Stay informed about COVID-19

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 page that provides detailed and up-to-date COVID-19 information; links to OSU, local, state and federal resources; and updates on the latest federal travel restrictions.

NEW! Today’s Timely Teaching Tip: Want to start getting your Fall term courses ready in Canvas? Use the OSU Remote and Hybrid Teaching Template to streamline your development of well-structured courses that embody best practices in hybrid and remote teaching. Visit the Teaching Faculty website for all the Mid-Summer Timely Teaching Tips.

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. 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. 
 

Facial paralysis gave me a 'mask-like face' (Psychology Today)

A piece by Kathleen Bogart, an associate professor of psychology at Oregon State University.
 

Climate Change: Mind-blowing warnings from Arctic and Antarctica (Common Dreams)

Andrew Thurber, from Oregon State University, who led the research published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, said “It is not good news…The methane cycle is absolutely something that we as a society need to be concerned about. I find it incredibly concerning.” (see also Weather Channel)
 

OSU to address earthquake readiness with new funding (KEZI)

Oregon State University just received $1.4 million to address earthquake readiness and other challenges. The money will help researchers understand the physics of earthquakes, which would provide insights on how to build infrastructure to ensure resilience. (see also KTVZKVAL)
 

5 myths about the protests in Portland (Ms. Magazine)

A piece by OSU faculty Susan Shaw, Emily Yates-Doerr, Cari Maes and doctoral student Andie Thompson.
 

For rufous hummingbirds, migration looks different depending on age and sex (Science Daily)

Plucky, beautiful and declining in numbers at about a 2% annual rate, the rufous hummingbird makes its long annual migration in different timing and route patterns based the birds' age and sex, new research by Oregon State University shows.
 

How data analytics is helping universities restart sports (Ed Tech)

Oregon State University is one example of a university that has managed to bring student-athletes back to campus for practice this summer without a resulting outbreak. In addition to following the NCAA’s official guidelines on how to safely restart college sports, schools including OSU are using data to not only optimize athletic programs but also to create COVID-19 screening tools that can protect student-athletes as campuses reopen.
 

Japanese scientists discover how hydrogels 'mimic biological functions' (Science Times)

However, many scientists refuse to accept this theory and its links to homeopathy. Professor May Nyman from Oregon State University said, 'I don't believe in water memory, because water molecules move. They're constantly rotating with respect to each other, forming hydrogen bonds, breaking hydrogen bonds.'
 

Study finds fewer COVID-19 cases in Newport after June outbreak (KGW)

Random door-to-door sampling done by researchers at Oregon State University during the outbreak showed a high prevalence of the virus in the community. The study suggested about 3.4% of people were infected. "3.4 percent prevalence does threaten the whole town and other towns in the state that are connected to it by travel," explained Ben Dalziel. 
 

ACT closes registrations (Inside Higher Ed)

"Please don't test. You don't need an SAT or an ACT," Jon Boeckenstedt, vice provost of enrollment management at Oregon State University and a long-standing critic of standardized testing, wrote recently on his blog: "Last night news broke that two students in Edmond, Oklahoma had tested positive for Coronavirus after taking an ACT. It doesn't mean they contracted the virus there. It doesn't even mean they necessarily exposed other students who took the test, although both are possible. It demonstrates that you can and should limit your social contact whenever you can, and that means not sitting in a testing center for a whole afternoon. Don't take risks you don't need to."

Five recent publications from OSU (Herald and News)

Historically, much of Oregon State University’s horticultural and agricultural information has been more relevant to western parts of the state. In recent years, significant effort has been made to focus on Oregon’s eastern two-thirds, where growing conditions are quite different.

Today's photos


Today’s workspaces: Sandy Cobb, research fiscal officer in the Research Office, shares her home office workspace with new co-worker, Bailey, an 8-week-old Beagle.  “It turns out that she is a bit of a slacker.”

“Jack (circus dog in MY chair), Hunter (lurking under the table), and Houdini (hogging the dog bed) have been helping me update and facilitate the Search Advocate program,” says Anne Gillies with the Search Advocate program. Follow OSU Today on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/osutoday1/ and catch up on any workspace photos you might have missed so far. 

Today

Investment webinars: The Maps Credit Union CFS investment team is conducting a Weekly Webinar Series on a variety of investment topics that include current market updates. Wednesday, July 29, noon - Economic Outlook - State of the Markets (Brighthouse)Wednesday, July 29, 3 p.m. - Wealth Transfer - Take charge of your legacyThursday, July 30, noon - Investing With Social Responsibility. This is one way to educate yourself without leaving the comfort and safety of your own home. (These are not OSU events but are tailored to OSU clients and during normal circumstances are held on campus. There is no charge.)

