Havana nights of yesteryear come to Coconut Grove
The University of Miami's exhibit for the Cuba Nostalgia festival will come alive with the sights and sounds of the world famous Tropicana nightclub thanks to Cuban American artist and UM lecturer José Grave De Peralta, who has recreated a replica of the club along with a small stage where local dance companies will evoke the rhythms and magic of Havana's past. Max Borges, the original architect who built the Havana nightclub, will also be present to view the UM exhibit. Grave de Peralta was inspired by Borges' blend of tropical lushness and nighttime atmosphere as he built the three-dimensional UM Tropicana exhibit complete with giant trees, a stage mural depicting the club's orchestra, and a small ballerina that became an icon of the popular night spot. Photos of entertainers who graced the Tropicana stage - such as Liberace, Nat King Cole, and Carmen Miranda - will also be part of the display. The photos and memorabilia are part of the University of Miami Libraries' Cuban Heritage Collection. Cuban music from the 1950s will be provided from the collection at Casa Bacardi of the Institute of Cuban and Cuban American Studies. The festival runs from Friday to Sunday, May 21 to 23 at the Coconut Grove Exhibition Center. For more information on Cuba Nostalgia, call 305-856-7595 or visit the Web site.

Commencement memories More than 2,500 students graduated from the University during six separate commencement exercises this past weekend. The UM Convocation Center was home to five of the ceremonies, and in case you missed it, video of the ceremonies can be viewed on the commencement Web site.

HSRO launches new Web site
The Human Subjects Research Office (HSRO) has launched a new Web site at https://hsro.med.miami.edu in preparation for the rollout of eProst, the University's Electronic Protocol Submission and Tracking system. eProst is a fully integrated, Web-based system created to facilitate the submission, review, and tracking of the University's human subjects research protocols. This new system is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, June 1. Visit the new Web site regularly for all updates concerning eProst and the University's Human Subjects Protections Program.

Summer parking changes
Effective Monday, May 17 through Monday, September 6, holders of valid University parking permits, including Discount and Wellness permits, may use their permits throughout the campus parking lots except the 10 gated Preferred parking lots and the Resident Student Only lots (Eaton Residential College #'s 451 and 452 and Mahoney/Pearson Garage). All individual parking spaces specifically marked as Reserved, Resident Master, Service, etc. will continue to be enforced as usual.

UMOS promotion rain checks
Due to the unexpected and overwhelming response to the UM Office Specialist (UMOS) computer training promotion, most of the classes are already full. The special promotion offered to employees was scheduled to end May 31, but the Division of Continuing Studies has extended the offer. If you register and pay for the UMOS class before Monday, May 31, you may take the class any time before the end of the year. For more information, call 305-284-5800 or visit the Web site.

Need to register your computers for network access
In an effort to better secure UM's computing environment, the Information Technology Security Department has been working with system administrators to register legitimate devices using computer network services on the Coral Gables campus (for example, desktops, laptops, and printers). As of Tuesday, June 1, unregistered devices will be disconnected from the network. From that point forward new devices will have a seven-day grace period to register or they will be denied access to the Coral Gables campus network until registration has been achieved. To avoid unnecessary disruption of your access to network services, contact your system administrator to ensure that your computing device(s) have been registered properly. If you are not certain who your current system administrator is, send an e-mail to security@miami.edu.

Don't throw away that empty ink or laser jet cartridges
UM Canterbury Preschool has launched a recycling fundraising project to help raise money for the campus preschool programs. This is a year round project. Empty ink or laser jet cartridges can be recycled and remanufactured, and UM Canterbury Preschool will receive money for each cartridge turned in. Any cartridge with a print head can be recycled, regardless of brand or type. Please call 305-284-KIDS or send an e-mail to pbochman@miami.edu with the name of your organization or office, contact person, and location on campus anytime you have cartridges for us to pick up.

Research central 'Think about South Florida being a corridor from Palm Beach County to Miami that might become another Silicon Valley or Research Triangle, like Raleigh-Durham, N.C.'' Norman Altman, V.M.D., vice provost for research, on efforts underway to transform South Florida into a world-class center of biotech research. The Sun-Sentinel (May 11) A speedy trial "The military tries its cases very quickly. We don't have the crowded docket problems or scheduling problems with private practitioners." Lee D. Schinasi, professor at the School of Law, on the speed to which military officers accused of prisoner abuse in Iraq will be tried. The New York Times (May 11) It's hard to say 'I'm sorry' "An apology is simultaneously an admission of weakness, of failure, of not measuring up. And as human beings we're not good at that. As soon as you've apologized, you've lost deniability." Kenneth Goodman, co-director of the Ethics Program, on why people find it hard to apologize. The Sun-Sentinel (May 11)

