Benefits Fair showcases services

The University Staff Advisory Committee invites all staff and faculty to the seventh annual Hidden Benefits Fair. The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m Dec. 12 in the French Field House and showcases many services available to Ohio State staff and faculty. There will be more than 30 vendors, free hot dogs, soda and other items.

Parking is available at French Field House for all Ohio State permits. Admission is free.

For details, contact 688-USAC (8722) or usac@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu, or visit the Web at www.osu.edu/org/usac.

TELR WebCT server, software to get upgrade

The Technology Enhanced Learning and Research (TELR) WebCT server will be unavailable beginning at noon Dec. 18. The down time will affect all users on class.osu.edu (courses.telr.ohio-state.edu) and courses3.telr.ohio-state.edu. The server will remain offline through Dec. 21 as the University migrates to a high-end Sun Microsystems server that will provide a number of benefits, including an enterprise level platform and increased amount of disk storage space. The new system is expected to be online by Dec. 22.

At the same time, the WebCT software will switch to V3.6, Campus Edition, which will increase compliance with accessibility guidelines, among other benefits. Course content and the addresses used to log in to WebCT will not change. All files will be backed up and verified during the afternoon of Dec. 18.

For details or inquiries, please send e-mail to webct@osu.edu.

Variety of outreach grants available

Mini-seed grants to support outreach and engagement projects are available through University Outreach and Engagement. These grants will support funding up to $1,250 to support or enhance existing outreach/engagement projects, or to help pilot new projects. For application guidelines, visit the Web at http://outreach.osu.edu. Also on that site is information on applying for the University Outreach seed grants that fund projects up to $20,000. Proposals for the seed grants are due Jan. 15, 2002.

Grants to support outreach/engagement activities are also available through OSU CARES/OSU Extension (www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~osucares) and Service-Learning Course Development Grants (www.service-learning.ohio-state.edu). These proposals are due Feb. 14, 2002.

For details about the University Outreach or OSU CARES grants programs, contact Karen Bruns at bruns.1@osu.edu or 292-9613.

Plans under way for e-mail implementation

During the holiday break, the Office of Information Technology will continue with plans to install a more robust e-mail system, as previously announced. Although it will be in place on Jan. 7, it will be running in standby mode and in parallel with the current e-mail system. The extended transition period will help ensure those system capabilities and policy revisions are adequately communicated so that everyone can make optimum use of the new e-mail system when it becomes fully operational.

For details, contact the OIT Technology Support Center/Help Desk at 8help@osu.edu. For details on the full implementation, visit the Web at www.oit.ohio-state.edu/infopages/dirsrvs.html.

OSU applies military compensation bill

Ohio Gov. Bob Taft signed into law on Nov. 20 legislation ensuring that university faculty and staff who are called to active military duty beyond 30 days by presidential executive order or act of Congress experience no loss of pay or health care benefits. Previously, faculty and staff called to active military duty received a monthly pay differential of up to $500, whenever their military pay was less than their university pay.

Under the new legislation, the $500 monthly limit was removed. Therefore, during their period of active duty, faculty and staff are now entitled to the total difference between their university monthly base salary and their military monthly pay and allowances.

Ohio State is already in compliance with this legislation in order to support those called to active duty. Health care benefits continue at the same costs for coverage as if the person were not on military leave of absence. Also, under existing law, retirement contributions to the state's five retirement systems will not be required to be made by employees or employers.

Ohio State currently has 12 faculty and staff who have been alerted or called to active duty.

For details, call the Office of Human Resources at 292-1050.

University District lunch session is Dec. 12

Daryl Siedentop, director of the P-12 Project, is the featured speaker for a University District Lunch Bunch brown bag session from noon to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Campus Partners conference room, 1824 N. High St. Parking is available in the Ohio Union parking garage.

Siedentop will discuss some of P-12's initiatives, including the education policy collaborative, the database of key indicators, and the neighborhood schools Learning Bridge Program.

The P-12 Project is a University-wide partnership with the College of Education in the lead college role. It is committed to P-12 education with a special focus on the education of underserved youth.

Participants should bring their own lunch, but drinks and dessert will be provided.

