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Archive for October, 2015

UT named a Top Military-Friendly University

For the third consecutive year, The University of Toledo has been named a Top Military-Friendly University by Military Advanced Education & Transition.

“A record number of schools responded to our extensive survey, and MAE&T staff evaluated each submission by our strict criteria,” said Kelly Vodel, editor of the magazine. “Schools are evaluated by their achievement in military culture, financial aid, flexibility, general support services, on-campus support and online support services.” MilitaryFriendly

While this designation underscores the efforts of the University and the Military Service Center, officials are continually looking to expand services to service members, veterans and their families.

“Being named a Top Military-Friendly University is a testament to the commitment of the University’s administration, staff and faculty,” said Navy Reserve Lt. Haraz N. Ghanbari, UT director of military and veteran affairs. “Our students bring a wealth of experience to the classroom, and we remain grateful for their service to our nation.”

The Military Service Center serves as a one-stop shop for those eligible to receive Department of Defense or Department of Veteran Affairs educational benefits. Located in Rocket Hall, the center works closely with Adult, Transfer and Military Admission, Online Admission, and the various support and academic offices throughout the University.

“The support for our current service members, veterans and their families extends beyond the sidewalks of the University,” Ghanbari said. “The relationships we have with various organizations in the community are invaluable. We are extremely thankful for the many individuals and companies who continue to invest in the future of our students.”

For more information about the Military Service Center, visit utoledo.edu/call/military or call 419.530.VETS (8387).

Media Coverage
The Blade (Oct. 23, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Oct. 26, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Nov. 11, 2015)


Comets and Rosetta Mission topic of Oct. 21 talk

Dr. Joel Parker, space mission manager and director at the Southwest Research Institute, will talk about comets and the ongoing Rosetta Mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21 in The University of Toledo’s Driscoll Alumni Center Auditorium.

“Comets are these icy/rocky bodies left over from the formation of the solar system,” said Dr. Michael Cushing, director of the Ritter Planetarium and associate professor of astronomy. “They formed early on in the history of the solar system and very little has happened to them in the four and a half billion years since. By studying these nearly pristine relics from that time, we can learn something about how the solar system formed.”

Parker will talk about the ongoing research on comets and the current European Space Agency Rosetta Mission that is the first in history to orbit a comet.

“There have been many missions where a spacecraft has flown by a comet, but this time we’ve actually gone into orbit around one and even dropped a lander on its surface,” Cushing said.

The free, public seminar is part of the UT Department of Physics and Astronomy’s Colloquium Series.


Pulitzer Prize-winning author to speak Oct. 22

Drawing from life experience is a theme in an American author’s work that he will discuss this week at The University of Toledo.

Novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and teacher Richard Russo will be featured in the UT Jesup Scott Honors College Distinguished Lecture Series 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22.

Russo

With several distinguished achievements under his belt — including a Pulitzer Prize for his 2001 novel titled Empire Falls — Russo knows the key to good literature.

He will discuss his 1997 book, Straight Man. The novel tells the tale of William Henry Devereaux Jr., a reluctant chairman of the English Department in an underfunded Pennsylvania college, who in the course of a week has his nose mangled by an angry colleague, imagines his wife is having an affair with the dean, and wonders if an adjunct is trying to seduce him with peach pits. All of this leads to the pinnacle where he threatens to kill one of the campus ducks every day on television until his departmental budget is finalized.

“I’m looking forward to talking about my novel Straight Man with the good folks at The University of Toledo, where I plan to kill a duck a day until my demands are met,” Russo joked.

His talk and all lectures in the series will take place in Doermann Theater, located in University Hall on Main Campus. Space is limited for the free, public lectures, so attendees are encouraged to register for tickets in advance at utoledo.edu/honorslecture.

“Richard Russo is well-known within academic communities for this book, Straight Man. Its setting is a fictionalized university within the Midwest,” said Kelly Moore, interim dean of the Jesup Scott Honors College.

