UM Family Affair With their hometown Florida Marlins in a competitive race for the National League East lead, more than 17,000 University of Miami employees and family members turned out at Dolphin Stadium last Saturday for the third annual UM Family Night with the Marlins.   Top, the School of Education is presented with a $7,500 scholarship check from the Florida Marlins Community Foundation that will benefit its Sport Administration program. Taking part in the check presentation are, from left, Billy the Marlin, UM School of Education Associate Dean John Andrew Gillentine, Florida Marlins Community Foundation Executive Director Nancy Olson, Executive Vice President and Provost Thomas J. LeBlanc, President Donna E. Shalala, Marlins President David Samson, and Sebastian the Ibis. Above, Frost School of Music Dean Shelton Berg and School of Business Administration Dean Barbara Kahn, who threw out ceremonial first pitches, pose with Sebastian the Ibis. UM has created a temporary online photo gallery from which employees can download or print photographs from the event. To access the gallery, click here. To read more about the event, click here.

Commencement ceremonies begin today
Years of classroom lectures, studying, research, and lab work will soon pay off for more than 3,300 University of Miami students who will graduate during six commencement ceremonies on the Coral Gables campus. The commencement ceremonies are as follows:

• Today, Thursday, May 8, 4:30 p.m.: Graduate degrees (all master’s and doctoral degrees except for School of Law and Miller School of Medicine M.D. degrees)
• Friday, May 9, 8:30 a.m.: School of Business Administration and the College of Engineering
  
• Friday, May 9, 12:30 p.m.: School of Architecture, School of Communication, School of Education, Frost School of Music, and School of Nursing and Health Studies
  
• Friday, May 9, 5 p.m.: College of Arts and Sciences
  
• Saturday, May 10, 5 p.m.: Miller School of Medicine
  
• Sunday, May 18, 2 p.m.: School of Law

Pedal Power Thousands of cyclists used their pedal power last Saturday to help accomplish a noble goal: ridding the world of multiple sclerosis. Some 2,700 bikers took park in the 2008 Zimmerman MS Bike Ride Presented by Wachovia, which started in front of the University of Miami’s BankUnited Center. Above, Sebastian the Ibis cheers on some of the bikers as they depart the Coral Gables campus on their ride for a cause. The event is a fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

For more information on commencement, visit www.miami.edu/commencement, where the undergraduate ceremonies will be Webcast live and archived.

Gables campus to close at 3 p.m. tomorrow to accommodate commencement guests
Commencement ceremonies, which begin today, will be attracting a record number of guests to the University. Employees are reminded that parking facilities and roads on the Coral Gables campus will be packed on commencement days.

The audience for the College of Arts and Sciences ceremony at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 9 will be especially large. To ensure a positive experience for the thousands of guests we will be welcoming to UM, the Coral Gables campus, excluding the School of Law, will officially close at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 9.
 
This early closure is for the Coral Gables campus only. We appreciate your cooperation to facilitate a successful commencement that will be enjoyed by our graduates and visitors.

Please note: The appropriate vice president, dean, department head, and/or supervisor will determine essential personnel who need to remain until normal closing time. Any questions should be directed to Human Resources at 305-284-3798.
 
Hourly paid employees should clock out as normal. In Kronos, supervisors must use pay code 770-Administrative Pay and enter the number of hours the regular employee was scheduled to work along with the comment “HR Request.”  Essential regular personnel required to work through their normally scheduled time will receive 1-1/2 times their regular pay rate. This adjustment must be manually entered in Kronos by the approving supervisor, along with the comment “HR Request.”

Attend a School of Law gala this evening
The Law School is hosting a dinner gala this evening, Thursday, May 8 at The Biltmore hotel in Coral Gables in honor of Dean Dennis O. Lynch. The event begins at 6 p.m. Guests should R.S.V.P. by calling 305-284-3470 or e-mailing alumni@law.miami.edu. For more information, click here.

