News Briefs

Updated 10:00 AM July 24, 2006

News Briefs

U-M receives top honor

The University has been awarded APPA's highest institutional honor, the Award for Excellence, for accomplishment in the field of educational facilities.

Rich Robben, executive director of plant operations, accepted the award on behalf of U-M during APPA's awards banquet at the Campus of the Future conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. "We pride ourselves in our ability to support the facility and operations needs of this world class educational, research and public service institution," he says.

The Ann Arbor campus occupies 1,127 University buildings, including leased and rental properties, totaling more than 30 million square feet. The plant operations department employs 1,280.

Ann Street parking structure opens

The new Ann Street parking structure was scheduled to open today (July 24) after a brief delay due to street reconstruction work. Though the street work continues in front of the new structure, vehicles will be able to access the structure traveling eastbound along the north side of the street from Glen Avenue.

The new seven-level, 531-space parking structure will include 21 spaces for visitor parking, 15 for staff with gold permits, 10 for business vehicles and 485 for blue parking permits. Motorcycle spaces and bicycle loops are provided on the ground floor as well.

For more information call (734) 764-8291.

East Medical Center and East Hospital drives reduced

One westbound lane of East Medical Center Drive (EMCD) is closed through Aug. 1 for underground utility work. The lane closure will stretch from the M18 Taubman parking structure exit to the M22 Simpson Circle parking structure entrance/exit. As a result, the bus stop near the M22 entrance/exit temporarily has been relocated half a block east near the entrance/exit to the M26 surface parking lot. Lanes on East Hospital Drive at EMCD will be reduced as well. It is anticipated that one lane of traffic in each direction will be available, but at times flag persons may direct two-way traffic on one lane.

Another project is scheduled to begin this week on the Markley Residence Hall side of EMCD. One lane of eastbound traffic on EMCD is scheduled to be closed through the end of August to allow for underground equipment installation for Markley Hall. Each project will require sidewalk closures. Posted signs that will indicate pedestrian detours.

Prostate cancer research sought

The Comprehensive Cancer Center is soliciting applications for prostate cancer research projects to include in a five-year grant renewal application. If awarded, the grant pays as much as $200,000 per year for up to five years for translational projects attempting to understand the mechanisms involved in prostate cancer development or to find a prostate cancer cure. The application deadline is Sept. 1. For more information, contact Jill Miller at 998-6761 or jsmiller@umich.edu.

Sea Grant earns national awards

Michigan Sea Grant recently received three awards for product excellence from the National Association of Government Communicators and the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Life and Human Sciences. The recognition includes a Gold Screen Award for Fisheries Learning on the Web, an online curriculum about the Great Lakes ecosystem, and a Blue Pencil Award for the classroom poster series Great Lakes Most Unwanted, about aquatic invasive species. The poster series also received a Silver Award from ACE, earning high marks for effective design and communication. Staff who contributed to the products include Elizabeth LaPorte, project director; Joyce Daniels, scientific editor, Todd Marsee, senior graphic artist; Anna Switzer, education specialist, and Anuja Mudali, program assistant.

News Briefs

U-M receives top honor

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