MyFolder Unavailable This Sunday

In order to perform critical maintenance on the campus technology systems, Information Services (IS) has announced that myFolder (specifically the personal storage, H: drive) will be unavailable from midnight until 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 6. The campus computer labs may experience slow downs due to this maintenance.

The downtime for these systems is scheduled to last approximately 21 hours, but the campus community may see intermittent technology availability as the system is brought back online and tested. Anyone with questions or concerns about this outage can contact Information Services, Technical Support at (402) 554-4357 (4-HELP).

Notre Dame's Ryan Nichols to Present at Philosophy and Religion Talk Today

The Department of Philosophy and Religion will sponsor a guest speaker who will talk on 'The Origins of the Problem of Evil & The Cognitive Science of Religion' at 4 p.m. today, March 4, in 306 Arts and Sciences Hall.

Ryan Nichols, from the Center for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Notre Dame, will highlight the patterns of historical response to the problem of natural evil for Christian theism made salient for enlightenment thinkers by the devastating Lisbon earthquake of 1755. He will explain why natural disasters are often interpreted as punishments from God, how Christians give nuance to God’s casual relations to the physical world, and the role if in-group religious cognition in times of crisis. All while applying research from the cognitive science of religion, supernatural punishment theory and evolutionary psychology.

For more information, contact William Melanson at wmelanson@unomaha.edu.

PKI to Host Student Capstone Conference

The Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI), in partnership with the UNO College of Information Science and Technology and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering, will host the Institute's first Student Capstone Conference in Engineering, Information Science and Technology on April 28.

The conference will feature presentations by students from the University of Nebraska and other universities and colleges in the region. The conference gives students the opportunity to present research, problem-solving, prototyping, analysis and findings to a wide audience of fellow students, faculty, judges and leaders from government and industry.

Students are also invited (not required) to submit a four- to six-page paper for review. Papers accepted for the capstone conference will be published in the capstone proceedings. For many students this will serve as the culminating event of their research and academic careers.

The conference is organized along presentation tracks that align with PKI academic programs and research clusters. Each track is assigned independent external judges.

Students will be given 30 minutes to make their presentation using PowerPoint or other means to judges who will identify the top three student presentations from among all who present in each track. First, second, and third place student teams and their academic institutions will be recognized in each track at the evening Capstone Banquet on April 28. A best paper award will also be given from among all papers submitted.

Key conference dates are:

• Abstract deadline is Friday, March 11

• Presenter registration materials are due in by Friday, Mach 11

• Presenters will be notified by Tuesday, March 29

• Final papers are due in on Friday, April 15.

Registration information and forms are available at http://www.pki.nebraska.edu/new/student-experience/student-capstone-conference.php

Mav-Rec Massage to Offer First Monday Massages This Semester

This event has been designated a UNO Mav-Rec Wellness event.

UNO Campus Recreation will offer chair massages on the first Monday of every month this spring. The chair massages, administered by Mav-Rec Licensed Massage Therapists, will be held in the Mav-Rec Café in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Building from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first Monday of March, April and May.

Cost for the 15-minute massage is $15. Massages will be given on first come, first serve basis.

Remaining spring 2011 dates: March 7, April 4 and May 2.

For more questions, contact David Daniels at (402) 554.2008.

The mission of Mav-Rec Wellness, UNO's health promotion program, is to create a culture of health and wellness among all faculty, staff and students. Health goals are encouraged through programming and initiatives that celebrate healthier lifestyle practices within the UNO community. For more information, visit http://www.unomaha.edu/wwwocr/health/wellness.php.

Biology Graduate Student Research Symposium Next Monday

The 2nd annual Biology Graduate Student Research Symposium will be held on Monday, March 7, from 1 to 5 p.m. Oral presentations will be presented in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service 132D Commons West. A reception honoring the presenters will follow the symposium in the Milo Bail Student Center. The afternoon's schedule is posted at http://www.unomaha.edu/biology/symposium.php.

For more information, contact lwolfenbarger@unomaha.edu or (402) 554.2405.

NSSLHA Pancake Feed for Autism This Sunday at Alumni

The National Student Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (NSSLHA), is hosting a Pancake Feed to raise money for the Autism Society of Nebraska Puzzle Walk this Sunday, March 6, at UNO.

Hosted by UNO’s NSSLHA chapter, The Pancake Feed will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Thompson Alumni Center. The cost is $5 for adults and $4 for children. The Puzzle Walk aims to raise awareness for children with autism and their families.

For more information, contact Whitney Bracht at wbracht@unomaha.edu.

Spring Certificate in Fundraising Management Schedule Announced

UNO College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) announces its spring 2010 schedule of courses for the Certificate in Fundraising Management. This certificate program provides in-depth training in vital areas of fundraising.

