October 28, 2004

Vol. 15, No. 17

The "8 1/2 x 11 News" is published each week by the University Advancement Division. News of campus interest should be sent to one of the following editors:   Ed Delaney, 412-268-1609 (ed47@andrew.cmu.edu)
  Bruce Gerson, 412-268-1613 (bg02@andrew.cmu.edu)
  Susan Cribbs, 412-268-7521 (cribbs@andrew.cmu.edu)

The newsletter is available on the official.cmu-news and cmu.misc.news bulletin boards.

2001 Editions are available online.

2002 Editions are available online.

2003 Editions are available online.

Previous editions are available online.

Carnegie Mellon's multidisciplinary graduate programs in decision science have received top honors by the Decision Analysis Society, which is part of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), the field's leading professional and scientific organization.

—The Decision Analysis Society gave Carnegie Mellon its highest rank, five stars or "exceptional," for its descriptive decision programs, which concern how people process judgments and make decisions. The university received a four-star, or "excellent" ranking, for its prescriptive decision programs, which seek to discern how people can make better decisions. Carnegie Mellon, Duke University and the University of Pennsylvania are the only schools that received both a five-star and four-star ranking. No schools received two five-star rankings.

—Decision science is an interdisciplinary field that draws on insights from psychology and economics to provide a realistic picture of human decision-making. Among the questions decision science has studied are: Why do people fail to save for retirement? Why do they take addictive drugs but fail to take medications that could actually help them? And why do they avoid risks that are not objectively threatening (e.g., flying) but ignore risks that are truly serious (e.g., eating unhealthy foods or driving unsafely)?

—Carnegie Mellon's graduate programs in decision science reside in the Department of Social and Decision Sciences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Its faculty and research span several departments and colleges, including the College of Engineering, the Tepper School of Business and the Heinz School.

BENEFITS FAIR SET FOR NOV. 3; FLU SHOTS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE AT RISK

The 2004 Benefits and Fitness fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 3, in the University Center's Rangos Ballroom. Flu shots will be available for members of the university community who meet the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for priority groups. Priority groups are defined as: persons who are 65 years of age or older; persons with an underlying chronic medical condition, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or lung cancer; women who are pregnant; persons 6 months to 18 years of age who are on chronic aspirin therapy; and caregivers and household contacts of children who are 6 months of age or younger. Those requesting shots must present a Carnegie Mellon ID, documentation of risk category and a completed Flu Shot Authorization Form (see the HR Web site at http://hr.web.cmu.edu/) Please note that Health Services has received just one third of its flu vaccine order and therefore flu shots will be given while supplies last.

—Dozens of fitness and benefits vendors will provide health care information and demonstrations, and conduct health screenings. Participants can enter a special raffle for prizes by donating a nonperishable food or pantry item to the Staff Council Food Drive.

UNIVERSITY MOURNS DEATH OF CIT STUDENT IN CAR ACCIDENT

Julius Loh, a second-year engineering student from Alameda, Calif., died in a car accident last Friday while en route to a camping trip with a number of Carnegie Mellon students. No other students were injured. Loh was a member of the Singapore Student Association and a tutor for 15-100, Introduction to Programming. He is survived by his parents, Tse Kang and Hwee Chin Loh, and a brother, Jason, who graduated from the Tepper School in May 2004. Funeral services were held today in Alameda. A campus memorial service will be held at a later date.

PRESIDENT COHON HIGHLIGHTS UNIVERSITY'S ACHIEVEMENTS

During his annual address to staff on Tuesday, Oct. 26, President Jared L. Cohon noted some of the university's recent achievements—the Robotics Institute's 25th anniversary, the university's new Nobel laureates and the parade of politicians and high-profile public figures that has put Carnegie Mellon in the spotlight. "It's really an exciting time here," Cohon said. "And the staff make everything we do possible."

