First Year Distinguished Speaker Series hosts Young

By LIZ COOK, Media Relations

Andrew Young, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, will kick off Ohio State's inaugural First Year Distinguished Speaker Series at 7:30 p.m. April 16 at Mershon Auditorium. His career includes more than 40 years in ministry, politics and civil and human rights; he will discuss his experience at the United Nations and its mission toward international peace and justice in his talk.

Young currently is chairman of GoodWorks International, a consulting group that provides strategic services to corporations and governments involved in global business operations. He is a distinguished executive fellow and honorary professor of Public Policy at Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.

Andrew Young

An ordained minister, Young served three terms in Congress and, in 1977, was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations by President Carter. Young served as the mayor of Atlanta from 1982-89 and played a key role in bringing the 1996 Summer Olympic Games to the city. A long-time activist in the civil rights movement, Young served as a top aide to Martin Luther King Jr. and serves on the board of the Center for Non-Violent Social Change named in King's honor.

He has published two books, A Way Out of No Way and An Easy Burden. His awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Legion d'Honneur and more than 45 honorary degrees.

While in Columbus, Young also will meet with Ohio State students and attend a private dinner and reception. The event is sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience.

For information on ticket availability, contact Laura Lembo Kraus at 292-3343 or visit Enarson Hall from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Urgent communications link added to Web site

A new addition to the university's Web site for urgent communications to faculty, staff and students is a question and answer page designed to provide facts about safety and other up-to-date information.

Topics are: preparations and communication, information for international students, support services, discrimination and harassment, and military call-up. Look for the Q&A link on the site at www.osu.edu/urgent.

Ellis Cose to deliver diversity lecture

Ellis Cose, author, journalist and contributing editor to Newsweek, will deliver "The Envy of the World: On Being a Black Man" at 9 a.m. April 15 in the Conference Theater of the Ohio Union. The event is part of the President and Provost's Diversity Lecture Series.

For details, contact Frank Hale Jr. at 688-4255, or visit the Web at www.osu.edu/diversity/buffer2.html.

OHR open enrollment currently under way

Throughout the month of April, eligible Ohio State faculty and staff may make enrollment and coverage changes to their benefit plans. Benefit materials were scheduled to arrive in campus mailboxes before or during the first week of April. Faculty and staff can review their existing coverage and make medical, dental and vision plans and Flexible Spending Accounts election changes online at http://hr.osu.edu/oe/home.htm.

The online enrollment system will require an employee ID number, which can be found on university paychecks or through departmental Human Resource contacts. All changes become effective July 1.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend an Open Enrollment Forum to learn about the benefit changes that will be effective July 1. The forum schedule is available on the Open Enrollment site.

For assistance, contact the Human Resources Customer Service Center at 292-1050, (800) 678-6010 or service@hr.osu.edu.

ADA Coordinator's Office hosts conference

The ADA Coordinator's Office is hosting a Multiple Perspectives on Access, Inclusion, & Disability conference April 15-16 at the Pfahl Executive Conference Center. The keynote speaker is John Wodatch, chief of the Disability Rights Section, U.S. Department of Justice.

Program topics include disability studies, accessible housing, Web access, and disability and diversity initiatives.

Lunch is provided.

For more information, contact Scott Lissner at 292-6207, 688-8605 (TTY), 688-3665 (fax), ADA-OSU@osu.edu, or visit the Web at http://ada.osu.edu.

Self defense courses offered by REPP

Ohio State's Rape Education and Prevention Program is offering free self-defense courses to women in the Columbus community. Participants will learn mental, verbal and physical self-defense skills.

Two five-week courses will be held this spring. The Tuesday course from 6-8 p.m. began April 8 in the Ohio Union, room Gray K in the lower basement. The Thursday course will meet from 6-8 p.m. beginning April 10 in Pomerene Hall, third floor gym.

For details or to register, contact Lisa Hinkelman at 292-0479 or e-mail REPP@osu.edu.

Harris to address AFPW luncheon

Gene Harris, superintendent of public education in Columbus, will deliver "Gender Issues in Education" at the April 24 Association of Faculty and Professional Women luncheon. The event will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the Grand Lounge of the Faculty Club. The reservation deadline is April 18.