CPACS offers the program, which is co-sponsored by the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands, Omaha Community Foundation and the United Way of the Midlands.

Registration deadline for each class is one week prior to the start of that class. They are:

- Capital Campaigns, March 17-18
- Grant Writing, March 31-April 1
- Public Relations and Marketing, May 9-10

Classes are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and held at the Omaha Home for Boys, 4343 N. 52nd St. (52nd and Ames St.). The cost is $249 per course and includes all class materials, refreshments, lunch and parking.

For more information, or to register for a course, contact Melanie Kiper at (402) 554.2133 or mkiper@unomaha.edu; or visit the website at http://cfm.unomaha.edu.

Criss Library Newsletter Available

The second edition of Criss Chronicles, the library's newsletter, is now available for your reading enjoyment. The newsletter will be published three times a year and library staff look forward to comments and suggestions. People can also subscribe to the newsletter by following this link: http://l.unomaha.edu/i3jIEZ.

Project Interfaith to Present Three-Part Program Exploring Buddhism in America

Project Interfaith, an outreach program of the UNO College of Public Affairs and Community Service, will present a three-part program featuring Sumi Loundon Kim, author and chaplain for the Buddhist Community at Duke University on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 15 and 16. Kim is the author of two anthologies about the lives of young Buddhists in the West: Blue Jean Buddha and The Buddha's Apprentices. Read more.

'Speak Your Mind on Faith' Set for March 16

The Secular Student Alliance will host 'Speak Your Mind On Faith,' a public forum and discussion on Tuesday, March 16 at 6 p.m. in the Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom. The event is free and open to the campus community and public.

Event organizers describe the event as good-natured and a 'non-hostile discussion with no wrong answers” that will focus on questions such as 'Is religious belief required to be a moral person?”

In The News

- Jonathan Benjmain-Alvarado, from the Political Science Department, as well as David Drozd and Jerry Deichert, both from the Center for Public Affairs Research, held a media event focused on U.S. Census information on March 2. Three local television stations and the Omaha World-Herald did stories based on what was discussed. In addition, 26 media outlets from across Nebraska called in via a phone bridge.

- The Feb. 28 issue of the Omaha World-Herald featured a guest article by Tom Gouttierre, International Studies and Programs and Center for Afghanistan Studies, about his years living and working in Afghanistan.

- A recent issue of El Perico featured an article on the latest OLLAS report that focuses on the Latino and foreign-born populations in Nebraska, quoting Lourdes Gouveia, Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) director. Gouveia was also quote in an Associated Press story on a proposed law now in the Unicameral that would require police officers, when enforcing other laws, to question the immigration status of those they suspect are in the country illegally. The story was picked up by Fox News Latino

- A Feb. 25 Omaha World-Herald editorial on prostitution in Omaha quoted Dennis Hoffman, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

- KMTV (CBS 3) interviewed Claudette Lee, Grace Abbott School of Social Work, Feb. 28 about student performance among African-American children.

- On March 2, KETV (ABC 7) profiled the UNO Flying Mavericks, 16 Aviation Institute students who compete within the National Intercollegiate Flying Association. The feature quoted students Zach Ossino and James Slabaugh, and coach Scott Vlasek.

- Rick Yoder, College of Business Administration, was quoted in the Feb. 24 issue of the Omaha World-Herald about his involvement with the Omaha Green Business Council, a new group that works to connect residents, businesses and public agencies on efforts to improve the environment.

If you are a member of the UNO community and have been interviewed by the media - local, state, regional, national or international - we want to know about it. Send an e-mail with the particulars to enotes@unomaha.edu. Please include a contact name and phone number. For more information, call (402) 554.2762.

On Stage

UNO Theatre Department Presents 'Dark Play or Stories for Boys'

The UNO Theatre Department presents 'Dark Play or Stories for Boys' directed by Amy Lane. Performances run tonight through March 5.

The house opens at 7 p.m. and a 7:30 p.m. curtain. All performances will take place in the UNO Theatre located in the Weber Fine Arts Building. Read more.

If you are a member of the UNO community and are involved in an upcoming performance, we want to know about it. Send an e-mail with the particulars to enotes@unomaha.edu. Please include a contact name and phone number.

On Exhibit

McQueen Curates Latest Student Art Exhibition

Omaha curator Brigitte McQueen has selected works by UNO undergraduate studio art majors for the Spring 2011 Annual Juried Student Exhibition. More than 40 full-time students are represented. It runs through March 17.

McQueen has been curator of the Underground Gallery at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts and owner of Pulp Gallery in the Old Market. Currently she is establishing a new non-profit that will work to strengthen the creative culture of Omaha by providing services to local artists.

The Juried Student Exhibition showcases the many areas of concentration available through UNO's Department of Art and Art History Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts programs. Read more.