News briefs and announcements

University works with Partnership for Public Service to promote federal government careers
The University has been designated a “Call to Serve” campus through a joint effort between the Partnership for Public Service and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Through the partnership, the University will encourage students to consider careers with the federal government.

The University will kick-off the partnership with the “Pathways to Public Service” program, which will place five Richmond students in internships with federal agencies in Washington, D.C. during the summer of 2009. The internship program is one of only a few of its kind in the nation.

The University also has appointed a campus coordinator in the career center to oversee education and outreach to students through campus events and informational campaigns. Participating federal agencies will provide guidance on how students can find information about and pursue jobs in federal service.
For more information, visit ourpublicservice.org or call the CDC at 287-6433.

University moves up in rankings for international student enrollment and study abroad participation
The Institute of International Education has ranked University of Richmond No. 14 on its list of the top 40 baccalaureate institutions enrolling international students in 2007–08.

The list, published in the organization’s “Open Doors” report, also ranked the University No. 5 for mid-length undergraduate study-abroad participation in programs usually lasting a semester and No. 11 for undergraduate participation in short-term, summer study-abroad programs or programs during the academic year lasting less than eight weeks.

Last year, Richmond ranked No. 16 for number of enrolled international students and No. 9 and No. 10 for mid-length and short-term study-abroad participation, respectively.

Krittika Onsanit, director of international student scholar and internship services, said the increase in international student enrollment is evidence of Richmond’s ability to attract more students from around the world by increasing its student exchange partnerships with universities abroad.

Michele Cox, director of study-abroad programs, said that while the national trend is toward shorter study-abroad assignments, Richmond students continue studying abroad for an entire semester, which provides greater opportunities for cross-cultural learning.

Photos from Boatwright
Boatwright Library has established a new photo feature on the library’s Web site. “Boatwright Pics” features photos of events, people and life in Boatwright Library. To view the photos, go to www.flickr.com/photos/boatwrightlibrary/.

UR featured in vendor case study
The University was featured as a case study in a report produced by Redemtech, which helps the IS department in its disposal and reuse of computer equipment. IS already was rotating computers to secondary users, retiring equipment safely and securely, sending end-of-life equipment to be recycled, and tracking equipment and parts. Since partnering with Redemtech, the University has been able to capture previously lost value and by extending the life of equipment beyond its secondary use, eliminate the premature disposal of otherwise reusable technology. Redemtech has delivered remarketing returns 10–12 percent higher than fair market value. The University has offset the program costs by generating new revenue and put its program in the black. Results of the partnership included:

• Securely erasing the equivalent of 4.3 billion sheets of paper
• Diverting from landfills nearly 47,000 pounds of electronic waste
• Instituting energy savings equivalent to electricity needed to power 111 households for a year, and
• Reducing greenhouse gas carbon emissions equal to removing 79 passenger cars from the road for a year.

Minority business leadership training offered
The Virginia Minority Supplier Develop-ment Council and Robins School of Business will offer leadership development training to 20 CEOs selected from certified minority businesses across the commonwealth.
Intensive three-day sessions in June and September at the University will focus primarily on leadership skills, business expansion and customer service. Participants will be selected through a rigorous application process. Details, including costs and admission requirements, are on the Web sites of VMSDC and the Robins School.

Altria Group, Dominion Resources and MeadWestvaco—corporations based in central Virginia—are founding sponsors of the training program.

The training will help the CEOs increase business and deal with the economic downturn. Professors specializing in strategic management, finance, marketing and entrepreneurship and the school’s Executive Education division will tailor the curriculum to VMSDC’s membership.

“As always, we’re committed to education and training,” said Connie Smith, VMSDC chair, who also heads supplier diversity development for Altria. “This program will provide the right information at the right time to suppliers that are ready to evolve to the next level.”

Richard Coughlan, senior associate dean for graduate and executive programs, said he expects the program to make a difference in Virginia’s future economy.

Richmond Law students win ABA trial advocacy competition
A team of students from the School of Law won the national finals of the American Bar Association’s Student Trial Advocacy Competition. They defeated teams from 69 other law schools.

The ABA’s Labor and Employment Law Section hosted the finals, with federal judges, law professors and prominent employment lawyers from around the nation serving as evaluators.  Students were judged on their advocacy skills and courtroom presence at each stage of the trial. Teams consisted of four students each, two serving as lawyers and two acting as witnesses. The Richmond Law team won seven preliminary trials in order to advance to the finals, judged by U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer.

Representing Richmond Law were third-year students Scott Jones of Stafford, Va., Kristen Wright of Atlanta, Jeannine Panzera of Rockville, Md., and second-year student Hank Gates of Richmond. Paul Thompson, adjunct professor of law, coached.

“The team worked very hard and conducted themselves in a very professional way. It was a pleasure to be their coach,” said Thompson.
 
UR to host Ethics Bowl in 2010
The University will host the 2010 Ethics Bowl, an annual program sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges. The event will take place Feb. 14–15, 2010.

The Ethics Bowl is the VFIC’s signature event and attracts corporate and community leaders from across the state as well as student and faculty teams from the 15 VFIC member colleges.

University named to national honor roll
The University has been named to a national honor roll of colleges and universities with innovative community service programs.

Sponsored by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, the annual Corporation for National Communities honor roll recognizes excellence in public service opportunities and quality of service learning.

With collaboration from other organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education, schools were evaluated on several criteria, including innovative service projects, student participation in service and availability of academic service-learning courses.

Richmond, which boasts the largest Bonner Scholars program in the country, provides many opportunities for students to give back to their communities. In all community service programs at the University, Richmond’s students give more than 100,000 hours of verifiable community service each year.

Service fraternity hosts 15th annual Teeter for Tots
Alpha Phi Omega, the University’s co-ed community service fraternity, will sponsor its 15th annual Teeter for Tots, March 27–April 3. Teeter for Tots is a 48-hour see-saw marathon to raise money for Richmond Friends Association for Children, an organization that benefits and creates opportunities for families and children from low-income households. Last year, APO donated $2,300, raised from the Teeter for Tots week, to the organization.

Along with allowing students to see-saw on giant teeter-totters for $3 per half-hour, APO will host nightly events, including an a cappella concert, an improv comedy group called “Subject to Change,” a bachelor/bachelorette auction, as well as a panel discussion on kids and poverty with speakers from the University and the Richmond Friends Association.

Children from the Richmond Friends Association will attend the opening ceremonies of Teeter for Tots, April 1 at 12:30 p.m. in Tyler Haynes Commons.

Call for participation
Students, staff or faculty interested in joining the Latin-Hispanic History Month Committee are asked to contact Jean-Pierre Laurenceau-Medina at 289-8032 for more information. Latin-Hispanic History Month will take place in the fall.

Admission open houses
The Office of Admission will welcome accepted students and their families to campus throughout the month of April. An Open House will be held April 18. The all-day program provides visitors an in-depth look at what the Richmond experience has to offer. Many faculty, staff and current students are involved.

The office also will hold three half-day accepted student programs on April 6, 13 and 20. Realize Richmond days enable any student who cannot attend the open house another chance at an in-depth look at all that Richmond offers.

Library Receives Ahmanson Foundation Grant
The Ahmanson Foundation has awarded Boatwright Library and Parsons Music Library $12,000 to purchase materials to support a new dance major. The centerpiece will be Dance in Video, a streaming video service from Alexander Street Press that offers some 250 dance productions and documentaries. Librarians will also work with dance faculty to identify desirable books.