Healthcare management education this summer
The Division of Continuing and International Education at Koubek Center offers the Certificate Program in Healthcare Management this summer beginning on Monday, May 12. Classes offered include KBK267 Operations Management and Service Quality from Monday, May 12 to Monday, June 16 and KBK 268 Health Finance and Contractual Operations from Wednesday, May 14 to Wednesday, June 11. This certificate program is an eight-course program, 15 hours each, and costs $525 per course. Designed for people who wish to manage healthcare organizations, medical offices, nursing agencies, nursing homes, and similar operations, this certificate offers complete, advanced training in healthcare service administration. For more information, visit www.educationmiami.com/koubek, call 305-284-4000 or 305-284-6001, fax 305-644-3826, or e-mail ebedoya@miami.edu.

Hanging Out and Studying Excitement and anticipation over the University of Miami’s upcoming commencement ceremonies have filled the air all week. But right up until graduation, there was still plenty of problem-solving and reading to be done. Final exams ended just yesterday, and many students opted for some creative ways to study for their last test. Above, a student studies on Wednesday while relaxing in one of the many hammocks that were hung near the fountain behind the Ashe Building.

RSMAS lecture on deep sea reefs tomorrow
The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science presents its 2008 Alumni Lecture on Friday, May 9 featuring Charles G. Messing, professor of oceanography at Nova Southeastern University's Oceanographic Center, at 5:30 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Auditorium. Following his presentation titled "Hidden Oases: Florida's Deep-Sea Reefs," a reception will be held in the Commons area. For more information, call 305-421-4612.

National Women's Health Week, May 11-17
To celebrate National Women’s Health Week from May 11-17, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology will host Women’s Health Day on Saturday, May 17 from 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at University of Miami Hospital. The free event features interactive health sessions led by University of Miami Health System physicians, a healthy breakfast, prizes, and gifts. For more information and to R.S.V.P., visit www.ob-gyn.med.miami.edu/x204.xml.

Basic life support course for healthcare providers
The Coral Gables Wellness Center is offering a basic life support certification class for healthcare providers such as EMS personnel, physician's assistants, doctors, dentists, nurses, and respiratory therapists who must have credentials documenting successful completion of a CPR course. The class will be held on Tuesday, May 13 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Wellness Center classroom. The cost is $45 for student members, $55 for non-student members, and $65 for non-members. Registration is required. For more information, call 305-284-5433.

Last Wellness Center cooking class of the spring semester
Chicken Redux is the title of the Coral Gables Wellness Center’s last cooking class of the spring semester on Wednesday, May 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Learn how to prepare Indonesian chicken with green beans, tortilla pecan-crusted chicken, and mango-cherry salsa over chicken. The $25 class fee includes the cooking demonstration, recipes, and a food tasting. Register in advance by calling 305-284-5433.

Tournament play: Miami will host the NCAA Regional, May 9-10. UM to host women’s NCAA tennis regionals UM will host the first and second rounds of the women’s NCAA Tournament, running Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May, 10. The 12th-ranked Hurricanes will host Quinnipiac on Friday at 11 a.m., followed by Notre Dame and FIU competition at 2 p.m.  The winner of both matches advance to Saturday's second round at 11 a.m. All matches are set to take place at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. Tickets to the first and second round matches are $5 for adults and $3 for children, senior citizens, and UM students. To purchase tickets or for more information, call 1-800-GO-CANES or visit hurricanesports.com.

Understand scientific misconduct
Attend the Sponsored Programs Roundtable discussion titled “Scientific Misconduct Awareness” featuring Jerome Engel, university compliance coordinator, on Thursday, May 15 from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Batchelor Building, Baxter Conference Room. This discussion group will analyze policies and procedures related to allegations of misconduct in research, focusing on questions such as: What is research misconduct? How do I report research misconduct? Who should I contact if I discover research misconduct? To register, visit Ulearn.miami.edu.  For more information, e-mail saymerich@med.miami.edu.

Register for Health Research in the Americas IV conference: HIV/TB
The Health Research in the Americas IV conference on May 15 and 16 will focus on HIV/TB and is sponsored by the University of Miami Fogarty International Training Program in AIDS and TB. It will provide current information for clinicians, students, researchers, and non-clinical health workers regarding the current state of the HIV/TB co-epidemics in the Americas.

A total of 11.75 CME credits will be offered to physicians who attend both days of the conference. There is no registration fee. The conference will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the Gordon Auditorium Seminar Room on the first floor of the Clinical Research Building on the Miller School campus. Registration is limited.

