UTHSC-H Home
[ Contact Us ]
[ People Directory ]
[ Maps ]
[ University A-Z ]
[ Calendars ]
[ Webmail ] |
|
Find a...
Larry Kaiser, M.D. Susan Coulter, J.D. Barbie Ross Michelle Rexroat Social Media Sites:
|
News on the Go #691, March 10, 2009Topics at a glance: Tax Information Workshop ... Darwin2009 Houston ... Writing Competition: “Writing Science for the Public” and Science Writing Lunch Seminar ... Judges needed for Science of Engineering Fair of Houston ... United to Serve needs volunteers ... Library Updates ... New Zealand’s Primary Health Care Reforms ... Community on Patrol Meetings ... Committee on the Status of Women (CSW) Annual Awards ... School of Public Health Events ... CCTS Lecture Series ... CPR Training / Certification ... March for Babies Team Captain Workshop ... Conversation with Guy Clifton, M.D. ... Annual John P. McGovern Award Lecture Series ... UT House Medics ... Fort Bend County Transit ... Stamp increase ... 2009 Spring Graduates Financial Aid Exit Interview ... Free and Open Source Software in Healthcare ... Clinical Nurse Coordinator Newsletter ... Employee Benefits Reminders ... IT SecuritySense ... Research Consent Forms ... Human Subjects Protection Program ... Pathology Diagnostic Laboratory Newsletter ... Dental Services ... Getting Around ... HOOP Updates ... FMLA changes ... WorkLife Wellness Tip of the Week Tax Information WorkshopThe Office of International Affairs is hosting a Tax Information Workshop, 3 – 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 10, at the School of Public Health Auditorium, Room E-101. International students and scholars who received any payment for services in the United States during the 2008 calendar year must prepare a US income tax form and submit it to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by midnight, Wednesday, April 15, 2009. This is required even if all or part of your US earnings are exempt from tax under a tax treaty with your country. International visitors holding J-1 or F-1 visa status should fill out and submit an IRS Form 8843 even if you received no payment while in the United States. For more information, visit the Office of International Affairs. Darwin2009 HoustonDarwin2009 Houston honors the bicentennial anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species, with a year-long celebration of Darwin’s life and contributions to science. The goal of Darwin2009 Houston is to engage a broad audience in recognizing the importance of the science of evolution, supporting science education and recognizing how science affects life. Darwin2009 Houston runs through Monday, Nov. 30 and includes various events:
For a complete list of events, location of events and details, visit Darwin2009 Houston. Writing Competition: “Writing Science for the Public” and Science Writing Lunch SeminarHow often have you tried to explain your work to a friend, a relative, someone you met at a party or a wealthy uncle (with a rich foundation that gives large grants to graduate students)? Or, to someone who might be able to fund your research? To publish it? To recommend you for a job? Being able to explain what you do – and why it matters – briefly and in non-specialist language is a vital skill as you move forward in your profession. GSBS invites all Health Science Center Ph.D. studentsin GSBS (includes students working in labs at M.D. Anderson and the IBT), School of Heath Information Sciences, School of Nursing, and School of Public Health who were admitted to candidacy no later than January 1, 2009, to enter a writing competition to see who the top science communicators – and future winners of grants, speaking invitations, and philanthropic dollars – are. How to enter:
A panel of six judges who are senior science writers will select winners in both categories. Awards include: First prize - $1,000, Second prize - $500, Third prize - $250. Remember that both public and private support for research depends on people’s understanding of science. You have a key role to play in speaking for your profession and your field. Science Writing Brown Bag Seminar If you would like some help with your science writing submission, or with your writing in general, you are invited to attend a “Communicating Science to the Public” workshop at GSBS 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m., Wednesday, March 11 in Mitchell Basic Sciences Research Building, Room S3. 8371. Lunch will be provided to the first 50 participants. Judges needed for Science of Engineering Fair of HoustonApproximately 800 judges are needed for the 50th Annual Science Engineering Fair of Houston. The UT Medical School at Houston Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology would like to have as many judges from the UT Health Science Center at Houston as possible. Judges must be available 8:30 a.m. - noon and 1:30 p.m. - 5 p.m., Friday, March 13, at the Brown Convention Center (Hall E) in downtown Houston. If you would like to join us in assisting some of the brightest and most creative young people from 16 area counties, please contact Ted.D.Pate@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-4519. For information on the science fair, visit www.sefhouston.org. Professionals with expertise in animal science, behavioral and social sciences, environmental science, biochemistry and microbiology, chemistry, medicine and health are needed. United to Serve needs volunteersUnited To Serve is a state-wide outreach initiative in which UT System students and employees engage and mobilize thousands of volunteers in the 15 communities that we impact. On Saturday, March 14, the UT Health Science Center at Houston is partnering with the Children’s Museum of Houston for the debut of their new, three-level building addition that will offer seven state-of-the-art, interactive exhibits. Volunteers receive free parking, a t-shirt and a meal. UT employees, students and their friends and families, ages 14 and up are invited to join. Volunteer Sign-Up Instructions: You must include the following information:
