Regents to resume in-person meetings; livestreams will continue
The University of Michigan Board of Regents will resume in-person meetings this month, but members of the public will still be able to watch livestreams of the meetings at umich.edu/watch/. The regents will meet at 4 p.m. Sept. 23 in the Richard L. Postma Family Clubhouse at the U-M Golf Course, 500 E. Stadium Blvd. Seating for the public in the meeting room will be reduced and masks will be required for everyone attending. An agenda will be posted at noon Sept. 20 at regents.umich.edu/meetings/agendas/. Members of the public wishing to make comments during the meeting will need to attend in person. To offer public comment at the meeting, sign up before 9 a.m. Sept. 22 at regents.umich.edu/meetings/public-comments/form. Public comments on agenda items will be taken prior to their consideration. Comments on nonagenda items will follow the regular business agenda. People with disabilities who need assistance should contact the Office of the Vice President and Secretary of the University in advance at 734-763-8194. For more information, go to regents.umich.edu.
U-M Slack has replaced Facebook Workplace as primary collaboration tool
The Office of the Vice President for Communications and Office of the Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer recently notified users of Facebook Workplace that the university would be moving to U-M Slack as its primary collaboration tool for enhancing workgroup communication. Faculty, staff, and students who use Workplace were to have moved to U-M Slack by Sept. 17. U-M Slack is available to all faculty, staff and students on the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses and in Michigan Medicine. Faculty and staff who sign into U-M Slack will receive an automated invitation within 24 hours to join umichWORKS. Documentation and materials for using U-M Slack are on the ITS website at its.umich.edu/communication/collaboration/slack. Included are details about features and benefits, as well as information on how to create an account, request a workspace, become more adept at using the tool and frequently asked questions.
Barnes Arico inks contract extension through 2025-26
Women’s basketball head coach Kim Barnes Arico, the winningest coach in the U-M program’s history, has signed a contract extension through the 2025-26 season, Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics Warde Manuel announced Sept. 10. Barnes Arico has amassed 193 wins through nine seasons after leading Michigan to its first Sweet 16 appearance in 2021. The only coach in program history to have eight 20-win seasons, she is also first all-time in winning percentage (.654) with a 193-102 record in Ann Arbor. “The culture we have developed in our program matches what this university and community stand for. That really showed this past season, with our team success and excellence both on and off the court. I am so proud of the young women we have in our program and look forward to what’s next,” Barnes Arico said.
New exhibition at Stamps Gallery explores bias, inequality within AI systems
Algorithms are everywhere. They use personal information to offer suggestions for our entertainment experiences, filter our social media content, and are used for purposes we’re not always aware of — like predicting the likelihood of repeat offenders in the criminal justice system. But have you ever wondered who creates the codes for these algorithms? Or how the biases of these creators might impact how they’re used? Stephanie Dinkins is a renowned transmedia artist known for seeking out the answers to these questions through her work. A new exhibition, “Stephanie Dinkins: Love & Data,” is now on view at the Stamps Gallery, 201 S. Division St., until Oct. 23. As part of the show, she’ll present a new projection work, “On Love & Data & Holding Space,” Sept. 24-25 in Detroit as part of DLECTRICITY, a nighttime outdoor festival of art, light and technology that showcases extraordinary art by emerging and established artists and creative design professionals. Learn more at stamps.umich.edu/events/stephanie-dinkins-on-love-data, and about the DLECTRICITY project at stamps.umich.edu/events/stephanie-dinkins-on-love-data-a-new-project-for-dlectricity.
Room-size charging system powers lights, phones, laptops without wires
In a move that could one day free the world’s countertops from their snarl of charging cords, researchers at U-M and the University of Tokyo have developed a system to safely deliver electricity over the air, potentially turning entire buildings into wireless charging zones. Detailed in a new study published in Nature Electronics, the technology can deliver 50 watts of power using magnetic fields. Study author Alanson Sample, U-M professor of computer science and engineering, said that in addition to untethering phones and laptops, the technology could also power implanted medical devices and open new possibilities for mobile robotics in homes and manufacturing facilities. The team is also working on implementing the system in spaces that are smaller than room-size, for example a toolbox that charges tools placed inside it. Read more at news.engin.umich.edu/2021/08/will-power-cords-go-the-way-of-land-lines/.
— Compiled by James Iseler, The University Record
