News Briefs

Washtenaw United Way Wishbooks available

The United Way is offering its free Wishbook in time for the winter holidays. The booklet is a compilation of the needs and wishes of 41 nonprofit agencies serving Washtenaw County, including 24 United Way-funded agencies. The Wishbook—a resource for companies, clubs, school groups, faith-based groups, families and individuals who want to participate in a service project during the season of giving—is available at http://www.wuway.org/, by phone at (734) 971-8200 or at the United Way office, 2305 Platt Road in Ann Arbor, until Dec. 16.

Dining at Conor O'Neill's Dec. 7 will help cancer fund

On Dec. 7, Conor O'Neill's Irish Restaurant, 318 S. Main St., will donate 15 percent of all purchases to the Comprehensive Cancer Center's Coach Carr Cancer Fund. For more information, call (734) 975-4410, ext. 487, or e-mail cmgi@umich.edu.

Leaders: Assembly attendance important

Leaders of the Senate Assembly are encouraging members to go to monthly meetings or arrange for their designated alternate to attend if they cannot make it.

During its Nov. 29 meeting, the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs (SACUA)—the smaller governing body that carries out the work of the Senate—discussed ways to boost attendance at Assembly meetings.

Stanley Berent, SACUA chair and professor of psychology and psychiatry, will contact the membership and urge them to attend future meetings or make sure a designated alternate attends in their place. This is important, he says, because many Assembly meetings have action items that require a vote.

M-CARE receives 'excellent' accreditation

M-CARE continues to hold an "excellent" accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for its commercial and Medicaid HMO health plans. The not-for-profit managed care organization owned by U-M has maintained the highest rating possible every year since 2000. Only those plans that meet or exceed the NCQA's requirements of service and clinical quality are granted the Excellent accreditation. In addition, results of HEDISU+00C2U+00AE 2004 (Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set) show that M-CARE continues to perform at a level at or above the national average. M-CARE has a top 10 percent national rating for overall rating of plan by members, childhood immunizations, beta blocker treatment after a heart attack, pap tests and advising smokers to quit.

Recycle monitors, MDEQ says

Computer monitors contain high levels of lead, and therefore are designated as regulated waste by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), says Andrew Berki, environmental stewardship coordinator. This means they cannot be disposed of in Dumpsters or through other common waste removal methods, he says. Disposal of spent cathode ray tubes (CRTs) in the regular solid waste stream would pose a regulatory risk and potential environmental contamination, Berki says.

The Department of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health (OSEH) coordinates the recycling of all waste computer monitors and other electronic equipment containing CRTs. All computer monitors and equipment that no longer are needed, even if broken, should be sent to Property Disposition.

If computer monitors or other equipment containing CRTs are found in the regular solid waste stream, members of the University community are asked to remove the items from the dumpster and call the OSEH Hazardous Materials Program at (734) 763-4568.

For more information, contact Kevin Ferrell, pollution prevention specialist, at (734) 936-5238 or ferrellk@umich.edu.

Submit holiday hours by Dec. 7

On Dec. 13, the Record will publish a list of holiday closures and hours for University departments and units. Items must be submitted via e-mail to urecord@umich.edu or by fax to (734) 764-7084 by
5 p.m. Dec. 7.

Ventilation reduced during holidays

Ventilation in most campus buildings will be reduced during the holidays to conserve energy. People in areas that will be fully staffed Dec. 25-Jan. 2 should contact Building Automations Services with work schedules by Dec. 17 so that full ventilation can be maintained.

Animal research and other critical facilities that normally require 24-hour ventilation will not be reduced. Heat will not be turned off in any buildings; reductions pertain only to ventilation. Send schedule requests and staffing schedules to Tim Kennedy via fax at (734) 936-3942 or e-mail to timken@umich.edu. For more information, call (734) 647-3348.

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