@theU

The next meeting of the Academic Senate is Monday, April 30 from 3-5 p.m. The following items will be discussed, among others:

• New undergraduate certificate in quantitative research analytics
• New track in earth resource management in the Professional Master’s in Science and Technology degree
• New graduate certificate in emergency health
• New graduate certificate in international affairs and global enterprise

The meeting will be in the Moot Courtroom (6th floor) of the College of Law. Meetings are open to the public. The agenda will be posted approximately one week before a utah.instructure.com/courses/51590/modules.

On July 17, 2018, Duo phone call and text message options for two-factor authentication (2FA) will be discontinued. Users need to select another method for Duo 2FA to log in to the majority of university applications after July 17.

The Strategic Information Technology Committee approved this decision for a number of reasons – most importantly, recent industry guidance and practice has indicated that phone calls and text messages are vulnerable and not considered secure methods of authentication. There is also a significant cost associated with providing these authentication methods. The phone call option was intended to be a backup or emergency method for using Duo, yet for many it has become their primary method. The new backup option for Duo authentication will now be completed through the central university help desks (contact information below).

You may choose one of the following options for 2FA, which are used by the majority of campus and U Health users:

Duo mobile app:

• Easiest and fastest method
• Install on a smartphone or tablet (includes Apple, Android, and Windows mobile devices)
• Two options to authenticate:
  1. Mobile push notification (select “approve” or “deny” from your device’s home screen or Duo notification page – no need to type in a code)
  2. Type in a passcode (network connectivity is not required for this option)

Duo hardware token:

• Available for purchase at the University Campus Store and the Health Sciences Store

Visit the 2FA webpage, Duo 2FA overview article, and Duo tutorial video found in Pulse (U Health) or Bridge (campus) for more information. If you have questions, contact the UIT Help Desk (801-581-4000, option 1) or ITS Service Desk (801-587-6000) for assistance.

The U’s auto liability insurer, State Division of Risk Management mandates online driver training programs for all persons who drive personal, rental or university-owned vehicles on U business.

All employees, students or volunteers who operate any vehicle on U business, both as an essential part of their job function or on an occasional basis, must take this interactive training and a short test prior to the first time driving, every two years thereafter and following any preventable accident.

Please refer to the University Risk & Insurance Services (URIS) website for additional information about vehicle training programs and instruction.

The University of Utah Veterans Day Committee honors veterans each year based on their honor, courage, commitment and sacrifice during their military service to our nation. Nominations for this year’s ceremony are due by July 31, 2018.

For more information or to nominate a veteran to be honored, go to veteransday.utah.edu or call 801-587-7722.

Biology professor Nalini Nadkarni has been awarded the 2018 Women of Discovery Lifetime Achievement Award by WINGS WorldQuest. She and four other award winners will be induced as WINGS WorldQuest fellows on April 25, 2018, in New York City.

From WINGS WorldQuest’s website: “For three decades, Dr. Nalini Nadkarni has used mountain-climbing techniques, construction cranes, and hot air balloons to explore life in the treetops of Costa Rica and the Pacific Northwest, documenting biota that are rarely or never seen on the forest floor. She also studies the effects of forest fragmentation on biodiversity, and has published over 110 scientific articles and three scholarly books.”

WINGS WorldQuest recognizes and supports extraordinary women in science and exploration through grants to Women of Discovery awardees, Flag Carriers and speakers. Since 2003, WINGS has awarded more than $500,000 in grants to scientists and explorers.

Johnny Le, a graduate student in computer science at the University of Utah, was recognized with the 2018 Ivory Prize for Excellence in Student Leadership during the April University of Utah Board of Trustees meeting. The Ivory Prize recognizes students for demonstrating a positive influence on student success and/or fostering efforts that have enabled meaningful change. It includes a $2,000 prize for the recipient and a $10,000 donation to their cause.

Le was honored for founding Utah’s largest programming marathon, called HackTheU. This type of event, also known as a “hackathon,” facilitates creative problem solving among people from multiple disciplines. Over the course of 24 hours, participants developed solutions to prompts using augmented reality, virtual reality, machine learning, artificial intelligence and other applications.

By the second HackTheU event, more than 300 students from across the region the country attended, and teams created an augmented reality application for learning to interact with autistic children and a musical space odyssey in virtual reality.

Read the full story here.

The University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) a Washington, D.C.-based association for university leaders in professional, continuing and online education, welcomed Sandi Pershing, assistant vice president for Engagement and a professor in the Master of Public Administration program at the University of Utah, as the association’s 2018-19 President during the 2018 UPCEA Annual Conference.

As UPCEA president, Pershing will encourage its membership to continue to develop new pathways for access, as well as championing diversity and inclusion efforts on their campuses. “I’m extremely passionate about access to higher education for all,” said Pershing. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to do this work every day and am looking forward to working with UPCEA members everywhere in their efforts to build pipelines to and through higher education.”

Congrats students, you’re almost there. Just a few weeks to go until the end of the semester, which means it’s time to start planning when you’re going to sell back your books. Textbook buyback at the Campus Store is designed to be as convenient and simple as possible for you, while also bringing you the best value we can offer for your books. Come sell your books at any Campus Store location anytime between April 26–May 5. If you follow us on Facebook (@University of Utah Campus Store), swing by a day early to avoid the lines.

Along with getting cash for your books, every student receives a candy bar and a chance to enter-to-win a $500 scholarship to use at the Campus Store. Mark your calendars and we’ll see you there.

The University of Utah Health Department of Dermatology is accepting entries for their annual Sun Safe Poster Contest until April 30. To participate children (K-8 grade) should create a drawing or painting showing at least three sun safe action steps. Twenty-seven finalists will be selected and two grand prize winners will receive up to $500 in prizes. This year, special partner events are taking place with Discovery Gateway Children Museum and the Tracy Aviary that include free or discounted entries to their organization with the completion of a sun safe entry.

Learn more about the contest rules, how to enter and partner events at uofuhealth.org/sunsafe.

Join University of Utah faculty in a quest to make sustainability teaching more exciting and relevant through the Wasatch Experience. The program engages educators in a two-day, team-based workshop in August, followed by regular small-group meetings during the school year. Participants design and implement an action plan to integrate the big ideas of sustainability into their courses. Upon program completion, participants are awarded $500 and receive the Sustainability Teaching Scholar designation.

The Wasatch Experience will be Aug. 8-9, 2018. Apply now.

If you are cancer-free you may qualify to participate in the HCI-Total Cancer Care SUPPORT Study. TCC SUPPORT is a partnership between patients with cancer, cancer-free participants, health care providers and researchers. Our aim is to better understand what causes cancer and to find better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer more successfully while also supporting families.

Who can participate? Volunteers who are willing to share samples and data for research. These can be family, friends and anyone who wants to help advance our knowledge on cancer.

How do I participate? You are willing to give blood, and possibly other samples from your body such as urine, stool and saliva. You are willing to fill out questionnaires in regards to your physical and emotional health, and lifestyle. We would also like to collect information and samples at six, 12 and 24 months after you join the study. This is optional.

Why should I take part? This study is an opportunity to contribute samples and information that will be used to accelerate cancer research and improve patient care. Participants like you are vital to our success.

We invite you to participate in this important research or learn more.If you have study questions or want to participate please contact: SUPPORT Study Team at 801-213-6166 or email tcc.support@hci.utah.edu.