Visit the Children's Museum of Houston to sign up before March 10. For more information, contact Charles.Kennedy@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-5166. HAM-TMC Library UpdatesHAM-TMC Library Classes
All classes are free and offered in the library classroom. Click here to view the complete class schedule and register. New Zealand’s Primary Health Care ReformsRobin Gauld, Ph.D.,Commonwealth Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy and Practice, Boston University Health Policy Institute, will present “New Zealand’s Primary Health Care Reforms: A Messy Reality or Work in Progress?” noon – 1 p.m., Monday, March 16 in the UT School of Public Health RAS Auditorium. Lunch will be provided for the first 50 attendees. Community on Patrol MeetingsThe UT Police Community on Patrol (COP) meetings are scheduled for March and April. The meetings are open to all personnel and include updates on crime trends, crime statistics and community concerns. The topic of workplace violence will be discussed. Listed below are the March meeting dates, times and locations:
For UTPD news and information, visit UTPD News. For additional information, contact the UT Police Crime Prevention component at 713-563-7794. Committee on the Status of Women (CSW) Annual Awards Ceremony and ReceptionPlease join the UT Health Science Center at Houston and the Committee on the Status of Women (CSW) in honoring the 2009 winners of the Distinguished Professional Woman Award and the President’s Award for Mentoring Women for Faculty, A&P and Classified Staff. This year, the CSW Awards reception will be held 5-7 p.m., Thursday, March 19, at the Institute for Molecular Medicine (IMM). This year's Distinguished Professional Woman Award goes to Cheryl Perry, Ph.D., regional dean of the UT School of Public Health, Austin Regional Campus and the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living. The President’s Award for Mentoring Women for Faculty goes to Robert E. Roberts, Ph.D., professor of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences at the School of Public Health. Richard D. Bebermeyer, D.D.S., M.B.A., chair and professor of Restorative Dentistry at the Dental Branch will receive the President’s Award for Mentoring Women in A&P. Lieutenant John K. Wayner, UT Police Department, will receive the President’s Award for Mentoring Women in Classified Staff. To RSVP for the CSW Awards reception, please contact Carmela.H.Bourgeois@uth.tmc.edu. School of Public Health EventsThe University of Texas School of Public Health Career and Alumni Services offers the following upcoming events:
For more information, contact Pantheia.Evans@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-9024. CCTS Lecture SeriesThe Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences presents the following lecture series, noon – 1 p.m. throughout March in the University Professional Building, 11th floor. The March schedule includes:
Lunch will be provided for the first 20 attendees. For more information, contact Linda.N.Gilbert@uth.tmc.edu. CPR Training/ CertificationThe University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston Alumni Association is sponsoring CPR training and certification for all healthcare professionals and students, 1 – 4 p.m., Fridays, March 20 and April 10, at SON, room 370. Registration is $50; only cash or checks are accepted for payment. For more information or registration, e-mail alumni@uth.tmc.edu. March for Babies Team Captain WorkshopMarch for Babies is the walk that saves babies. As the March of Dimes biggest fundraiser, March for Babies supports research and programs to help prevent or treat premature birth, birth defects and other threats to babies’ health. The UT Health Science Center annually helps with this major fundraiser. Interested team captains, walkers and volunteers are invited to attend a team captains’ meeting at noon, Wednesday, March 25, in the University Center Tower, Conference Room 1505C. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP with Rose.M.Betancourt-Trevino@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-3209. INTERESTED WALKERS: The March for Babies starts at 9 a.m., Sunday, April 26 at the University of Houston Robertson Stadium. Get your shoes on and help us walk to save babies. Conversation with Guy Clifton, M.D.All are invited to attend “A Conversation on Healthcare Reform with Guy Clifton,” 10 a.m., Thursday, March 26, in Medical School Building Room 2.135. Clifton, a former chair of Neurosurgery at the Medical School, will discuss his recent book, “Flatlined: Resuscitating American Medicine.” Copies of Clifton’s book are available at the UT Bookstore. Annual John P. McGovern Award Lecture SeriesThe Annual John P. McGovern Award Lecture Series for Community Contributions and Activism in Health Promotion, sponsored by the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Tuesday, April 14, in the UT School of Public Health RAS Auditorium. The 2009 award recipient, Meryl Cohen, M.Ed., LCSW, vice president, of Education and Counseling, Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas will present "Promoting Adolescent Sexual Health". Meryl has devoted