Blood Battle with Ohio State running through Nov. 25
The 39th annual Blood Battle against Ohio State is underway and runs through Nov. 25. All potential donors, from those who have never donated blood before to those who donate every year, are asked to join the fight to save lives across the state and country. In the annual contest, both schools compete to see which one can collect more donated blood. A list of blood drive sites can be found at bloodbattle.org and appointments to donate can be made there, or at redcrossblood.org using the sponsor code “goblue.” Due to COVID-19, appointments are highly recommended and walk-ins will only be permitted as space permits. New COVID-related safety policies have been put in place, and a list can be found at bloodbattle.org/covid.
Record print, email editions to take a break over Thanksgiving
The Nov. 24 University Record email will be the last one sent until Dec. 2, as the Record’s online and print editions will take a break over the Thanksgiving holiday. There will be no print edition of the Record on Nov. 30. It will return Dec. 7, and that edition will be the final print edition of the fall semester. The Record’s print version will resume for the winter semester on Jan. 11. Daily email delivery will resume Dec. 2 and continue its fall schedule through Dec. 11. The Record email will then take a break for the holidays and resume for the winter semester on Jan. 11. Major faculty or staff news that occurs over the holidays may be posted to the Record’s website.
UM-Flint launches new support for student veterans
UM-Flint marked Veterans Day 2020 with a new initiative to support veterans who are pursuing their education. The new Student Veteran Assistance Fund will provide gap funding for eligible student veterans to help pay for their college education. The funding will be available when Veterans Administration benefits either run out or will not cover the cost of a course. In addition, the university will hire a veteran recruiter to help assist prospective students who would like to pursue their education at UM-Flint. The veteran student population at UM-Flint includes active-duty service members, students serving in the Reserve or National Guard, veterans who have separated from military service, and family members who are using benefits based on a direct family member’s military service.
U-M’s interprofessional Trauma-Informed Practice course adopts anti-racist lens
When U-M announced the formation of the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship and additional anti-racism initiatives in mid-October, more than 115 students were already well into an interprofessional Trauma-Informed Practice course that had been updated to deliberately adopt an anti-racist lens. Shari Saunders, the course’s primary instructor, associate dean for the School of Education and who serves on the Michigan Center for IPE Executive Committee, had taught the course before. She and co-instructor Beth Sherman, clinical associate professor of social work at the School of Social Work, wanted to create a course that acknowledged both the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing anti-Black racism and violence, and centered on developing anti-racist trauma-informed practice.
HITS announces rollout of eduroam across Michigan Medicine
Health Information Technology & Services has announced changes and improvements to two of its WiFi networks across Michigan Medicine. First, as of Nov. 9, Michigan Medicine has begun offering eduroam across all of its buildings, including the North Campus Research Complex, Medical School, hospitals and clinics. Short for education roaming, eduroam is a dual-band network that allows visitors from other institutions easy, secure WiFi access using their own credentials. Michigan Medicine joins U-M and more than 800 other U.S. schools and institutions and 100 countries as part of eduroam. HITS also is improving service on MWireless-UMHS, a WiFi network available in the Medical School buildings. Similar to the campus MWireless network, it will be available as a single band 5.0 GHz connection only.
Partnership with veterans brings new medical devices to prehospital settings
A partnership between critical care researchers and veterans is bringing medical devices inspired by the battlefield to first responders and civilian life. “The Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care’s relationship with the veteran-operated company, Precision Trauma, provides a direct connection to emerging innovative trauma and combat casualty care products,” said Kevin Ward, professor of emergency medicine and executive director of MCIRCC. The two teams are partnering together to find new ways to change and simplify the current approach to hemorrhages well before surgical care can be provided. Their first product is a simple-to-use tourniquet, built specifically for first responders and civilians, that makes it easier, faster and more effective in stopping a life-threatening hemorrhage from a bleeding limb. Read more about the partnership.
— Compiled by James Iseler and Jeff Bleiler, The University Record