For details or to RSVP, contact Barbara Millisor at 688-3041 or millisor.1@osu.edu.

Event to honor OSU 'All Century' team

Some of the greatest Buckeyes in the past 100 years of Ohio State athletics will gather at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at Value City Arena as the Touchdown Club of Columbus announces its "All-Century" teams, paying tribute to all 36 varsity sports. "Century Night" will conclude with commemoration of the greatest athlete in Ohio State history.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 10 at the Schottenstein Center Box Office and Ticketmaster Centers. To charge tickets, call (800) GO BUCKS or 431-3600, or visit the Web at www.ticketmaster.com.

New scanner unveiled at OSU Hospitals East

University Hospitals East has installed an advanced computerized tomography unit, which provides high-quality images in less time than other scanners, and with reduced exposure to radiation. Images from the scanner are stored within the scanner's computer system, essentially eliminating the need for X-ray film. The equipment's efficiency not only decreases the amount of time the patient spends inside the scanner but also quickly transmits the image to computer, where, within minutes, it can be retrieved and viewed by radiologists from nearly anywhere within Ohio State's health system.

For details, call 293-3737.

Research realigns risk protection personnel

Vice President for Research C. Bradley Moore has announced several changes associated with the Office of Research Risks Protection.

• Lynne E. Olson returned to the faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine effective Oct. 31. She had served the University as director of the Office of Research Risks Protection since 1998.

• Effective immediately, Richard D. Tallman will serve as interim director of the Office of Research Risks Protection until a thorough search for a permanent director is completed. Tallman is a faculty member in the School of Allied Medical Professions and has served as chair of the Institutional Lab Animal Care and Use Committee for the past decade.

• Effective Jan. 1, 2002, oversight of the Office of Research Risks Protection will transfer from Keith Alley, senior associate vice president for research, to Ronald Glaser, associate vice president for health sciences. This will consolidate all issues related to the responsible conduct of research under Glaser's office.

ViewPoint Bistro closed for break

The Hospitality Management Program of the College of Human Ecology and the Office of Student Affairs extend thanks to the Ohio State community for making the ViewPoint Bistro a huge success. Since it is a student laboratory, the ViewPoint has closed for the break, effective Nov. 30. It will reopen Jan. 14 with new hours, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For details, contact Patti Delano, program coordinator, at 247-7873 or delano.7@osu.edu.

GLBT Association faculty/staff lunch set

The next Association of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Faculty and Staff lunch will take place during the GLBTIA Awareness Weeks, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan 29, 2002, in the Grand Lounge of the Faculty Club.

President Brit Kirwan, Executive Vice President and Provost Edward J. Ray, and Associate Vice President for Human Resources Larry Lewellen will be in attendance. A pasta buffet will be served, including beverages, at a cost of $10 for faculty and staff and $8 for students. Payment will be accepted at the door.

RSVP to zach@osu.edu with names and e-mail addresses of your party. Seating is limited.

College creates more flexible part-time MBA

Greater flexibility and more course options -- that's what the Fisher College of Business proposes to offer future participants in what is now the Evening MBA track at Ohio State.

Major changes in the revised program -- to be called the Part-time MBA -- include elimination of prerequisite courses, more classes and greater scheduling flexibility, and a summer start-up. In addition, the Part-time MBA students will have more time to fit in the increased number of required courses. The revised program will make it easier for students to work around other obligations.

The proposed summer start time will provide the future part-time students a chance to complete a few classes before their full-time colleagues arrive on campus, as well as to receive more personal attention. Additional courses have been added to the part-time curriculum, more closely aligning the content covered with what is available in the full-time program. The length of time to complete all courses has also been expanded, from two to four years, providing the greater flexibility requested by the part-time students.

Pending University approval, the new part-time track is scheduled to take effect in June 2002.

Three information sessions have been scheduled regarding the new part-time MBA track: Jan. 23, Feb. 21 and March 21. They will be held at Gerlach Hall in the Fisher College complex beginning at 6:30 p.m.

For more information about Fisher College's MBA program, contact Terina Matthews at 292-8530, or visit the Web at http://fisher.osu.edu/academic/.