Posts by Leah Graboski
GOP gathering loses its cheer
By Leah Graboski, written on Nov. 8, 2006
At the Sheraton Hotel in Lansing, Republican Party supporters started to trickle in a little before 8:00, the official start time for the Republican Victory Party. Attendees sporting their “DeVos” stickers and t-shirts looked upbeat. They looked hopeful; they looked eager. Some tagged as VIP went into Ballroom A, a private gathering where close friends and family of the candidates watched the results slowly come in. The private party room was closely monitored, but glimpsing through a crack in the door revealed people mingling with nervous faces, sipping glasses of wine. The others — the non-VIP — gathered in the main ballroom, where a lively band played “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” and “Son of a Preacher Man” while people snacked on hors d’ourves and appeared rather confident.
The press was everywhere. News media flocked to Secretary Terri Lynn Land immediately upon her arrival. She noticed that her family had arrived but finished her interviews before taking a quick break to give hugs to her loved ones. Land’s daughter, Jessica Hibma, a student at the University, smiled as she watched her mother speak of the record turnout for the election. “I’m excited, and I am fairly confident in how she’s doing,” a proud Hibma said of her mother. While Hibma was confident, Land told press that she would “wait to see what the results are and move from there.”
Just as the media surrounding Land calmed, Attorney General Mike Cox arrived – only to disappear after a short while. As the crowd swelled, more people gathered in the main ballroom. Saul Anuzis, Chairman of the Michigan Republican State Committee, was the first to speak at the podium on the main stage. From the beginning, an excited Anuzis expressed his confidence in Republican voter turnout and brushed off possible concerns of lagging Republican percentages as simply initial guesses.
As the night progressed, the initial hopeful, upbeat attitudes turned somber as CNN revealed that the Republicans were losing the House majority. Large groups gathered around the numerous flat-screened televisions in the ballroom, and observers shook their heads as the Republicans’ future began to look dim.
The atmosphere suddenly changed. The gubernatorial race was over for the Republicans. Dick DeVos entered the ballroom to an overwhelming amount of cheers and applause. As the crowd quieted, a few constituents yelled, “We love you!” and “DeVos for governor!”
DeVos, who was accompanied on stage by his wife and four children (all of whom were teary-eyed), gave a respectful speech, thanking those who helped with his campaign along with those who voted for him. DeVos said he did his best “to communicate a message of hope and opportunity for Michigan.”
With a raspy voice – that he claimed to have lost in Macomb County while on his campaign trail – DeVos wished Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Michigan “the very best in the next four years.” Having completed his thank-you’s and attempting to comfort his loyal party supporters, DeVos gave his farewell wave and led his family off the stage.
Andi Coombes compiled this report.
Ann Arbor robin a West Nile victim
By Leah Graboski, written on Jul. 12, 2006
West Nile had not yet hit Ann Arbor this summer until a dead robin was found June 27 with the virus.
Last year, three Washtenaw County residents fell ill from the virus, but all three recovered within two weeks. No human cases have been reported this year in Michigan.
“The case of the robin is the first West Nile-related bird death in Southeast Michigan and the twenty-second such death in all of Michigan”:http://westnilemaps.usgs.gov/mi_bird.html.
“The sole mosquito infection this year was reported in Oakland County in June”:http://westnilemaps.usgs.gov/mi_mosquito.html.
The West Nile virus is transmitted to humans via mosquitoes — after these mosquitoes feed on infected birds.
“*Fight the bite!*”:http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/prevention_info.htm
Science for policy and policy for science
By Leah Graboski, written on Jun. 12, 2006
The Science, Technology and Public Policy Task Force has gained approval for a new graduate certificate program.
Three years ago, the STPP Task Force submitted recommendations to the University to create new courses for undergraduate and graduate students and create a graduate certificate program in the *Ford School of Public Policy*. The courses would encompass the relevance of public policy in science and technology as well as the importance of science and technology in public policy decisions.
The recommendation report reads:
bq. The Science, Technology, and Public Policy (STPP) Task Force recommends that the University of Michigan begin a phased approach to launching instructional and research activities in two key areas: the application of scientific and technological knowledge to improve decision-making across a broad array of public sector domains (“science for policy”) and the shaping of government policies to ensure continuing progress in science and technology (“policy for science”).