“Richard Russo is a keen observer of what is around him. Often we take for granted what we see, hear or do every day. He is also a writer who reminds us of the importance of paying back — gratitude for those individuals and places that helped to shape us is often overlooked in our 24/7 environment.”

Two more speakers are set for the 2015-16 Honors College Distinguished Lecture Series lineup:

  • Monday, Feb. 1 — Steve Wozniak, a Silicon Valley icon and entrepreneur. Wozniak is known for co-founding Apple Computer Inc. with Steve Jobs.
  • Tuesday, April 5 — Ann Bancroft, one of the world’s pre-eminent polar explorers. Bancroft is an internationally recognized leader who is dedicated to inspiring women, girls and audiences around the world to unleash the power of their dreams.

For additional information, visit utoledo.edu/honorslecture or call 419.530.2738.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Oct. 21, 2015)
The Independent Collegian (Oct. 28, 2015)


UTMC praised for its cancer care

The University of Toledo Medical Center is being lauded for providing quality care to cancer patients.

UTMC was recently presented with the 2015 Outstanding Achievement Award by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.

UTMC is one of a select group of only 20 U.S. health care facilities with accredited cancer programs to receive this national honor for surveys performed Jan. 1 to June 30. The award acknowledges cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top cancer centers in the United States,” said Allen Seifert, administrative director of the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. “We take immense pride in offering life-saving care because our patients and their treatment and recovery is always our No. 1 priority.”

The purpose of the award is to raise awareness on the importance of providing quality cancer care at health care institutions throughout the U.S. In addition, it is intended to:

  • Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care;
  • Facilitate dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices;
  • Encourage honorees to serve as quality-care resources to other cancer programs; and
  • Educate cancer patients on available quality-care options.

Seifert said UTMC specializes in treating a variety of cancers that include blood cancer, lung and respiratory cancer, breast cancer, urinary system cancer and prostate cancer, among others.

UTMC is the only hospital in town offering an innovative non-invasive radiosurgery treatment option using the latest technology.

The Edge radiosurgery system can destroy tumors — smaller than half a centimeter — with high doses of focused radiation beams. The high-dose radiation can target difficult-to-reach tumors, such as those in the brain, with better precision radiation treatments that can be just 15 minutes, compared to one hour for other types of radiation therapy.

“Our 2015 Outstanding Achievement Award solidifies our standing as one of the top cancer centers, but it doesn’t mean we are going to stop improving,” Seifert said. “We always strive to provide the highest level of cancer diagnosis, treatment and support.”


Legal controversies over Nazi-looted art to be discussed Oct. 20 at UT

Attorney Ray Dowd will discuss recent federal litigation and international developments involving the unfinished business of World War II and the legacy of the Holocaust.

His free, public talk, “Who Should Profit From the Holocaust? Legal Controversies Over Nazi Art Looting,” will take place Tuesday, Oct. 20, at noon in the Law Center McQuade Law Auditorium.

The problem of unrestituted Nazi looted art is one facing museums, governments and private collectors worldwide.

In 1998, the issue hit the front pages of the world press when District Attorney Robert Morgenthau seized two works at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This seizure led the U.S. State Department under the Clinton administration to convene 44 countries and prominent art world players to sign on to the Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art.

In the wake of the Washington Conference, many countries created commissions to oversee restitution of Nazi-looted art.

Dowd is a partner in the law firm of Dunnington Bartholow & Miller LLP in New York City. His practice consists of federal and state trial and appellate litigation, arbitration and mediation.

He served as lead trial counsel in notable cases involving art law, copyrights, trademarks, cybersquatting, privacy, trusts and decedents estates, licensing, corporate, and real estate transactions. He has litigated questions of Austrian, Canadian, French, German, Italian, Russian and Swiss law and handled matters in Surrogate’s Court, including Matter of Flamenbaum (2013), recovering an ancient Assyrian tablet for the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.


