timber Culture in Oregon: Celebrating the Legacy and the Land of Maxville, Oregon: Gwendolyn Trice, executive director of the Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center, will speak on the legacy of the multiethnic logging company town of Maxville, Oregon, in 1923. In the 1920s, the Bowman-Hicks Lumber Company recruited skilled Black loggers from the southern U.S. to Wallowa County when Oregon’s Black exclusion laws were still in place. A century after the town’s founding, the Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center has purchased the land of and surrounding historic Maxville; this site is now owned by a Black-led non-profit directed by a descendant of one of the first logger families that was recruited to work at Maxville. 5:30 p.m. March 2, MU Horizon Room. A reception will follow. 

NEW! Register now for Open Education Week: Oregon State is on a mission to lower the cost of learning for students. You can join the efforts during Open Education Week, March 6-10. This annual celebration raises awareness of open educational resources and explores other important ways to make higher education more accessible and affordable to all. Sessions are hosted online. View the schedule of webinars and register today.
 
Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology seminar series
Julie Young, associate professor of wildland resources at Utah State University, will speak on “Prey-free Predators: the impacts of foraging behavior on individual, population, and community traits.” 4 p.m. March 1, Johnson 102.  Zoom: beav.es/eecb

Is College Making Us Wiser?: Join the Catholic Student Association for an online lecture with philosopher Peter Kreeft on 10 of the world’s greatest philosophers and how their wisdom can make us better people. Kreeft once wrote that “the single most important thing that makes a society good, and just, and wise, and happy is education.” 5-6:30 p.m., March 1, Zoom. Register here.

Winter 2023 Faculty Food and Fun: Beyond Accommodations: Join InclusiveExcellence@OSU for a panel discussion about the experience of students with disabilities/disabled students at OSU with Kathleen Bogart (psychology) and three student representatives from the Disabled Students Union. 4-6 p.m. March 2, MU 109 and on Zoom. More information and RSVP here.

Discovering Ancient and Modern-day Agriculture in the Heart of Mexico - Faculty-led program info session: Join OSU faculty leaders Ricardo Mata Gonzalez and Clarisa Caballero-Ignacio from the College of Agricultural Sciences for a three-credit, 12-day program in Mexico, July 10-21. Info session 5 p.m. March 2, STAG 161. For details, visit the Office of Global Opportunities (OSU GO) events calendar and the program brochure and application.

Food Drive

Win a basket: Tree-lovers can take their chances on a bountiful basket featuring three popular titles from OSU Press and OSU Extension. Enter to win “Trees to Know,” “Shrubs to Know,” and “Native and Ornamental Conifers” — plus tree-themed gifts and even a baby tree. Donate $2 per ticket or three for $5 through Give Butter (under $10) or Network for Good ($10 or more) and forward your receipt to [email protected] to get your tickets, or drop by 422 Kerr. Drawing on Feb. 28.

Pet photo contest: Check out the College of Forestry Pet Photo Contest hosted by the FERM Department. There are five categories. The price is $1 per vote for your favorite. Contact [email protected] for more information.

BEE PB&J bar: BEE's annual PB&J bar is throughout the month of February thanks to a bread donation from New Morning Bakery in 116 Gilmore Hall from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Suggested donation of $3. For more information, contact [email protected].

Quilt and art raffle: The College of Forestry invites you to visit https://www.forestry.oregonstate.edu/college-forestry-raffle or stop by the help desk located in PFSC 209 to view raffle items and buy tickets.

CCVM used book and DVD sale: Starting Feb. 1, come find your next great read or movie at the CCVM book and DVD sale. There is a large collection to pick from and books will continue to be collected. Checks can be made out to the Linn Benton Food Share. 

Printing and Mailing's Putt, Toss and Hook Tournament: Brush off your putting, bean bag tossing and/or ring hook skills, and win bragging rights and prizes. $5 for 8 putts, tosses or rings hooked. The highest scores and most accumulated points at the end of February wins. To enter and play just stop by Printing and Mailing's front office on Research Way any week day throughout the drive between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For questions, contact [email protected].

FWCS food drive raffle: Selina and Scott Heppell have once again offered a coastal fishing trip as the grand prize. Two other winners will win a beautiful gift basket designed by the department. $5 donation per entry ticket, or 5 tickets for $20. Drawing to be held March 1. Contact [email protected] with any questions.

Take Note

NEW! Health and Safety: The University Health & Safety Committee wants to promote health and safety by providing a link to 12 months of safety tips from SAIF that can be used for departmental safety training monthly to keep safety in the forefront of your team. You can also access OSU’s University Health & Safety Committee online at http://ehs.oregonstate.edu/uhsc, including past meeting minutes, information on how to contact a committee member, and a link to report safety concerns online.

NEW! New Employees: This virtual session is to orient new faculty and staff to the university. Join us to learn about the terms of your employment, employee benefits, retirement programs, and work-life resources. You will also be introduced to the Equal Opportunity & Access, Insurance Risk Management and University Ombuds teams. Union informational sessions for employees represented by Service Employees International Union and United Academics of Oregon State University are presented afterwards. Offered monthly. Registration is required. Visit the New Employee Orientation website to access orientation essentialsonboarding guides, and download a self-guided new employee orientation checklist. A checklist is also available for supervisors who are supervising new employees.

NEW! LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning is available to OSU faculty, staff, and students – for free! Leverage this online learning library to hone your soft skills and your technical and business acumen, and meet your learning and development goals. Use it to supplement your curricula. Curate content to support your programs and initiatives. Click here for step-by-step instructions for how to get started, and here for tips and tricks. Be sure to check out our curated collections and toolkit for supervisors too.

NEW! 35 years of service: Congratulations to Virginia Bourdeau, professor, for being honored for 35 years of service at OSU. You can read more about their time at OSU and others who have reached this milestone by clicking on their name.