The graduate certificate program was recently approved by the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan and will go into effect this fall.
The program will be directed by former University President, Professor *James Duderstadt*, and Assistant Professor of Public Policy *Shobita Parthasarathy*.
In an e-mail, Duderstadt said:
bq. Future plans are to expand faculty activities, introduce a STPP concentration in the masters program in the Ford School, and launch a continuing education program for professionals in Washington. We also hope to develop courses at the undergraduate level. I should add that we have experienced very high student interest during the early phases of this startup effort, with over 80 graduate students enrolled from across the university each of the past two years in our first courses. The range of their interests is quite broad, from energy to stem cell research to technology transfer to global climate change.
Regent’s remarks on stadium reach Chicago
By Leah Graboski, written on Jun. 9, 2006
Regent “Laurence Deitch (D-Bingham Farms)”:http://www.regents.umich.edu/about/bios/deitch.html was the most outspoken Regent against the Michigan Stadium renovations at the Regents meeting May 19. Deitch’s lengthy comments were posted Tuesday on the Chicago Tribune’s blog.
According to Deitch,
bq. …the plan would address those needs in a way that would: (1) aesthetically ruin our iconic masterpiece stadium; (2) be financially risky; (3) not be respectful of our University’s traditions and culture; (4) contribute to the escalation of the arms race in college sports; and (5) project an insensitivity to the current economic condition of our state and the pain and anxiety of its people. I say that is too high a price to pay, particularly when there is a viable alternative that will do no harm and will accomplish the needed improvements to the stadium easily while allowing us to build our reserves without risk.
There has been both praise and reproach for the Regents’ approval of skyboxes and other luxury seating for the Michigan Stadium. Savethebighouse.com is a group that has been vehemently opposed to the approved plan, in support of Deitch’s proposal. Deitch articulated the alternative proposal during the meeting May 19:
bq. We have been presented with an alternative plan that the President has not chosen to recommend. This plan would add seats (keeping the Big House the biggest), widen the seats and aisles, put in a new press box, put in new concessions and more rest rooms. It is projected at $56,000,000.
Martial arts gone awry
By Leah Graboski, written on May. 31, 2006
Another ear has been lost to mastication — and this time “boxing”:http://warhistorian.org/blog/images/tyson-bite.jpg had nothing to do with it.
During a dispute between two brothers from West Toledo, Ohio on Monday night, one brother used a martial arts stick to maul the other, the “Toledo Blade”:http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060530/NEWS03/60530003/0/NEWS17 reported Tuesday.
46-year-old Jay Henderson retorted by biting off his brother’s ear. Arvin, 44, was in fair condition Tuesday night at the University hospital.
According to ABC Science Online, human-on-human bite wounds are not all that uncommon:
bq. Human bites make up between 2% and 23% of all bite wounds, with 15% to 20% of them being to the head and neck. Common sites for human bites include the hands, arms and shoulders in men, and the breasts, genitalia, legs and arms in women.
“Read more”:http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/health/HealthRepublish_885868.htm.
Clinton, Obama praise ‘U’ in journal article
By Leah Graboski, written on May. 26, 2006
Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Barack Obama (D-IL) expressed their approval of the University Health System’s approach to medical malpractice in Thursday’s “*New England Journal of Medicine*”:http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/354/21/2205?andorexacttitleabs=and&search_tab=authors&tmonth=May&searchtitle=Authors&sortspec=Score+desc+PUBDATE_SORTDATE+desc&excludeflag=TWEEK_element&hits=20&author2=Obama%2C+B&tyear=2006&author1=Clinton%2C+H&andorexactfulltext=and&fyear=1996&fmonth=May&sendit=GO&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT.
In the article, ??Making Patient Safety the Centerpiece of Medical Liability Reform??, Clinton and Obama discuss the provisions of the MEDiC bill they co-sponsored in September 2005. The bill (S 1784) calls for an amendment to the Public Health Service Act. To promote safety within the nation’s healthcare system, the amendment would create a National Medical Error Disclosure and Compensation Program (MEDiC).