UT to celebrate White House Astronomy Night Oct. 19

The University of Toledo is joining hundreds of planetariums across the country for “White House Astronomy Night: A Celebration of Science, Technology and Space” on Monday, Oct. 19.

Join President Obama and stargazers across the country for this seventh annual event designed to ignite the next generation of scientists, engineers, visionaries and celestial dreamers. 

Participants of all ages and education levels are invited to UT’s Ritter Planetarium for the free event 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

“The event is organized so that people can come and go as they please,” said Dr. Michael Cushing, director of the Ritter Planetarium and associate professor of astronomy. “There will be lectures and planetarium programs featured every half hour.”

The event will feature four 15 minute lectures presented by UT astronomers on topics the department is actively researching.

“We have a wide range of research going on at UT, from hot stars, to star clusters, to gas and dust within other galaxies, and even searches for stars near the sun,” Cushing said.

The lectures from astronomers, which will be in McMaster Hall Room 4009, are:
•  7:30 p.m. Stellar Archaeology in Nearby Galaxies
•  8 p.m. Dusty Galaxies Across the University
•  8:30 p.m. Hunting for Missing Solar Neighbors
•  9 p.m. Playing Hide and Seek with Stars and Disks

The event also will include free liquid nitrogen ice cream and physics demonstrations, and a different planetarium program every half hour. The planetarium program schedule is:
•  7:30 p.m. Zula Patrol: Under the Weather
•  8 p.m. Pluto Live
•  8:30 p.m. Fall Skies Over Toledo
•  9 p.m. Black Holes, The Other Side of Infinity

Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to observe the sky, weather permitting, through Ritter Observatory’s 41-inch telescope, the largest optical telescope east of the Mississippi River.

For additional information about Ritter Planetarium, visit utoledo.edu/nsm/rpbo.

Media Coverage
NBC 24 and 13 ABC (Oct. 19, 2015)
NBC 24 (Oct. 19, 2015)


U.S. News honors UTMC for its commitment to health care’s digital future

U.S. News & World Report is recognizing The University of Toledo Medical Center for its digital prowess when it comes to patient safety and engagement.

UTMC is one of 126 U.S. medical centers in 34 states to be named Most Connected Hospitals for 2015-16, per U.S. News standards that span both electronic medical records and quality care.

The selection was based on responses to a set of 26 questions selected by U.S. News from the 2013 American Hospital Association Annual Survey Information Technology Supplement.

“UTMC prides itself on being committed to health care’s digital future,” CEO Dave Morlock said. “Digital technology is paramount when it comes to the coordination and continuity of care. It promotes informed decision-making by both the health care workers and the patients. We take pride in helping patients become more directly involved in their health care management.”

To be considered for Most Connected Hospital status, a hospital had to register a high score in the questions selected from the survey and be among the 954 facilities recognized by U.S. News as nationally ranked or rated as high performing in 2015-16 in Best Hospitals for Complex Care, Best Hospitals for Common Care or Best Children’s Hospitals.

UTMC was evaluated in three areas:

  • Clinical connectedness, which evaluates a hospital’s ability to exchange or share patient information electronically with any provider who needs it;
  • Patient safety, which evaluates a hospital’s ability to protect patients by using bar-coded wrist bracelets to verify patient’s identities before medications and other treatments are administered; and
  • Patient engagement, which evaluates a hospital’s ability to offer patients an opportunity to access their electronic medical information and receive updates.

Dr. Bryan Hinch, chief medical information officer at UTMC, said health care is being revolutionized by digital technology.

“The standardization of electronic health records and the sharing of health information in a secure way are a huge boost for health care quality and safety,” Hinch said. “UTMC is proud to be recognized for our efforts, which are continual because technology is always improving and changing.”

Media Coverage
U.S. News & World Report (Oct. 15, 2015)


Federal sentencing & judicial discretion topic of UT Law Review Symposium

Renowned sentencing scholar Douglas Berman will give the keynote address this week at The University of Toledo Law Review Symposium.

