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COVID-19 website: To facilitate the ongoing sharing of information about the virus, Oregon State University has added a link on the OSU homepage to a new page that provides detailed and up-to-date COVID-19 information; links to OSU, local, state and federal resources; and updates on the latest federal travel restrictions
NEW! Today’s Timely Teaching Tip: Designing the flow of synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences in your Summer or Fall courses? Blend the live elements (e.g., Zoom sessions) with components that students interact with on their own schedules (e.g., online discussions, readings) to engage students throughout each week. Visit Keep Teaching for all the Finals Week Timely Teaching Tips.
Today in the News Media is a synopsis of some of the most prominent coverage of OSU people and programs. Inclusion of any item constitutes neither an endorsement nor a critique, but rather is intended only to make the OSU community aware of significant items in the media. Content appearing includes timely news and feature stories from broadcast, print and online sources. Occasionally, opinion pieces and first-person columns appearing in mainstream media outlets that are written by faculty members and pertain to their academic or professional expertise may be included based on their unique, informative value, timeliness and space constraints. It is not the policy of OSU Today to include Letters to the Editor.
At the start of the demonstration, Oregon State University student Aaron Olmos told the crowd that the shift in the public consciousness during the last week had been huge. “We can’t let it stop here, so let’s keep it going,” said Olmos, an OSU wrestler who is the Black Student Union’s communications director and a peer facilitator with the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center on campus.
But the fledgling marine energy industry will soon get a boost in the United States. Oregon State University’s PacWave testing facility is in its permitting home stretch and could begin construction this year. The project has received $35 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and $3.8 million from the state government of Oregon.
It also collaborates with OSU on the TRACE Program, which combines door-to-door testing and other data with analysis of sewage in an attempt to rapidly detect and assess local coronavirus outbreaks. Testing wastewater provides a more random sample for a defined geography than can be obtained from voluntary testing. The program began in Corvallis and Bend and is expanding in partnership with the health authority to other communities in the state.
Oregon State University student Jax Richards, at the young age of 19, is the owner of child welfare and rights 501c3 nonprofit Safeguard Youth – a state-based organization seeking to, in his words, “provide a platform for youth, students and abuse survivors to advocate higher quality child welfare in Oregon.”
Gardening seems to be on everyone’s mind, so if you’ve got questions, turn to Ask an Expert, an online question-and-answer tool from Oregon State University’s Extension Service.
Here in Oregon, there is no risk that if bats use your yard for feeding, and the bat house for roosting, they will out-compete birds for food sources.
PV projects linked to agriculture have thus far shown the highest potential when combined with leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach, as well as with root crops such as potatoes, radishes, beets, and carrots. This is one of the conclusions of a recent research developed on agrivoltaics by U.S. scientist Chad Higgins from the Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering at Oregon State University.
Today’s workspaces: Andrea Johnson, administrative assistant for Extension Service Outdoor School, is joined by her cat Teddy.
Rich Collins, marketing writer and content strategist for Professional and Continuing Education and his wife (also an OSU employee) have set up a makeshift work space in their 10-month-old’s nursery. “We had her changing pad on this dresser but are now using it as an impromptu standing desk since we take shifts watching her while working.” Follow OSU Today on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/osutoday1/ and catch up on any workspace photos you might have missed so far.
Department of Integrative Biology Ph.D. Defense Seminar: Claire Couch will present “From Microbes to Megafauna: The Ecology of Gut Microbiomes in Wild Herbivores” on Monday, June 8 at 10 a.m. via Zoom. Couch is completing her Ph.D. in Integrative Biology under the guidance of Anna Jolles. Free and open to the public. https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/96512826543
Ph.D. Defense – Sustainable Forest Management: Cory Garms will present his research, “Assessing the Size of Seedlings and Leaning of Mature Conifers with Unmanned Aircraft and Mobile Lidar,” on Monday, June 8, at 1 p.m. via Zoom. Garms is pursuing his Ph.D. in Sustainable Forest Management with his major professor, Bogdan Strimbu, in the Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management.
