Campus Fire Safety Month activities set for Sept. 18-19
The Know 2 Ways Out campaign calls attention to the need, in case of fire, for everyone to identify two potential escape exits when entering a space. Environment, Health & Safety is partnering with the Division of Public Safety and Security and several local fire departments to share important fire safety information at events Sept. 18 on the Ann Arbor campus and Sept. 19 at UM-Dearborn. One of the main attractions will be a live “burn trailer” demonstration, where a mock home will be set on fire to show just how quickly a fire can spread, along with fire extinguisher training, life-saving tips and the opportunity to engage with safety experts. The Ann Arbor campus display will be at the west entrance to West Hall, 1101 S. University Ave., from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sept. 18, and at UM-Dearborn’s James C. Renick University Center, 4901 Evergreen Road, from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sept. 19. More information is available at sites.google.com/umich.edu/ehs-campus-fire-safety-month/home.
UM-Flint upgrades classroom tech with $2.8M in CARES Act funding
UM-Flint classrooms used by each of the university’s five schools and colleges have received significant technology upgrades thanks to funding the university received as part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Upgrades installed in a total of 33 classrooms include: Crestron Digital Media Presentation systems, an all-in-one A/V solution; HDMI and USB-C connections; new touch-panel controls with a custom-built graphical user interface; pan-tilt-zoom cameras that track the speaker as they move through the room.; linear microphone arrays to increase audio quality for recording and remote learning; in-room voice-lift systems to amplify the instructor’s voice through speakers. UM-Flint received approximately $27 million in CARES Act funding, of which $2.8 million was dedicated to this classroom upgrade project. Read more about these upgrades.
College students’ mental health improving, more finding support
The latest annual Healthy Minds Study, which surveyed more than 100,000 college students from 200 universities across the United States, has good news to report: There are decreases in symptoms of anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide, and increases in receiving mental health care and support. In general, the latest report from the Healthy Minds Network found that college students seem to be flourishing more but mental illness and related issues for this age group remain a pressing concern. Justin Heinze, associate professor of health behavior and health education at the School of Public Health is one of four principal investigators for the study. The study data, which was gathered through confidential online surveys taken by undergraduate and graduate students randomly selected by each school’s administrations, boiled down the students’ responses on: depressive symptoms, anxiety, eating disorders, diagnoses of mental illness, suicidal thoughts and nonsuicidal self-injury, history of mental illness, use of therapy or counseling, and stigma. Read more about this research.
Poverty Solutions fall speaker series to cover many topics
Experts on poverty-related issues from across the country will come to the University of Michigan this fall to discuss the complex causes and consequences of poverty and point to potential solutions. The seven-week Real-World Perspectives on Poverty Solutions speaker series will run from Sept. 27 through Nov. 8, with talks taking place at noon on Fridays at the School of Social Work Building, ECC 1840, as well as being livestreamed online. The talks are free and open to the public. The speaker series will feature scholars from various disciplines, advocates, documentary filmmakers, and representatives from foundations and community organizations. They will cover topics ranging from the opioid epidemic to food insecurity, equity in education, health care, community-level violence interventions, and more. For details and a list of speakers, go to poverty.umich.edu/news-events/events/speaker-series/.
UM-Flint gets $1.5M grant to expand assault survivor care program
The impact and implications of UM-Flint’s School of Nursing Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program will continue to reverberate throughout the region, thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program, also known as SANE, trains nurses to provide high-quality, compassionate care to survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Led by Carman Turkelson and Megan Keiser, professors of nursing, the program will receive $1,481,387 over the next three years. Launched in 2021 to serve residents throughout rural Michigan, the SANE program will be able to serve a more significant number of nurses, enabling them to provide comprehensive training and resources to improve the physical and mental health of survivors of sexual assault, domestic and intimate partner violence in rural and medically underserved areas across Michigan. Nurses willing to work as examiners in a rural or medically underserved community in Michigan will be considered for grant support. The funding provides tuition assistance, travel expenses and covers certification fees for those who qualify. Learn more about the program.
— Compiled by James Iseler, The University Record