Events

NEW! Free Virtual Nutrition Counseling: The OSU dietetic interns will be providing free Zoom counseling appointments to OSU faculty/staff/alumni and their immediate family members on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the weeks of Aug 10 and Aug 17. Contact [email protected] if you would like to schedule a session. Sessions can count toward your HEM requirements.

Bard in the Yard: Oregon State University’s Bard in Quad presents a fully immersive, audio-only production of “Macbeth,” available for download on all major podcast platforms through OSU theatre’s “Dam the Distance” podcast feed starting Aug. 14. The production has been made possible through support from the OSU Memorial Union and Block 15 Restaurant and Brewery. Virtual tickets for the podcast are available at bardinthequad.org. Patrons can name their own price to help support OSU theatre during this challenging time. The full audio drama production will be available Aug. 14 for download through OSU Theatre’s Dam the Distance podcast feed which can be found through the Bard in the Quad website, Apple podcasts, and all major podcast platforms.

Lectures, Workshops, Webinars

Weight Watchers: WW (Weight Watchers) has launched new private virtual workshops for PEBB members. Get ready to see some familiar faces and join together for a weekly workshop guided by a WW Coach. Move closer to your weight-loss and wellness goals in this fun, supportive and private live Virtual Workshop. Current WW Members can view the Workshop schedule by joining PEBB’s Connect Group here.

Faculty Staff Fitness: OSU’s Faculty Staff Fitness Program is starting in-person fitness programming on campus July 20-Sept. 18. Registration is open. Please see https://health.oregonstate.edu/fsf/schedule/summer for the full list of classes. Not going to campus? FSF 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.

Diversity, equity and inclusion workshop: Oregon State University – Cascades will host a three-day diversity, equity and inclusion workshop for business leaders and community members interested in furthering their knowledge of social equality. OSU-Cascades business instructor Erika McCalpine will lead the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Intensive workshop. It will be offered via Zoom from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 3-5 and Aug. 17-19. Registration for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Intensive is $300 per person and each three-day session is limited to 40 participants. Registration closes July 31 for the Aug. 3-5 session, and on Aug. 14 for the Aug. 17-19 session. To register, visit OSUcascades.edu/dei-intensive. For information, contact [email protected].

Core Curriculum for Current OSU Supervisors and Managers: Consists of online modules followed by 4 half-days of classroom training via Zoom. Topics include the performance management cycle (position descriptions, expectations/standards, engagement, appraisals, and integration), equal employment and affirmative action, ADA, discrimination and misconduct, safety and compensation, and supervising represented employees. Aug. 10-13 via Zoom, 8:15 a.m. to noon each day. Registration required; closes Aug. 7.

Clean Water conference: Applications are now being accepted to host project display pages at the 2020 Oregon State Clean Water Virtual Conference, which will take place Sept. 1, 2020. If you are working on a project related to clean and sustainable water technology, this is an opportunity for you to share your work with a wide audience of industry professionals, faculty, students, alumni, and the public. Learn more at engineering.oregonstate.edu/cleanwater2

Managers as Leaders: Applications for Managers as Leaders 2020 are now being accepted. Managers as Leaders is a skill-building course for managers and supervisors. It integrates 6 day-long class sessions with online learning and on-the-job practice.  It features team-learning, mentors, and practical tools. All managers/supervisors are encouraged to apply. Contact Kristen Magis for more information. Submit online applications on the Managers as Leaders webpage between now and Sept. 4. 

Free, self-paced, online training: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Remote Work Environments: The recent pandemic has caused a massive, sudden shift to remote work for many companies. This shift impacts efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, both in positive and potentially challenging ways. The OSU Center for the Advancement of Women in Leadership created this short (15 minute), self-paced training directed at managers, employee resource group members, HR professionals, and anyone invested in DEI work in their organization. It provides an overview of remote work and DEI, ways in which remote work can promote and challenge DEI efforts, and a series of practical strategies designed especially for promoting inclusion in remote workplaces. Register for the training. Then, join our Slack community to keep the conversation going.