In Section 2, the bill addresses the University:
bq. (6) Some hospital systems and private medical liability insurance companies have adopted a policy of robust disclosure of medical errors, apologies for such errors, and early compensation for patient injury. For example, a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, the University of Michigan Health System, and the private insurer Copic Insurance Company in Colorado have adopted such policies and have reported significantly decreased legal expenses and smaller claim payouts. Overall, these policies have resulted in fewer numbers of malpractice suits being filed, more patients being compensated for injuries, greater patient trust and satisfaction, and significantly reduced administrative and legal defense costs for providers, insurers, and hospitals where such policies are in place.
Don’t let it go to your head, though.
‘U’ goes to China
By Leah Graboski, written on May. 26, 2006
“Shanghai tonight. Hong Kong on Monday.”:http://alumni.umich.edu/china/china_trip_06.php
In the Happy Valley Suite of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, University leaders will make presentations on alumni relations and international issues to University alumni and representatives from Chinese universities. Monday’s stint in Hong Kong will be the third and final event in a week-long visit to China.
The leaders in question are Prof. Kenneth Lieberthal, University Health System CEO Robert Kelch and Alumni Assocation President Steve Grafton.
The first stop was in Beijing Wednesday. Grafton said in an e-mail that the trip has gone very well thus far. He said there were 200 people in attendance Wednesday, including 30 to 40 University students.
Kelch said in an e-mail the trip has been “wonderful.”
According to the “invitation”:http://alumni.umich.edu/china/files/Shanghai.pdf, there will be cocktails and hors d’oeuvres during the presentation at the Hilton Shanghai tonight.
If you’re in Shanghai, you should consider stopping by.
Regents approve Eye Center expansion
By Leah Graboski, written on May. 24, 2006
By 2010, the University will be home to the largest eye center in the Midwest.
The architectural designs for the expansion of the “Kellogg Eye Center”:http://www.kellogg.umich.edu/expansion/ were approved Friday by the University’s Board of Regents. The new center will be located adjacent to Kellogg which sits on Wall Street and borders the Huron River.
The Eye Center, built in 1985, is currently inhabited by the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, which is part of the University Health System and Medical School.
The addition will house clinical examination and operation rooms, two floors dedicated to Type I diabetes research, and research space for the University’s Medical School.
Patient visits to the Eye Center have increased by 11 percent for each of the last seven years and continued growth is expected. Most of these patients are over age 60 and suffer from age-related diseases such as glaucoma, cataract and diabetic retinopathy.
The facilities for Type I diabetes research have been made possible thanks to the $44 million donation from Bill and Dee Brehm of McLean, Virginia. “The Brehm gift”:http://www.med.umich.edu/brehm/ is the largest ever given to the University Health System. In her sophomore year at Eastern Michigan University, Mrs. Brehm was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. For 55 years, she has battled with the disease.
Throughout their lives, the Brehms have remained dedicated to the University. After graduating from college, Mrs. Brehm’s care was overseen by a University Medical School graduate in San Diego, California while she was teaching special-education students. The Brehms are currently members of the University Health System Development Task Force.
Since the Regents approved the $120 million expansion in July 2005, Leonard Miller has donated an additional $1 million to the project.
Krislov stays
By Leah Graboski, written on May. 20, 2006
It was unclear last week if we would lose University’s Vice President and General Counsel, Marvin Krislov, to Las Vegas. Rest assured, he won’t be going anywhere.
The Board of Regents of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas chose their new president Wednesday. Earlier this month, the candidates had been narrowed down to Krislov, Vice Chancellor and Provost at the University of California at Merced, David Ashley and Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Lt. General Bill Lennox. Lennox appeared to be UNLV’s top choice until he dropped out of the running last week.
The candidates underwent a grueling interview process this month. The process included interviews by the President Search Committee and Institutional Advisory Committee and meetings with faculty, staff, students and members of the community.
Despite Krislov’s support from the faculty senate, the UNLV’s Board of Regents unanimously selected Ashley Wednesday morning.
Ann Arbor Book Festival is here
By Leah Graboski, written on May. 10, 2006
The 3rd annual Ann Arbor Book Festival begins today and will end Sunday.
The purpose of the festival is to promote reading, alert the community to existing illiteracy, and to feature leaders in the writing world.
The festival offers a variety of events, including book signings, speakers advocating for literacy, and workshops.
For the schedule of events, see:
http://aabookfestival.org/HTML/schedule.htm