College of IS&T Hosts International Computing Conference

Computing educators and professionals from around the globe convened in Omaha this week. Today, June 6, is the final day for UNO's College of Information Science & Technology (IS&T) International Conference on Computational Science (ICCS).

The theme for ICCS 2012 is "Empowering Science through Computing," which was chosen to mark the ever-increasing importance of and progress in computational science theory and practice. The three-day conference will focus on recent developments in methods and modeling of complex systems for diverse areas of science, scalable scientific algorithms, advanced software tools, computational grids, advanced numerical methods and novel application areas, and how the above can be efficiently applied to physical systems, computational and systems biology, environmental systems, finance and others.

In addition to the keynote lectures, the ICCS 2012 conference includes traditional sessions organized into two main track sessions and 24 workshops. Each track is organized and chaired by key leaders in these interdisciplinary computing fields from around the world. Read more.

Safety Notice for On-campus Incidents

With the start of the summer semester, Campus Security staff would like to remind the campus community about emergency procedures at UNO. The following information outlines the university's safety and emergency procedures, along with other services provided by Campus Security.

Incident Reporting
Incidents requiring immediate action include fire, environmental spills, medical conditions, property damage, disruptive behavior and crimes in progress.

Persons involved with or observing these types of incidents should call Campus Security at 402.554.2911. Campus Security will dispatch officers to the scene and, if required, contact 911.

Faculty and staff can call 911 directly, but also should notify Campus Security to help coordinate the response and expedite travel to the emergency scene. Emergency information provided by the caller should include the building, floor, room number, call back number and nature of the emergency.

Evacuations
Faculty and staff should assist with room and building evacuations, and be aware of those needing special assistance. All employees should become familiar with the designated rally points for their buildings, which are listed in the back of the telephone directory under "Emergency Procedures."

Personal Threats and Harassment
Disruptive behavior on campus will not be tolerated. Threats or acts of violence should be reported to Campus Security and to employee supervisors. If the act appears to represent an immediate threat or harm to the individual, it should be reported at once to Campus Security or 911.

Personal Escorts
The escort service is available 24/7 for individuals on campus. Contact Campus Security to arrange an escort.

Personal Safety Checks
Individuals who may be working alone outside normal working hours are encouraged to contact Campus Security. Security officers will periodically check on individuals' safety while they are on campus.

Personal Property
The university is not responsible for personal property. Individuals are responsible for safeguarding their own property. Loss of personal property should be reported to Campus Security.

Alert System
An on-campus system to help facilitate emergency communications has been installed on the Dodge, Pacific and Center locations. Announcements are distributed from Campus Security to building public address systems or speakers located in building corridors. When announcements are made, strobe lights will flash to notify the hearing impaired to seek assistance.

The system is particularly helpful during tornado warnings. The announcement will alert building occupants to seek shelter and, again later, when the warning has ended. The alert system also can be used to announce university closings, confirm evacuations for fire or chemical release, or other emergency conditions.

Text Messaging System
An off-site text-messaging system provided by e2Campus is also available. The system sends instant alerts directly to registered subscribers' e-mail accounts and mobile phones via text messages. Wireless personal digital assistants and BlackBerry devices can also be used.

The notification system is used to communicate any potential emergency, such as a snow delay or closing, other weather warnings, homeland security advisories, gas leak notifications and fire or crime watches.

This is a voluntary, 'opt-in' capability that requires individual action to subscribe. For more information or to subscribe visit http://www.e2campus.com/my/unomaha/.

U-Tip for Anonymous Text Message
Have an anonymous tip? If so, use U-Tip to report suspicious activities or individuals on campus, such as theft or vandalism. Communication is anonymous, allowing uTipsters to send in tips without the fear or risk of retribution. The message will be sent directly to Campus Security and appropriate action will be taken immediately. All other emergency calls should be made to Campus Security at 402.554.2911 or Omaha Police and Fire at 911, so more information can be gathered from the caller. To use the system simply enter 79516 in the address box. In the text message type UNO911 (your message here).

More information on campus emergency procedures can be found online at http://emergency.unomaha.edu/ or in the UNO Employee Telephone Directory beginning on page 99. For more information about Campus Security procedures related to campus emergencies, contact Stan Schleifer at 402.554.3596 or Paul Kosel at 402.554.2648.

Summer Hours Set for Campus Food Service

Campus summer food service hours are now set. Currently, the Milo Bail Student Center's Tomasittos, American Grill, Greenfields, D'Cafe and Grab & Go are open from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Library Cafe and MavRec Cafe are now keeping the same 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday schedule.

Volunteers Sought for New UNO Green Thumbs Program

Green UNO is looking for individuals interested in participating in a new campus-wide beautification project. UNO Green Thumbs' volunteers will be responsible for deadheading flowers and weeding near buildings and designated common areas.

Each volunteer will provide his/her own gloves; however, Landscape Services will make available gardening tools and receptacles for the disposal of plants. If interested, sign up to participate at this link.

Individuals who sign up will be invited to a kick-off meeting. All green thumbs' volunteers are required to fill out a Faculty/Employee Volunteer Form. The designated building leader will determine participation. Proposed volunteer times: before/after work and over lunch hour. This pilot program will run until Columbus Day (mid-October).

Questions? Contact Joyce Crockett at jcrocket@unomaha.edu.

NACRAO Summer Workshop Next Week at Creighton

The Nebraska Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (NACRAO) Summer Workshop is set for Tuesday, June 12, in Omaha on the campus of Creighton University. UNO NACRAO members invite other UNO faculty and staff to hear Barmak Nassirian speak at the NACRAO Summer Workshop.

Since 1998, Nassirian has served as associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). He has been active in higher education policy for nearly two decades: focusing on access and financing issues, educational privacy and federal regulations.

Visit NACRAO's website for more information at http://www.nacrao.org/registrars-professional-development-workshop/