May 18 Brain Tumors - Diagnosis and Treatment Options. Deborah O. Heros, M.D., director of the Division of Neurological Oncology an co-leader of UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Nuerologic Cancer Site Disease Group, will discuss this topic as part of the UM/Sylvester Conversations About Cancer series. The talk is free to the community and will be held from 12 to 1 p.m. at UM/Sylvester at Deerfield Beach (1192 East Newport Center Drive, Suite 100). R.S.V.P. by calling 305-243-1000 or 1-800-545-2292. Seating is limited. For more information, contact Joanne Leahy at 954-571-0107.

May 18 and 20 New dates for EXCEL class. This 8-hour course (1 to 5 p.m. both days) teaches you how create three-dimensional formulas, display multiple workbooks, import data from other Office XP applications, create comments, publish worksheets to the Web, create and respond to discussion comments, and create charts. For more information, call 305-284-5800 or visit the Web site.

(New) May 20 Social Work grand rounds. Sally Dodds, associate professor of clinical psychiatry, will deliver the opening presentation titled "Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan: The Sequelae of Trauma" from 9 to 11 a.m. in the seventh-floor conference room of the Lois Pope LIFE Center. She will explore the incidence and prevalence of interpersonal violence and abuse as they occur across the lifespan and discuss the impact of violence perpetrated in the context of interpersonal relationships and its impact on the provider-patient relationship, among other topics. Two (2.0) Continuing Education credits will be provided for nurses, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors. For more information and to R.S.V.P., send an e-mail.

May 20 "Human Factors Research in Surgery: Adapting to Technology." Caroline G. L. Cao presents this lecture from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in room DTC 270 on the second floor of Jackson Memorial Hospital. Cao is an expert in studying factors that shape human performance in surgery. For more information, contact Shirley D. Brown at 305-585-8364. Lunch will be provided.

(New) May 21 Dialogues in Research Ethics. This series of monthly conferences presented by the UM Ethics Programs is hosting Dialogue 8 titled "Ultra-Low-Temperature Storage of the Critically Ill" at noon in room 3109 of the Rosenstiel Medical Sciences Building. The speakers are Steven B. Harris, M.D., of Critical Care Research, Inc., and Christopher Dougherty from Suspended Animation, Inc. Lunch will be provided. For more information, call 305-243-5723 or send an e-mail.

May 25 Human Subjects Research Seminar. The seminar for May will feature Jay M. Sosenko, assistant provost for research standards, who will lecture on "Benefits and Research in Human Subjects" from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Mailman Center, room 3023. Advance registration is required via e-mail.

May 26 Intensive Geriatric Training: Psychology Module. The School of Medicine, the Miami Area Geriatric Education Center (MAGEC), and the Miami VA Medical Center's Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) is hosting this three-day conference at the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI). The conference provides licensed psychologists with 20 hours of geriatric training on various topics. Visit the MAGEC Web site to preview the conference agenda, or call 305-243-6270 for additional information. Registration is $100 for all three days, or $35 per day for partial registration.

May 27 HIV/AIDS Education Certificate. This class is an innovative training program designed to educate members of the public and private sectors on the fundamentals of HIV/AIDS. Classes meet weekly from 6 to 9 p.m. through Tuesday, June 29. For more information, call 305-284-2614, send an e-mail, or visit the Web site.

(New) May 27 Health Benefits of Acupuncture. Xue-Lan Wen, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, and Fariba Ostovary, a nurse practitioner counselor, will discuss this topic as part of the UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Conversations About Cancer series. The talk is free to the community and will be held from 12 to 1 p.m. at UM/Sylvester at Deerfield Beach (1192 East Newport Center Drive, Suite 100). R.S.V.P. by calling 305-243-1000 or 1-800-545-2292. Seating is limited. For more information, contact Joanne Leahy at 954-571-0107.

May 18 International Museum Day. The Lowe Art Museum welcomes the community to explore their "Intangible Cultural Heritage," the theme selected by the International Council of Museums for 2004. The Lowe will highlight its diverse collections, which include selections of Native American, European, Pre-Columbian, African, Indian, and Asian art. There will be docent-led tours at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m., which provide an overview of the Lowe's collections and current exhibitions. Admission is free, and guests will enjoy a 10% discount off Museum Store purchases for this special day. For more information, call 305-284-3535 or visit the Lowe's Web site.