—In response to concerns about inadequate parking, Cohon said approximately 300 additional parking spaces will be created on campus in the next few years. He said the new spaces would be a result of the underground parking garage in the Collaborative Innovation Center and a new top-floor addition to the East Campus Parking Garage, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.

INT'L. FESTIVAL PRESENTS "FROM FEAST TO FAMINE: FOOD, CULTURE & SOCIETY"

"From Feast to Famine: Food, Culture and Society" is the theme for Carnegie Mellon's 14th annual International Festival, Nov. 4 - 6. The festival, which features workshops, lectures, discussions and performances, is a celebration of values, traditions and beliefs of world cultures.

—Best-selling author and activist Frances Moore Lappé will present the keynote address at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 4, in McConomy Auditorium. Her talk, "Exploding the Myths of Hunger One Pop Tart at a Time," is open to the public and will be followed by a reception and book signing. The first 50 people in attendance will receive a free copy of Lappé's latest book, "Hope's Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet."

—Other festival highlights include a cooking performance by internationally renowned Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Star of "The Iron Chef," a nationally televised program on the Food Network, Morimoto is known for integrating Western ingredients and techniques with traditional Japanese cooking. Tickets to Morimoto's performance at 7:30 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 5, in McConomy Auditorium, are free to the Carnegie Mellon community and will be available at the University Center Information Desk beginning Nov. 1. One ticket will be issued per Carnegie Mellon ID.

—The festival is coordinated by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit the International Festival Web site at: http://www.cmu.edu/internationalfestival

NEWS BRIEFS

—On Nov. 3 and 4, the Telecom staff will move from Cyert Hall to the Bramer House. Service order requests will not be processed on those two days but campus operator service will not be interrupted. Continue to call 8-8500 to report all trouble. On Nov. 1, the campus operator hours will change from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

PERSONAL MENTION

—Elaine A. King, professor, history of art/theory in the School of Art, presented a paper titled "Black and White: Two Distinct Stories: Nicholas Nixon & Carrie Mae Weems," at The Visual Arts Liberal Conference at the School of the Visual Arts on Oct. 22 in New York City.

—Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor David Dzombak has been appointed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Technologies Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology.

—The National Conference of Governor's Schools (NCoGS) has recognized Peter B. Berget, associate professor of biological sciences, for his tenure as director of the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences (PGSS) and for his dedication to both PGSS and NCoGS.

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

—Friday, Oct. 29: Center for Africanamerican Urban Studies and the Economy (CAUSE) lecture. "Italian Americans' Relations with African Americans in Interwar Chicago." Thomas A. Guglielmo, assistant professor, Department of American Studies, University of Notre Dame. Lecture and discussion: 5 - 6:30 p.m, Baker Hall A53 (H&SS Auditorium). Refreshments: 4:30 p.m.

—Saturday, Oct. 30: University Lecture Series and School of Art Lecture Series. Artist Senga Nengudi with filmmaker Linda Good Bryanter. 2 p.m., Carnegie Museum of Art Lecture Hall.

—Monday, Nov. 1: Procrastination doesn't have to be a fact of life. Find out how to beat it at an Academic Development workshop. 7 - 8:30 p.m. Register at academicdevelopment@andrew.cmu.edu, or call 8-6878.

—Thursday, Nov. 4: The Cuarteto Latinoamericano, string quartet in residence at Carnegie Mellon, commemorates the Mexican Day of the Dead with a free concert featuring "Altar de Muertos" by Gabriela Ortiz, one of Mexico's leading composers. 7:30 p.m., Alumni Concert Hall, CFA. Information: http://www.cmu.edu/cfa/music/cuarteto.

—Saturday, Nov. 6: "The Innovative University" book signing. 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., UC Bookstore. Signing are co-editor Daniel Resnick; Professor Lenore Blum, author of the chapter "Women in Computer Science: The Carnegie Mellon Experience"; and Professor David Dzombak, co-author of the chapter "The Greening of the University."

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