herself to improving adolescent sexual health and preventing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. She serves as a member of The University of Texas Prevention Research Center Community Advisory Group. Parking will be available in TMC Garage 2. Lunch will be provided for the first 100 attendees. ITV connection will be available to regional campuses. For additional information, please contact Peggy.Tate@uth.tmc.edu, (713) 500-9609. UT House Medics Spring Home Repair ProgramUT House Medics is looking for volunteers to participate in the Spring Home Repair Program. There's something for volunteers of all ages to do. Don’t like to work with your hands? Not a problem! We need volunteers to visit with the homeowners, help us work safely, coordinate various tasks and teach our young ones how to paint and beautify a garden. UT House Medics welcomes girl scouts, boy scouts, church groups, volleyball teams and children needing volunteer hours for high school and college. Volunteers are provided with a light breakfast, lunch, a commemorative t-shirt and a heart filled with joy at the end of each work day. The home owners feel very blessed by our generous gift of time. Work days (volunteers can work one or both days):
Each home requires a team leader and 50-60 volunteers. No experience necessary. Potential team leaders should contact Krysti Suarez, Krysti.Suarez@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-2241, or Dennie Clemons, Wanda.D.Clemons@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-2235, to sign up. To submit a sign-up form online, see photos of previous workers in action or get more information, visit UT House Medics. Fort Bend County TransitEffective Friday, March 6, the Fort Bend County Transit commuter service ceased operation. Fort Bend County residents can still access park and ride services into the Texas Medical Center by boarding the TREK Express Greenway at either University of Houston Sugar Land or the First Colony Mall AMC Theatre parking lots. Riders can then transfer to Houston Metro’s service at the West Bellfort Park and Ride location. Ticket holders for the Fort Bend Express may seek a refund for unused tickets from the Texas Medical Center through Friday, May 8. No tickets will be refunded after that date. To request a refund, contact the Customer Relations Department of the Texas Medical Center at 713-791-6161. Stamp increaseOn May 11, the price for a 1-ounce First Class Mail stamp will increase from 42 cents to 44 cents. The prices for Standard Mail, Periodicals Services and Extra Services will also change. The new prices are available at the U.S. Postal Service. Customers can use their Forever Stamps – regardless of when purchased – to mail 1-ounce letters after the price change, without the need for additional postage. Purchase the Forever Stamp now for 42 cents. On May 11, the price of the Forever Stamp will increase to 44 cents. 2009 Spring Graduates Financial Aid Exit InterviewIf you are expecting to graduate between May and June 2009 and you are a recipient of Student Financial Aid, you are required to complete the Financial Aid Exit Interview within 10 days of your graduation date. An EXIT HOLD will be placed on the academic records of students who fail to complete the Exit Interview within 10 days of their graduation date. Please note, the exit hold will stop you from receiving your diploma and any other University services until the Exit Interview is completed and the hold is removed. Exit Interview instructions will be sent to you via your UT e-mail address once the exit site is ready to allow access based on your graduation date. Access to the site will be granted approximately 60 days prior to your graduation date to allow everyone enough time to complete the exit process. For questions or comments, contact Student Financial Services at 713-500-3300. Free and Open Source Software in HealthcareThe Health Quality and Interoperability Laboratory for Training (HealthQuilt) is a community resource funded to pilot a Health Information Exchange (HIE) for the Greater Houston Area. HealthQuilt is sponsoring a conference on Free and Open Source Software in Healthcare beginning 9 a.m., July 31. The conference will include presentations by:
For more information about the conference or registration, visit FOSS in healthcare. Visit HealthQuilt for more information on this project. Clinical Nurse Coordinator NewsletterThe Winter 2009 Clinical Nurse Coordinator Newsletter is now available. To subscribe, contact Kimberly.Wilson@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-7911. Employee Benefits remindersWith the springtime rapidly approaching, the Employee Benefits Office offers some helpful reminders regarding your benefits. There is a 31-day deadline for submitting change of status information during the year. Examples of status changes are the birth of a child, marriage, divorce, loss of employment, etc. You have 31 days from the date of the event to contact the Benefits Office and submit the necessary forms. You may change your life insurance beneficiary at any time during the year. Review your beneficiary designation to ensure the individual selected is who you want it to be and contains up to date contact information. You can access the forms online in the Insurance Forms section of the Office of Benefits Web site. You should also review the address on file for you to ensure insurance vendors (such as Blue Cross) have an accurate way to send you important information regarding your coverage. If your health provider has trouble locating your coverage, please confirm that they