Members and guests may bring daughters participating in "Take a Daughter to Work Day" to the luncheon at no extra cost. Reservations are required. For details or a reservation form, visit the AFPW Web site at http://afpw.osu.edu.

Les Brown to discuss early cancer diagnosis

Les Brown, a renowned professional speaker, author, television personality and cancer survivor, will speak about the importance of early cancer diagnosis, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. April 15 at The Blackwell.

The public is invited to this free event, sponsored by The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

Parking and admission are free, but seating is limited. Register by calling the Jamesline at 293-5066.

OPERS information sessions scheduledThe Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) will be presenting 90-minute information sessions to discuss the two additional retirement plan options added in January. Staff members with fewer than five years of state service are eligible. Sessions will be held:

• April 24: 3:30 p.m., 112 Meiling Hall

• May 23: 11:30 a.m., 110 Orton Hall

• June 6: 11:30 a.m., 518A James Cancer Hospital

• June 20: 11:30 a.m., 100 Stillman Hall

The enrollment deadline for current OPERS members with less than five years of service as of December 31, 2002, is June 30. The enrollment deadline for staff who established OPERS membership on or after January 1 will have 180 days from the date of hire.

For more information, contact the OPERS Help Line at (866) 673-7748. For a schedule of additional forums throughout Ohio visit www.opers.org.

Financial workshop scheduled for May 8

The Office of Human Resources is continuing its free financial planning series with a May 20 workshop, "How Medicare Coordinates with STRS-OH/OPERS Health Care at Retirement," to be held at noon in 0100 Jennings Hall.

To register, contact 247-7961 or admin@hr.osu.edu, or visit the Web at http://hr.osu.edu/finseries.htm.

Staff and faculty career mentors needed

The Learning Bridge Career Mentoring Program is currently searching for staff and faculty to provide campus-area high school students career-related mentoring/internship experiences. The Learning Bridge is part of the OSU P-12 initiative.

Mentors are especially needed during April 18-28 and after June 6 when students from the Columbus Public Schools are on break. Some fields students have expressed interest in include: biology, health care, medical research, athletic training, physical therapy, journalism, psychology, law, pharmacy, business, engineering, and computer science.

The commitment level on the part of the mentor is meant to be both minimal and meaningful. The program will screen, match, and assist in the necessary arrangements according to interest and design. For details, contact Jeff Bennett, program coordinator, at bennett.48@osu.edu.

Weinland Park clean-up day is April 12

A Weinland Park Community Clean-Up event will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. April 12. Volunteers are asked to meet at Weinland Park Elementary School, 211 E. Seventh Ave.

Refreshments, frisbees and a live WNCI broadcast are scheduled.

For details, call 299-5940.

Marklin to deliver ergonomics lecture

Richard W. Marklin, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Marquette University, will deliver "Ergonomics for Overhead Line Workers in the Electric Power Industry" from 3-4 p.m. April 16 in 263 Dreese Laboratories. The lecture is presented by the Institute for Ergonomics.

This presentation will showcase successful ergonomic interventions generated and implemented by the ergonomics team at We Energies (formerly Wisconsin Electric/Wisconsin Gas).

Marlin received his Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Ohio State in 1991.

For details, contact the Institute for Ergonomics at 292-4565 or ergonomics@osu.edu.

Geology department hosts annual lecture

Mary Lou Zoback, senior research scientist for the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Team, will present "Lithospheric Buoyancy and Continental Intraplate Stresses," and "Grand Challenges in Earth and Environmental Sciences" at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively, April 17, as part of the Department of Geological Sciences annual Bownocker Lecture Series.

Both lectures are free and open to the public, and will be held in 100 Mendenhall Lab.

For additional information, call 292-2721, e-mail geology@osu.edu, or visit the Web at www.geology.ohio-state.edu.

Optometry holds open house April 27

The College of Optometry will host its annual Open House from 1-4 p.m. April 27 in Fry Hall.

This event welcomes those interested in optometry to visit the college and speak with students, faculty, staff and alumni, and tour the facility, including classrooms, labs, examination rooms and clinics. Exhibits and admissions and financial aid criteria will be featured. The program is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Twaina Harris, Sally Haltom or Paul Todd at 292-2647.