World Oceans Day Virtual Event: Celebrate and mobilize for the future health of the oceans with an OSU Science Pub virtual event honoring the United Nations’ annual World Oceans Day, June 8, 6-7:30 p.m. This evening event will feature a screening of Oregon State Production’s Heceta Bank, an OSU-produced short film, trivia, a children’s book reading, art, music, and more! Register HERE View additional OSU World Oceans Day activities and events on the Marine Studies Initiative World Oceans Day webpage HERE
NEW! SEIU meeting for all represented employees. Update on Letter of Agreement and Q&A. Wednesday, June 10, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95960473315?pwd=eHJXN0E2Y1pHNDMvSW50VUYxM1dKZz09. Meeting ID: 959 6047 3315. Password: 411905. One-tap mobile: +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma). Questions? Contact organizer Siobhan Burke 630-699-0281 or burkes@seiu503.org.
UAOSU Contract Information Sessions: UAOSU is hosting information sessions where members of the bargaining team and organizing committee will present on the new Tentative Contract (salary, promotion & tenure, research support, and more) and the proposed constitution and bylaws. Sessions will be held June 9, noon to 1:30 p.m.; and June 11, 7-8:30 p.m. Contract ratification voting is live and will continue through June 12. This is a great opportunity to learn about what is being voted on. These Zoom information sessions are for members of the bargaining unit only and pre-registration is required - links to register are above and can be found at www.uaosu.org.
Naval ROTC Spring Commissioning – Please join us on June 12 at 6 p.m. for a LIVE ceremony on Facebook, as the OSU NROTC commissions 10 midshipmen as Ensigns in the Navy and five officers as 2nd Lieutenants in the United States Marine Corps. Everyone is welcome to watch the ceremony, which will involve the oath of office, assistance into uniform by the students’ families, rendering of the first salute, and remarks from honor guests and President Ray.
Celebrate the Class of 2020: View celebratory messages from President Edward J. Ray, Board of Trustees Chair Rani Borkar and the college deans, available starting Saturday, June 13 at 10:30 a.m. on the Commencement website.
NEW! Luguang Wang – Biological & Ecological Engineering Defense: Luguang will present his dissertation, "Enhancing Hydrogen Production Using Single Chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cells by Tackling Hydrogen Scavengers” on Tuesday, June 9, 1 p.m. Luguang is completing his Ph.D. under the guidance of major professor Hong Liu, in the BEE department. You can watch Luguang’s defense via Zoom: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/98271151113. Phone Dial-In Information: 1 971 247 1195 US (Portland). Meeting ID: 982 7115 1113
NEW! Investment and PERS webinars: The Maps Credit Union CFS investment team is conducting a Weekly Webinar Series on a variety of investment topics that include current market updates. This is one way to educate yourself without leaving the comfort and safety of your own home. Tuesday, June 9, 3 p.m. - Investing With Social Responsibility; Wednesday, June 10, noon - Economic Outlook (Frist Trust); Wednesday, June 10, 3 p.m. - When is your Retirement Date? PERS Related Webinars: Tuesday, June 9, noon - PERS and Retirement Planning (Tier 1 & 2) (These are not OSU events but are tailored to OSU clients and during normal circumstances are held on campus. There is no charge.)
People and Nature Lunch Series: Tuesday, June 9, from noon to 12:50 p.m. Susie Sidder (Forest Ecosystems and Society) presents “Exploring the Social, Ecological, and Biophysical Drivers of Campsite Selection in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Wilderness Through Application of a Step Selection Function.” The lecture is free and open to all. To join the meeting, register at https://peopleandnatureosu.weebly.com/spring-2020.html. Sponsored by the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife’s Human Dimensions Lab.
Research Resumption Forum II: The Research Office will review research resumption principles and procedures, and welcome questions during substantial Q&A session. The focus is for PI’s, and open to all logged into an OSU Zoom account: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/99683017982. Forum is Tuesday June 9, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Previously recorded session and further information is available through the Keep Researching website: https://covid.oregonstate.edu/keep-researching.
Lucid Dreaming, Meditation & Insight: Learn, practice and discuss meditation and contemplative insights related to lucid dreaming. Led by Kate Gallagher, M.A. and sponsored by OSU's Contemplative Studies Initiative. Four Wednesdays: June 10, 17 and 24, 6-7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Free and open to all. Register by emailing ContemplativeStudies@oregonstate.edu. More info here.
