Help the U save energy during the holidays

This holiday season, before leaving for the break, please turn off the lights, monitors, speakers, printers, scanners, fax machines, photocopiers, water-coolers, hot water units, and any other electrical devices that usually get left on overnight. The amount of energy that will needlessly be consumed while businesses are closed over the holidays will be bad enough without the University of Utah adding to it. Although you might not do this when you leave every night, please make time to do it when you leave this holiday season. Don’t leave machines on stand-by or in energy-saving mode as this will still draw electricity. One way to be sure everything is off is to turn them off at the outlet. Make an office plan for who will be responsible for shared equipment. With the extended break, we have a real chance to save here at the University. If you have any additional suggestions for how we can save energy on campus this holiday season, contact Bianca Shama, resource conservation specialist, or call (801) 585-1171. Happy Holidays!

The Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) has immediate full-time child care openings for 2-5 year olds. ECEC is a high quality child care program licensed by the State of Utah located in the University Student Apartments complex on Sunnyside Ave. and Foothill Blvd. near Research Park. Qualified staff members provide a stimulating learning environment from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday with meals and snacks included. After school programs and summer camp for children ages 5-8 years old are also available. Call today: (801) 581-8058.

Sixty-three year old Zhilong Xie (aka “Diane”), a former U of U research professor, died Thursday, Nov. 19, after falling out of a moving U of U shuttle bus. Although police know her name, they need your help in learning more about her. No one seems to know. Not family. Not friends. Not co-workers. Not neighbors. In fact, the only calls to Xie’s cell phone came from telemarketers. Even the Chinese Embassy has come up empty. So police have turned to the public, hoping with a little information they can find someone who was close to the woman.

Xie is originally from Harban, China, and entered the United States around 1988. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2003 and did scholastic work at universities in Pennsylvania and Virginia before coming to work at the U, where she worked part time in 1999 with the chemistry department and in 2000 in the engineering and geoscience department. She was an associate research professor in that department but never taught classes.

Xie lived on the 1200 East block of Alameda Avenue (42 South) before moving to an apartment on the 100 South block of 1300 East in Salt Lake City. Her landlord and other residents in the building did not know her well. Police have searched her home for photos, letters, and mail. They’ve reviewed her personal information at the U and her medical records but no one is listed as next of kin. They don’t know if she was employed.

Police also do not know why Xie was on campus on Nov. 19. She boarded the shuttle, which had more than 20 people on board, at the student union stop. As it turned from North Campus Drive onto Mario Capecchi Drive about 8:20 p.m., she fell out. According to police reports, she was standing at the time of the turn, apparently lost her grip, and fell against the doors. She may have hit her head on the ground. She was alive but unconscious when Salt Lake City Fire Department paramedics arrived but she died later at University Hospital.

Anyone with information about Zhilong “Diane” Xie is asked to call U of U police at (801) 585-2677.

          The information in this notice was taken from an article in The Salt Lake Tribune, Nov. 24, 2009, by Sheena Mcfarland and Scott Sherman.

Have you checked out Faculty FaceTime lately? Listen to David Rudd, new dean of the College of Social & Behavioral Science talk about the psyche of a soldier; or hear Zachary Zimmer, professor of sociology, discuss the challenges of aging. Jill Dawsey, a curator at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, talks about art at the U; and finally, there’s an entry titled “Ask the Prez.” You can guess who that is, right? And for you professors out there who might like to be interviewed, contact Taunya Dressler or call her at (801) 587-9183.

Applications due Friday, Dec. 4

Applications are now being accepted for two $500 staff scholarships for spring semester. Qualification requirements and applications are online (see the right sidebar). The application is due Friday, Dec. 4 by 2:00 p.m.

Each semester, Staff Council sponsors the two scholarships, giving employees an opportunity to learn as they work. Last semester, Darci Berg, a University employee for over 14 years, used the scholarship to take a research class in family economic issues, moving her closer to her educational goal of a BS degree in Family and Consumer Studies. Health educator Sylinda Lee used the scholarship for a course in the physiology and psychology of aging, which she is using in her work for the Department of Neurology.

The Staff Council works to enhance, promote, and support staff development, welfare, and organizational responsibilities. For additional information, contact Marcia Cook or call (801) 581-7522.

The Office of Sustainability (OS) will host a community open house to discuss a Climate Action Plan for campus on Thursday, Dec. 3, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. in the Olpin Union, Crimson View Room. Participation from the campus as well as the broader community is welcome and encouraged.

In April 2008 President Young signed the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment, setting the University of Utah on a path to reach climate neutrality. In accordance with the commitment, OS is to generate a greenhouse gas inventory and create a long-term climate action plan for campus. The baseline greenhouse gas inventory was completed last May. Now, the climate action plan process is under way. Individuals from the campus and broader community are invited to participate in the process. Six task force teams will focus on overall sustainability in the following areas:

• Energy efficiency
• Renewable energy
• Transportation
• Waste, water, grounds, and food
• Curriculum and research
• Communications

All who have an interest in the effort are encouraged to get involved with the climate action planning task teams. For additional information, contact Jen Colby or call (801) 585-9352.

Over the last two years, the Office of Information Technology (OIT), Administrative Computing Services (ACS), and the infrastructure division of Information Technology Services (ITS)—the three main groups offering IT services on campus—joined together as one unit to increase cooperation and efficiency, and offer the best possible IT service to both the academic and health sciences campuses.

Under its new name, University Information Technology (or University IT or, simply, UIT) will provide services for the campus network (wired and wireless); in some cases, the local department or college network; the e-mail gateway to campus; and UMail email, telephone services, and web hosting—to name a few. Merging the teams will increase productivity and reduce unnecessary costs.

All campus groups are welcome to use the services (a link to the list of services will be included in the Jan. 13 FYI News). “We are consolidating teams where it makes sense to do it, and keeping separate teams in the other areas,” says Mindy Tueller, communications manager for the new group. See the organizational chart online. If you have questions about the new endeavor, contact University IT and continue to visit online.