are using the correct ID. Your ID number is the LAST 8 digits in the sequence. The ID does NOT INCLUDE the letters UTSO. Questions? Contact benefits@uthouston.edu or 713-500-3935. IT SecuritySense"Q&A: Study Reveals File Sharing Risks" is the focus of the March 2009 issue of the SecuritySense newsletter, available at SecuritySense online. Research Consent FormsATTENTION: Principal Investigators, Clinical Research Nurses & Study Coordinators Please remember that placement of a signed copy of the research consent form into the medical chart is a CPHS, JCAHO and Memorial Hermann requirement for inpatient studies. Double-check that you have placed consent form copies into the medical chart for all currently active, or recently active, inpatient studies. If you need to have copies placed into the record, please bring a paper copy to the Memorial Hermann Health Information Office, located in Jones Pavilion, and provide to Yolanda Ibarra, Manager of Release of Information. If you have questions, contact Yolanda at 713-704-4051. Human Subjects Protection ProgramFor the last several months a team of health science center faculty and staff has been actively engaged in preparing our institutional Association for Accreditation of Human Research Protection Program (AAHRPP) application. We submitted the UTHSC-H application in September 2008 and the site visit will happen from Tuesday, March 10 – Thursday, March 13. Besides reviewing records, the Site Visit team will interview many of the individuals involved in our human subjects research program to assess their familiarity with and commitment to UTHSC-H policies and procedures governing human subjects’ research. To read more, visit the AAHRPP website or visit the Office of Research and click on the AAHRPP Accreditation Newsflash. If you have questions, please contact Sujatha Sridhar, 713-500-7909. Pathology Diagnostic Laboratory NewsletterThe Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine has an online monthly newsletter. To view the March 2009 edition, visit Pathology Diagnostic Laboratory Newsletter. Dental ServicesThe University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston is currently seeking individuals in need of crowns and bridges to serve as patients for our dental students. All students are closely supervised by fully licensed professors at the Dental Branch. Typical fees are about one-third the cost normally found in the traditional private practice office. The only difference is that the procedures performed in an educational setting are not done as swiftly as those in a private dental office. If you are interested in obtaining dental service at a reduced cost, please contact Dental.Crowns@uth.tmc.edu. Getting AroundThe Getting Around section of the intranet provides all the information you’ll need to get around the Texas Medical Center.
For more information about mobility, visit the Mobility Program. For more information about parking and shuttle services, visit the Auxiliary Enterprises Parking/ Shuttle Services. HOOP UpdatesSeveral policies in the Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOOP) have been changed: the Administrative and Professional Classifications Policy and the Job Classifications Policy have been combined. The combined policy is now titled the Administrative and Professional and Classified Job Classifications Policy. The Fund Accounting Structure Policy has been revised to include a requirement that supervisors of account managers and employees who process transactions must provide these employees with a copy of this policy and ensure the employees have a basic understanding of the information within the policy prior to allowing the employees to complete any transactions within the university's financial management system. The Financial Reporting Policy has been revised to reflect certification requirements for financial reports. Please check out HOOP What's New? for specifics on new policy changes or the HOOP 2009 What’s New Archive for all 2009 policy changes. For general HOOP information, visit HOOP. FMLA changesBenefits under the Family and Medical Leave Act changed in January 2009. There are new qualifying circumstances related to military service that employees and supervisors should learn. Information has been posted on the Human Resources Web site and HOOP Policy 2.40C Family and Medical Leave has been revised to reflect the changes. If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Norris, 713-500-3141, or Karla Crabtree, 713-500-3135. WorkLife Wellness Tip of the WeekAfter a long day at work, you drive home, pick up the kids, cook dinner, and help with homework. You plop down on the couch with every good intention of getting on the treadmill but instead you eat the ice cream. Does this sound familiar? If so, you have a lot of company. There are millions of busy people with good intentions, but until common sense becomes common practice, it doesn’t matter. If you don’t think you have time to take care of yourself, you will be surprised with what you can do. Call and make an appointment with Wellness Coach Sam Hester, cWC, CPT, LWMC, at 713-500-3327. It's confidential and free. For more information on the wellness services provided, visit UT Counseling and WorkLife Services. News on the Go is a service of the Office of Institutional Advancement, providing timely news and information to faculty, staff, fellows, residents and students on the go. Deadline: 10 a.m. Thursday before Tuesday publication. Submit all events and deadlines to the Web Calendar. Submit other items for consideration using the News on the Go submission form. |