Monthly Ice Breaker Series: The Adventure Leadership Institute invites you to learn new activities and ice breakers to encourage group development and engagement in remote or hybrid delivery settings. Check out this month’s activity, “All About Me," explained by Experiential Education Coordinator, Mark Belson. For more activities or programming opportunities, contact the ALI Challenge Course at challenge@oregonstate.edu.
Take part in OER workshops online: The OSU Open Educational Resources Unit is hosting a series of virtual workshops this month on how faculty can find or create no-cost and low-cost learning materials. Topics include implementing affordable learning materials to save students money (June 15); the Creative Commons licensing process (June 16); and reviewing and becoming familiar with open textbooks (June 17). Learn more about each workshop and register today.
No-cost access to online learning virtual conference: An institution-wide pass to the Online Learning Consortium’s Innovate conference, to be held online from June 15-26, is available for all OSU faculty and staff. OLC Innovate gathers higher education faculty, advisors and administrators throughout the U.S. to share ideas and best practices. In this virtual event, synchronous conference sessions will be available daily, and you’ll also have access to all session recordings. To learn how to register at no cost, visit the Ecampus website.
DFA Risk Appetite and Risk Assessment Tools: Train the Trainer: Insurance and Risk Management Services will facilitate a workshop for unit leaders and supervisors to provide exposure to the DFA Risk Appetite Statements and Risk Assessment Tools. Attendees will gain hands-on practice and develop the skills necessary to assist other employees in understanding and incorporating the DFA Risk Appetite Statements and Risk Assessment Tools into their work. Zoom session, June 19, 9-10:30 a.m. Registration required.
NEW! COVID-19 Disposable Facemasks are available at Chemstores: As the Corvallis campus begins to re-open, the College of Science Chemistry Department’s Chemstores is here to provide disposable face masks as well as other COVID PPE. Chemstores is located at 154 Gilbert Hall; open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Purchases are exclusively made using grant Index/activity Codes. There are no cash or card sales. An online listing of products can be found at https://chemstores.chem.oregonstate.edu/. Questions? Call 541-737-2271.
NEW! Updates to University Policies & Standards: Please visit the University Policy & Standards page to learn about recent policy updates: http://policy.oregonstate.edu/whats-new. This page is updated frequently with new developments, so we encourage you to check back regularly. Also, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter here.
2020 Award Nominations: All nomination materials for the below awards must be submitted electronically no later than June 10 to faculty.senate@oregonstate.edu.
Contact faculty.senate@oregonstate.edu with questions.
Call for Applications: Blended Learning Innovations in Pedagogy (BLIP) Faculty Fellowship. Applications for the 2020-2021 BLIP Faculty Fellow (.25 FTE) are now being accepted. The Initiative offers a teaching faculty fellow the opportunity to shape blended learning programming for colleagues across campus, in partnership with the Center for Teaching and Learning, Ecampus, Academic Technology, and the Office of Undergraduate Education. More information can be found here. Deadline to apply: July 1.
Repair Fair Virtual Edition - Archive: Did you miss our virtual Repair Fair demos? Find them here and learn some new skills! The Waste Watchers Club partnered with ASOSU’s #DIYwalkthru instagram campaign to host virtual Repair Fair demos from May 18-29, and now you can watch them all. Check out the website, Instagram @osusustainable, or our Facebook page (Sustainability at OSU), to see the videos.
Health and safety: The University Health & Safety Committee wants to promote health and safety by providing the following information from SAIF in regards to heat/cold stress before our summer heat wave starts, available online at https://www.saif.com/safety-and-health/topics/prevent-injuries/heat/cold-stress.html. You can also access OSU’s University Health & Safety Committee online at http://ehs.oregonstate.edu/uhsc, including past meeting minutes, information on how to contact a committee member, and a link to report safety concerns online.