Tier Two workshops, New Tier One dates, Remote delivery of Social Justice Education workshops is happening now: See the schedule and register for Zoom workshops through fall 2020 here. See three brand new Tier Two collaborations created for our community today. The SJEI is an excellent foundational professional development program for all faculty, staff and graduate students. Join your colleagues to begin, or expand, your equity and inclusion journey. Interested in this work for your unit? Contact SJEI director Jane Waite for further information: [email protected]

Search Advocate Workshops: More OSU Search Advocate workshops are now available by Zoom. 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 sequence of four 4-hour Zoom workshops. 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.

Take Note

NEW! COVID-19 Disposable Gloves 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 gloves 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.

NEW! Got 10 minutes? Want to know what you can eat to positively affect your immune system? CPHHS professor and Linus Pauling Science Center Director Emily Ho shares the science behind how food can affect our immune system in this 10-in-10 episode – 10-minute recorded conversations with CPHHS faculty about health and well-being in the time of novel coronavirus. Watch it here.

What’s Next? A new podcast tells OSU alumni stories: Seizing opportunities is what Oregon State alumni do. Take a closer look at the dreams, achievements and advice of Beaver grads in the brand-new What’s Next? podcast. Check out the first few episodes, and subscribe to hear more. Host Cody Stover, ’15, talks with successful alumni, like Willen Sin, ’13, a fan turned game operations and events manager for the Portland Trailblazers; and Sydney Wiese, ’17, former OSU Women’s Basketball star point guard and current WNBA Los Angeles Sparks player. Listen in at osualum.com/WhatsNext

Free online, self-paced training: Recruiting Diverse Talent: Research links workforce diversity to multiple indicators of employee satisfaction and financial health. This short online training from the Center for the Advancement of Women in Leadership helps search committee members and managers understand why diversity makes good business sense, how implicit bias can impact the recruitment process, and offers strategies for addressing bias in the hiring process to recruit talented, diverse candidate pools. Register today, and let us know your thoughts by joining our Slack community as well.

Master Recycler class: Would you like to learn all about waste reduction, reuse and recycling to help spread change in our community? Secure your spot in this annual class, now on Zoom. Monday nights, Sept. 28-Dec. 7 plus two Thursday Q&A sessions. Free to residents of Linn and Benton County who agree to “pay back” what they learned by completing 30 hours of volunteer service. Visit http://tiny.cc/recycclass for more details and to sign-up.

OSU Libraries announces summer services: From July 20-Sept. 7, the Valley Library will be closed but study spaces will be open in Java II and outdoors on the library plaza.  We’ll continue our digital services. We’ll continue to offer interlibrary loan and Scan and Deliver services, and to mail physical items to users. Book drops will be open. Due dates are extended until the building reopens. We’ll process purchase requests. More info is at https://library.oregonstate.edu/osu-libraries-announces-summer-schedule.

Carol Leder retirement: Carol Leder has served as the head advisor in the College of Business since 2013, and worked in the College since 2001. Her last day will be July 29. Due to COVID-19, the College will not be holding any farewell gathering. However, if you would like to say any thank yous or goodbyes please send them directly to her via email ([email protected]) before that date. The new COB head advisor is Kyle Ross.

Traffic and Maintenance

UPDATED! Summer paving: As part of the summer 2020 parking lot paving schedule, parking lot closures for asphalt renewal are planned for the following parking lots: #3278 (Sports Complex East), #3205 (Adams Northeast) and #3313 (Bates North). The lots will be fully or partially closed for construction and planned closure durations are subject to change as construction proceeds. Work for lot #3313 (Bates North) is scheduled to start on Thursday, July 23 and continue through Tuesday, Aug. 11. Work for lot #3205 (Adams Northeast) is scheduled to start on Friday, Aug. 7 and continue through Wednesday, Aug. 26. Work for lot #3278 (Sports Complex East) is scheduled to start on Friday, Aug. 7 and continue through Tuesday, Sept. 1. For questions or comments on this closure, contact Infrastructure Project Manager Aaron Collett at 541-207-2780.

Irish Bend Covered Bridge Rehabilitation: Construction is scheduled to begin on the Irish Bend Covered Bridge along SW Campus Way on July 6, lasting until September. The bridge rehabilitation includes installing a fire suppression system, repainting and repairs to the wood structure. The covered bridge and Campus Way Path will be closed; SW Campus Way will remain open.

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.

Weather

“It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; they will make it if they cannot find it.” ~ Charlotte Bronte.

Corvallis: Sunny today, high of 94, low of 57. Sunny tomorrow.

Central Oregon: Sunny today, high of 94, low of 66. Sunny tomorrow.

Newport: Patchy fog and then mostly sunny, high of 67, low of 50. Sunny tomorrow.

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