NEW! Training Portal: OSU employees, did you know you can find learning and development opportunities with the Training Portal? The OSU Training Portal is available to faculty and staff, and located in your my.oregonstate.edu dashboard, by clicking the “Training” tab in the top right corner. Discover and search for trainings, webinars, and more – all geared towards OSU employees. Bookmark https://my.oregonstate.edu/employee/training so you can return to it often. Do you have an upcoming learning opportunity geared towards OSU employees? Reach out to [email protected] to learn how to add your event.

Notice of policy action: The university has two new policies: one on copyright and fair use determinations and one on displaying flags on university flagpoles. There are also important revisions to the policies on university housing and the acceptable use of computing resources. Want to know more? Check out and bookmark the “What’s New” section of the University Policy & Standards Manual.

2023 Environmental Writing Fellowship and Residency: Spring Creek Project, in partnership with the conservation nonprofit Oregon Wild, is accepting applications for a new year-long opportunity. The theme for this year's fellowship is Oregon's Climate Forests. Please feel free to share widely with writers who may be a good fit. Applications due by April 1. Writers can learn more and apply here

New episode of Inner Nature podcast series: The second episode of the podcast series Inner Nature features Part 2 of a conversation between Kaira Jewel Lingo and Kritee Kanko. They highlight the importance of creating small, local communities for processing grief and anger, practicing mindfulness and taking climate action. This series is produced by the Contemplative Studies Initiative and the Spring Creek Project. Listen on SpotifyApple or wherever you get your podcasts.

STEM Academy: Registration for STEM Academy's 2023 summer camps is open. Go to https://stemacademy.oregonstate.edu for more information and to register. Needs-based scholarships are available for all of our camps.

Volunteer opportunities: Join us once or weekly for a volunteer service project at Heartland Humane Shelter & Care, Room at the Inn, Parks & Recreation, Starker Arts Garden for Education(SAGE) and Habitat for Humanity. Volunteers will be maintaining space for animals and a chance to play with them, providing emergency meals and housing, enhancing parks and trails and helping grow food for low income families. The OSU Community are the intended audience for this event. Register at beav.es/cel.

Alumni Center: A central campus location for gatherings: The CH2M HILL Alumni Center is a space for any occasion — weddings, staff holiday parties, conferences, tailgates and more. Book with us to host your large event (up to 350+ people) at a venue located just across from Reser Stadium; near lodging and campus parking; and just a short drive away from downtown Corvallis, hiking areas and Willamette Valley breweries and vineyards. 

Winter 2023 Update from Vice President for Finance and Administration: Want to be an insider? Find out what Division of Finance and Administration units have been doing to help advance OSU’s goals in this update to DFA employees: https://fa.oregonstate.edu/vpfa-update-winter-2023. Each quarter, Vice President Mike Green and DFA senior leaders share project milestones, unit news, highlights, updates and coming events.

Call for Applications: Career Champions program: Applications for the spring 2023 Career Champions program for teaching faculty and instructors are now being accepted. The Career Champions program provides faculty and instructors with tangible ways to incorporate career connection into the classroom, while advancing diversity, equity and inclusion and examining the barriers to access for first-generation, high financial need, and/or students of color. More information can be found on the Center for Teaching and Learning website. Contact Brenna Gomez for more information. Apply here by March 17.    

International Women's Day: OSU is pleased to join in recognizing International Women's Day on March 8, a global day in honor of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, and a call to action for accelerating women's equality. We invite campus-wide recognition of this important day. The Marketing Toolkit provides social media and screen frames, event poster templates, Zoom backgrounds and a graphic identifier. Visit the website for more information.

Traffic and Maintenance

Washington Way closed: As part of the Washington Way Improvement project, SW Washington Way between 26th-30th streets will be closed through March. 1. Other possible impacts include noise, dust and mud near the construction site. (View map) For questions or comments on this closure, contact Construction Manager Derek Bennett at (541) 609-6111.

Jobs

This email only lists new or recently updated job postings. For a full list of current job postings for OSU Today, go to: http://today.oregonstate.edu/email/jobs To apply for the below positions, visit jobs.oregonstate.edu unless otherwise specified.

NEW! Laboratory Technician 1: The Department of Chemistry at Oregon State University invites applicants for a full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month Laboratory Technician 1. Hourly wage range is $15.59-22.62, based on experience, plus benefits. The Laboratory Technician 1 provides support to the Lab Manager, the Laboratory Coordinator, the instructors, and the graduate teaching assistants by assisting with routine duties in the undergraduate chemistry teaching labs. Posting #P04025CT. Closes March 12. 

NEW! Office Specialist 2: Admissions & Customer Service Specialist.OSU-Cascades in Bend invites applications for an Office Specialist 2: Admissions & Customer Service Specialist. This position is a full-time, 1.0 FTE, 12-month classified position. Posting #P04034CT. Closes March 13.

NEW! The College of Engineering is looking for a Desktop Support Administrator to join our IT team. This position maintains department and college-level instructional and research services, networks and systems critical to delivering on our mission. The candidate will work with an innovative team to create and maintain an infrastructure of accounts, services, wireless and conventional networks, and software that serve the college’s needs. Posting #P06521UF. Closes April 14.

Weather

“Repressive societies always seemed to understand the danger of 'wrong' ideas." ~ Octavia E. Butler

Corvallis: Snow showers before 1 p.m. today, then rain and snow, high of 38, low of 24. Partly sunny tomorrow. 

Central Oregon: Snow today, high of 36, low of 16. Mostly sunny tomorrow.

Newport: Rain and snow today, high of 41, low of 32. Mostly sunny tomorrow.

Statewide: For OSU employees around the state, find your local forecast here: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/.