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WELCOME TO OSUToday, the latest news and information for faculty and staff of The Ohio State University for Monday, April 30. The deadline for submissions is noon the prior business day.

OSUToday sponsored by OIT-Telecommunications and Networking
New international calling rates for the university’s long distance service from OIT take effect on Tuesday (5/1). While rates are decreasing overall, most international locations will now have two separate per-minute rates, a rate for calls made to traditional landline phones and a slightly higher rate for calls made to mobile devices. For complete details and rates, visit http://units.osu.edu/news/fulltext.php?story=123 or call 688-HELP and select option 2.

Headline news

HAY FEVER CAN SEND WORK PRODUCTIVITY DOWN THE DRAIN

Employers can blame hay fever for the loss of millions of hours of work productivity this spring. A new study of nearly 600 people with hay fever symptoms, including sneezing, watery eyes and runny and itchy noses, found that workers missed an hour of work per week during peak hay fever season. While missing an hour of work a week may seem small, consider that 20 to 50 million Americans suffer from at least some symptoms related to hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, said Sheryl Szeinbach, the study's lead author and OSU professor of pharmacy practice and administration. Read More >

UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES TO MEET MAY 3, 4

Ohio State’s Board of Trustees and its committees will meet on Thursday (5/3) and Friday (5/4) at the Longaberger Alumni House. The schedule includes meetings Thursday of the Affiliated Entities Committee from noon-2 p.m., the Medical Center Affairs Committee from 2-3 p.m., and the Audit Committee from 3:30-5:30 p.m. On Friday, the schedule includes meetings of the Academic and Student Affairs and the Fiscal Affairs Committees from 8-9:30 a.m., followed by the Annual Board Photograph at 9:30 a.m. The formal board meeting will begin at 9:45 a.m. in the Sanders Grand Lounge. The board will recess into executive session at 11:30 a.m.

MERSHON CENTER SPONSORS PEACE STUDIES CONFERENCE

The Mershon Center for International Security Studies is sponsoring “Peace Matters: A Forum on the Discipline and Practice of Peace and Conflict Studies,” Friday (5/11) and Saturday (5/12) at the Mershon Center. The conference, co-sponsored by the Ohio Council of Churches, is an interdisciplinary workshop on peace and conflict studies in the United States. Day one will concentrate on how the subject is taught at U.S. universities, and where it should head in the future. Day two will feature peace activists highlighting practical steps that people interested in peace can take beyond the confines of the academy. Registration is requested by Friday (5/4). Read More >

KRSTIC IS MAY 1 ECE DISTINGUISHED SEMINAR SERIES GUEST

Miroslav Krstic, University of California San Diego will present “Boundary Control of PDEs and Applications to Flows and Flexible Structures” at 2 p.m. Tuesday (5/1) in 260 Dreese Laboratory. Krstic will present new methods for designing feedback controllers for infinite-dimensional systems controlled from the boundary. He is the Sorenson Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Director of the newly formed Center for Control, Systems, and Dynamics at UCSD. Read More >

TYLKA TO DISCUSS CHANGING PERCEPTION OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY

Ohio State Marion is hosting “Changing Perception of Women in Society” from noon-1 p.m. Wednesday (5/2) in the Student Services Building, Guthery Community Room. Tracy Tylka, assistant professor of psychology at OSU Marion, will discuss the ever changing roles and perceptions of women in our society. Free pizza and drinks will be available. The event is hosted by the OSU Marion Office of Diversity, the Multicultural Club, and the Psychology Club. Contact: rowe.31@osu.edu Read More >

OSU MANSFIELD PRESENTS LATINO FESTIVAL MAY 2, 3

The OSU Mansfield Arts and Lectures Series will present a Latino Festival on Wednesday (5/2) and Thursday (5/3) at the campus. A mariachi band will perform from noon-2 p.m. Wednesday in the Eisenhower cafeteria. Later, Panama native Arturo Lindsay will deliver “An Artist's Journey on the Congo Coast of Panama" at 7 p.m. in the Conard Performance Auditorium in Riedl Hall. On Thursday, the Robert Ocasio Jazz Trio will perform a mixture of funk, fusion, salsa, mambo, and rhythm and blues from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Eisenhower cafeteria. All programs are free. Contact: Rodger Smith, (419) 755-4215

BOGDANICH TO DISCUSS FUTURE OF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

Walt Bogdanich, Ohio State alum and Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist with The New York Times will discuss “The Future of Investigative Reporting in an Era of Government Subpoenas, the Internet and Budget Cuts” at 7 p.m. Tuesday (5/8) in the Faculty Club. A reception will take place at 6:30 p.m. Bogdanich was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2005 for his series “Death on the Tracks.” The event, sponsored by the School of Communication, is free and open to the public. Reservations are required. Contact: reed.727@osu.edu or 247-8292

MINORITY AFFAIRS SEEKS STAFF FOR 2007 SUMMER ACADEMY

Minority Affairs’ Young Scholars Program is seeking mature, goal oriented and self-motivated individuals to staff the Samuel DuBois Cook 2007 Summer Academy, Sunday (7/8)-Saturday (7/21) on the Columbus campus. Camp attendees are talented high school juniors and seniors who are preparing for transition to college. Positions available include academic, clerical, residential, medical, public relations and transportation. Open interviews will be held from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday (5/10) in the Drake Union main lounge. Applications must include a resume for consideration. Contact: 292-4884. Read More >

OSU TO HOST 2007 NCAA MEN’S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Ohio State is hosting the 2007 NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship on Thursday (5/3) and Saturday (5/5) at St. John Arena. The semifinals are 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday (5/3); the championship is 7 p.m. Saturday (5/5). All session passes are $25 for adults and $18 for students. Single session passes are $15 for adults, $10 for students, and $5 for groups of 10 or more in advance. Call (800) GO-BUCKS or visit http://ohiostatebuckeyes.com.

FINAL PHASE OF NINTH AVE GARAGE RENOVATION STARTS IN MAY

Work crews will be adding a protective coating to the floor of the Ninth Avenue Parking Garage from early May-August. To accommodate the work, areas will be closed in stages. No more than 200 parking spaces will be closed at a time during peak daytime hours. During May, the garage will be closed from 6 p.m.-6 a.m. Alternate parking during evening hours is available in the 11th and 12th Avenue garages, and the South and North Cannon parking garages. There will be two-way traffic on some of the ramps in the garage during the project. Read More >