Interim CIO says most units are Y2K ready

The man responsible for keeping track of more than 300 Y2K Ohio State coordinators from various colleges and administrative units says most have met an Oct. 1 deadline to be Y2K ready.

"As of Oct. 1, 92 percent are ready with respect to remediation and contingency planning," said Jim Davis, interim chief information officer.

He said the 8 percent that are not yet ready is not due to internal problems, but external problems such as waiting on delivery of vendor software or new computers. Davis said most of the delays will last only a couple of more weeks.

To minimize any possible computer problems related to Y2K, the University will delay the start of winter quarter classes by two days. Winter quarter classes will begin on Jan. 5, 2000.

All University offices and operations will be open as usual on Jan. 3 and 4. Any faculty or staff with questions about their work schedule, should contact their academic or administrative office.

For more information about the delay in winter quarter classes, call 1-877-OSUCLAS (1-800-678-2527.) This number will be activated Dec. 1, and will be staffed 24 hours a day from Dec. 29 to Jan. 5.

New campus clinic set to open Nov. 1

University Health Connection (UHC), a new clinic providing care to faculty and staff, will open Nov. 1 in room 100 of Parks Hall. An open house to celebrate the clinic's opening will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 15.

UHC will serve as a convenient center for immediate and preventative health care by a team of medical professionals, and as an information resource for employees with questions concerning utilization of their Ohio State health benefits.

All Ohio State faculty and staff enrolled in a University health plan are eligible to use the clinic.

Urgent care and walk-ins will be treated from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Appointments and special services will be offered from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information, call 688-0300.

GLBT holds town meeting Oct. 26

For the first time, members of Ohio State's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) student population will have the opportunity to share their experiences and concerns with University officials at a town meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 26 in the Ohio Union Conference Theatre.

Willa Young, director of Student Gender and Sexuality Services, will moderate the discussion.

Panelists will include President Kirwan; Edward J. Ray, executive vice president and provost; David Williams II, vice president for student and urban/community affairs; Martha Garland, vice provost and dean of undergraduate studies; Sile Singleton, coordinator of GLBT student services; and Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Co-Chairs Bridget Strathman and Matt Teaman.

A reception with refreshments will follow the meeting.

Career development grants available

All part- and full-time staff on regular appointments with at least two years of continuous employment with Ohio State by January are eligible to apply for a Staff Career Development Grant.

Deadline for submitting applications for next year's grants is Nov. 5. The grants are awarded to assist staff members with costs related to professional development.

Applications are available in the vice presidents' and deans' offices; University Hospitals Human Resources offices at 141 Means Hall and 3-083 Battelle; and the Human Resources Customer Service Center in the Archer House lobby.

An application form is available on the Web at www.ohr.ohio-state.edu/special/specevents.htm.

Deadline for OSU poll questions is Nov. 17

The Ohio State Center for Survey Research is accepting submissions for questions to be placed on the current academic year's OSU Poll. The annual poll provides a cost-effective mechanism for faculty, units and departments within the University to collect data for scholarship and various planning purposes.

More than 1,200 randomly selected respondents are interviewed, including faculty, staff, undergraduate students, and graduate and professional students.

To submit questions, or for additional information, contact Brian Harpuder at 292-6672 or by e-mail at Harpuder.1@osu.edu, or Eric Stewart at Stewart.132@osu.edu.

Deadline for questions is Nov. 17.

University salutes veterans on Nov. 10

The Ohio State Office of Veterans Affairs is sponsoring Veterans Appreciation Day activities from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow. Special guest speaker will be John F. Guilmartin Jr., a faculty member in the Department of History and a U.S. Air Force pilot during the Vietnam War.

Further information is available at the VA Clinic, veterans service organizations, ROTC departments, VA counseling and various OSU departments.

Free pizza and soft drinks will be served. Guests are welcome.

Dancing Web event includes training

Ohio State's Office of Technology Enhanced Learning and Research (TELR), WebCT and Apple Computer will present the Dancing Web Conference Nov. 4-6 at the Fawcett Center. The conference will include three days of Web content creation for instruction.

Sessions will include hands-on training with WebCT 2.0, a new update of software used by 800 institutions for creating sophisticated educational environments; the Apple Quick Time 4.0 streaming media content creation tool; presentations by faculty and course developers experienced with WebCT and QuickTime; and interactive sessions combining hands-on training and presentations on online instruction.

WebCT and Apple will host evening receptions, filled with features and swing dancing.

To register, check the Web at www.telr.ohio-state.edu.edu/.

Mini grants available from student group

The Ohio State Student Wellness Center's Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program is making available research and curriculum mini-grant funding for faculty. Grant proposals must focus on alcohol and other drug prevention issues.

Grant recipients may receive up to $500 in grant funds, and projects may begin as soon as the winter quarter.

Applications are available at the OSU Student Wellness Center, 1875 Millikin Road, room 108. The deadline for proposal submission is Nov. 15.

For more information, call Stacy Urben 292-4527 or e-mail urben.1@osu.edu.

Gender specialist visits campus Oct. 25

An informal meeting featuring a conversation with Rae Lesser Blumberg will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Oct. 25 in 385 Bricker Hall. The event is sponsored by the Association for Women in Development (WID) at Ohio State; the Comparative Social Change Group and the Gender, Race, Work and Inequality Group of the Department of Sociology; and the Department of Women's Studies.

Blumberg is known as one of the world's experts on gender issues and development. She has been a consultant to the Women and Development program offices of USAID and World Bank and to other United Nations offices. Her research and theories of gender stratification and gender development have been influential in defining policy and programs that target women.

She will discuss her research and the current status and future of WID policy and programs.