Larry Landis, Director of the Special Collections and Archives Research Center of OSU Libraries, is retiring: After 30 years in archives at OSU, Larry Landis is retiring, and his last day is June 30. Among his many accomplishments, Larry helped to establish the Oregon Multicultural Archives in 2005, authored A School for the People: A Photographic History of Oregon State University in 2015 (available from OSU Press), and worked on various OSU150 activities. After June 30, Larry can be contacted at tro2005@gmail.com.
Summer fitness: OSU’s Faculty Staff Fitness Program is offering over 200 pre-recorded online fitness classes for 14 weeks of summer term June 15-Sept. 18. Classes range from 10, 20, 30 to 60 minutes and involve formats including Weight Training, Cardio Kickboxing, Cardio Dance (similar to Zumba), Barre Fusion, Pilates, various Yoga styles, and more. Registration is $35 and is now open via: https://health.oregonstate.edu/fsf/online.
A minute of your time = support for OSU students. Approximately one-third of OSU students have been financially impacted by COVID-19, and they need our help. All you need to do is spend a minute or two reviewing your favorite brands, and for each review submitted, Express Feedback for Good will donate $2 to the OSU Beavers Care initiative. Sign up today and voice your opinion. Your personal information will not be sold to third parties. It won’t cost you a penny, but it’ll make the world of difference for OSU students.
Teaching Infographic: See practical solutions to remote teaching issues from the Center for Teaching and Learning. The infographic provides evidence-based solutions with links to useful resources. Need assistance for finishing Spring term or developing Summer or Fall courses? For a teaching consultation, contact CTL.
New Oregon State OER services microsite: Oregon State’s Open Educational Resources Unit has launched a new services microsite to support faculty. This site serves as a comprehensive guide for working with the unit to integrate OER into courses. OSU faculty are encouraged to explore the site and learn how the OER Unit can assist, consult and collaborate. For more information, visit https://open.oregonstate.edu/services.
2020 Faculty and Staff Climate Survey: The 2020 Faculty and Staff Climate Survey launched on May 6 with an invitation from President Ray, with additional invitations from Deans and Division leaders. Please check your e-mail to access the survey link. The survey is open until June 5. Copy and paste this link to access the Office of Institutional Diversity website for past reports: https://diversity.oregonstate.edu/climate-assessment Questions about the survey can be directed to OID at diversity@oregonstate.edu.
Call for submissions: The ADVANCE Journal, hosted by OREGON STATE ADVANCE, announces a special issue in honor of the 20th anniversary of the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE program. The special issue theme is Collaborations, Collisions, and Connections. The goal of ADVANCE “is to increase the representation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers.” Additional information and submissions portal found here: https://www.advancejournal.org/post/444. Deadline for submissions is March 31, 2021.
InclusiveExcellence@OSU: IE@OSU is a professional development program for STEM faculty to understand and confront inequities in STEM education. The IE@OSU team is recruiting interested faculty for the Fall 2020 cohort of Fellows. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fall Academy is shifting to a virtual format, which will take place over the course of Fall term. More information about the program can be found here. If you are interested in participating, please click here to complete a short survey; deadline to indicate interest is Friday, June 5. Please contact program coordinator Ann Sitomer with any questions.
Faculty & Staff COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund Under IRS Code Section 139: In collaboration with the OSU Foundation, Oregon State University is offering emergency financial assistance grants through the OSU Faculty and Staff COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund. The purpose of this fund is to help regular classified and unclassified employees in our university community with unexpected needs during this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic. All classified staff, professional faculty and academic/research faculty are eligible regardless of service time or FTE. An individual must be actively employed on the date of grant distribution. Read more about the details of the program here. Student hourly employees, graduate assistants, and stipend recipients (e.g., fellows) are not eligible. There are separate programs for students located here: https://financialaid.oregonstate.edu/covid-19.
"Creativity is the answer. I always prefer the creative solution to an expensive solution." ~ Keenen Ivory Wayans, who turns 62 today.
Corvallis: Chance of showers, high of 65, low of 51. Chance of rain Tuesday.
Central Oregon: Sunny, high of 62, low of 46. Chance of rain Tuesday.
Newport: Chance of showers, high of 58, low of 50. Rain likely and breezy tomorrow.
Statewide: For OSU employees around the state, find your local forecast here: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/