“Discretion Realized? Federal Sentencing Ten Years After United States v. Booker” will be the topic at the free, public event Friday, Oct. 16, at 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Law Center McQuade Law Auditorium.

Ten years ago, the Supreme Court decided United States v. Booker, making the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines advisory. This has given district judges the discretion to sentence according to their own individual policy views. However, Congress has limited this discretion by enacting numerous mandatory minimum laws. These laws allow prosecutors to maintain a firm grasp over sentencing by charging offenses carrying mandatory minimum sentences.

This year, the UT Law Review Symposium will be an anniversary review of Booker and its aftermath in order to assess whether judicial discretion has been realized. Panels will cover four topics:
•  An overview of the state of sentencing post-Booker.
•  The effect of mandatory minimums on judicial discretion.
•  Views of federal judges on their discretion.
•  The future of sentencing reform, including proposed amendments to the guidelines.

Berman is the Robert J. Watkins/Procter & Gamble Professor of Law at Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law. He is the creator and author of the widely read and cited blog, Sentencing and Law Policy. His keynote address, titled “The Punitive New Deal: Federal Sentencing Reform’s Place in Modern American History,” will be at 11:45 a.m.

For more information on the symposium, visit utole.do/lawsymposium.


Family Fun Day to help raise funds for UT’s Stranahan Arboretum

On Saturday, Oct. 17, the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics will host a Family Fun Day at The University of Toledo’s Stranahan Arboretum from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Located at 4131 Tantara Drive in Toledo, the public event will feature free educational programs like “Out of this World Astronomy,” “Beyond Belief Physics,” “Wild and Crazy Chemistry” and tours of the arboretum.

“There will be sun gazing through a special telescope, fun activities involving physics and chemistry experiments similar to what is done at Imagination Station,” said Pamela Stuffolino, event coordinator and research operations manager in the UT Department of Environmental Sciences. “Pond samples also will be on display to learn about environmental science and water habitats.”

Some activities will cost a small fee, including games, a hay maze, fall crafts for children 12 years and younger, and food, including hotdogs, cotton candy, cider and more.

Additionally, raffle tickets can be purchased at the event and will feature prizes, including Tam-O-Shanter family of four package, gift cards and more. Donations will be accepted at the event.

“This is the first fundraiser that the park has had in a long time,” Struffolino said. “We’ve lost some of our rare trees over the last several years due to the harsh weather, so proceeds will go to replacing the trees that were lost, expanding our educational programs, and to creating a scholarship fund for students who help with research projects at the arboretum.”


Latinos and 2016 politics topic of panel discussion Oct. 15 at UT

“The Role of Latinos in 2016 Politics and Beyond” will be discussed 6 p.m Thursday, Oct. 15 in Student Union Room 2584 on The University of Toledo’s Main Campus.

The event will close UT’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month by focusing on the vital role the Latino community will play in politics in the future election cycle.

“We are excited to offer this program as the election season heats up, and students and the community are becoming more and more involved in the political process,” David Young, director of the UT Office of Multicultural Student Success, said. “It is an outstanding way to close what has been a wonderful month of programming.”

The panel will consist of Adam Martinez, member of Toledo City Council; Mark Urrutia, program adviser at the UT Minority Business Assistance Center, and member of the Catholic Order of Foresters and the UT Latino Alumni Affiliate; Anita Lopez, Lucas County Auditor; and Kassandra Reyna, UT student and president of the Latino Student Union.

Aleiah Jones, UT success coach, will moderate the discussion.

The free, public event is sponsored by UT Office of Multicultural Student Success. It is part of the office’s Panel With Purpose program, which gives students the opportunity to engage in honest conversations on critical issues that affect the African-American, LGBTQA and Latino populations, and also impact the community.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (Oct. 16, 2015)