For more information and for a downloadable registration form, please visit www.med.miami.edu/fogarty/x18.xml or contact Victoria Elf at velf@med.miami.edu or 305-243-3210.

May is Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in this country. More than one million people in the U.S. develop skin cancer each year. Take the time to learn the facts about skin cancer prevention and some of the steps you can take to help decrease the incidence of skin cancer. Attend a skin cancer informational lunch-and-learn session:

• On Thursday, May 8, Yvonne Romagosa will speak at the Mailman Center for Child Development, eighth-floor auditorium, from 12 to 1:30 p.m.
• On Thursday, May 15, Nancy Kim will speak at the Whitten University Center, Flamingo Ballroom A/B, from 12 to 1:30 p.m.
• On Thursday, May 29, Marianna Blyumin will speak at the Rosenstiel Auditorium from 12 to 1:30 p.m.

To R.S.V.P., e-mail vagramonte@miami.edu. All sessions include lunch.

If you have questions about any of your UMatter Benefits, visit www.miami.edu/benefits/ask and complete the online form.

Master of Fine Arts Candidates Exhibition 2008 The Department of Art and Art History presents its annual juried exhibition through Friday, June 13 featuring art work from Mitch Blessing, Grant Bloodgood, Tutua Boshell, Liliam Dominguez, Kathleen Hudspeth, Courtney Johnson, Lisa Kaplowitz, Jeff Larson, Lucinda Linderman, Alicia Sumner Mack, Richard Mack, Park McArthur, Pam Moss, Barry Sparkman, Runcie Tatnall, Karla Turcios Rodriguez, Richard White, and Cristina Figueredo Zizold. The exhibit occurs at the Lowe Art Museum and is free and open to the public. For more arts and culture events at UM, visit UM Presents.

Through Friday, May 9 Cuban-American Film Festival. The Casa Bacardi Cuban-American Film Festival seeks to highlight the experiences of Cuban exiles and members of the Cuban-American community. The festival captures the unique events of these individuals via the medium of filmmaking. Ultimately, its purpose is to promote the inherent creativity of those willing to share their works and to recognize the accomplishments and difficulties of those living in or influenced by the Cuban Diaspora. For more information, visit casabacardi.iccas.miami.edu. Admission to the films is $8. Seating is limited. For reservations, call 305-284-CUBA (2822).

Friday, May 9 through Sunday, May 11 Cosford Screenings. Enjoy screenings at Cosford Cinema beginning on Friday with Jellyfish at 6:30 p.m. In Hebrew with English subtitles, the film is a poignant and witty cinematic story of three very different Tel Aviv women whose intersecting stories weave an unlikely portrait of modern Israeli life. The film screens again at 4:30, 6, 7:30, and 9 p.m. on Saturday, and at 2:30 and 4 p.m. on Sunday. Also enjoy Il Trittico. In honor of Puccini’s 150th birthday, La Scala Opera House presents screenings of a new production of this incomparable opera at 8 p.m. on Friday, 1 p.m. on Saturday, and 6 p.m. on Sunday. Please note: tickets for the opera screenings are $20 for general admission and $18 for UM faculty, staff, alumni, students, and seniors. For more information, call 305-284-4861 or visit www.com.miami.edu/cosford.

Monday, May 12 School of Law Book Signing. Books & Books hosts a book signing featuring Attila Andrade Jr., visiting professor of law, at 6 p.m. Andrade, a renowned Brazilian jurist, will be signing USA 2030 – Predictions at the Coral Gables Books & Books on 265 Aragon Avenue. For more information, call 305-442-4408.

Wednesday, May 14 The Accomplices. Attend a play by longtime New York Times journalist Bernard Weinraub and co-produced by The Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies. The play deals with the American Jewish community during World War II and is a moral thriller about grassroots activism and backroom politics in the deepening shadow of Nazi genocide. Tickets are $30 each for reserved seats, but admission is free for students with valid identification. The GableStage is located at 1200 Anastasia Avenue in Coral Gables. To purchase tickets, send a check to The Miller Center, 105 Merrick Building, LC 2018 or send via U.S. mail to P.O. Box 248161, Coral Gables, Florida, 33124-2018. For more information contact ccjs@miami.edu.