International Programs Update on H1N1 Influenza

Information Update on H1N1 Influenza
Office of International Programs
The Office of International Programs is closely monitoring the increased number of H1N1 influenza cases around the world where Augsburg students, faculty, and staff are currently located or intend to travel for summer study programs. We continually monitor the CDC, WHO, and the U.S. State Department web sites for information and recommendations. Our first priority is the safety of all program participants.

Of particular concern is Mexico, the epicenter of the H1N1 influenza outbreak. Six Augsburg students are currently studying with the Center for Global Education in Cuernavaca, Mexico, along with 17 students from other colleges and universities. The students are living at the CGE center and are able to continue their studies with minimal disruption. Only 4 cases of H1N1 have been identified in the state of Morelos with no confirmed cases in the city of Cuernavaca. The current semester program in Mexico will be completed as planned, unless the situation changes.

Some other programs have discontinued, with students returning to the U.S. early. These decisions have been made based on a variety of factors including the student living arrangements (e.g. home stay, hotels, etc), the number of students in the program, and the types of learning experiences offered (e.g. frequent new locations, public venues, etc. that may have high exposure risk or venues that have been closed). Our judgment is that because of their living and program arrangements, CGE students are safe and able to continue the program to its conclusion in mid-May. Also, remaining on location in Cuernavaca may present less risk than moving through the Mexico City airport at this time.

We are also monitoring the country destinations of summer programs to China, Egypt, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, and Nicaragua. Cases of H1N1 have been confirmed in New Zealand with a suspected case in Italy. We will continue to monitor the information sources identified above and remain in contact with our program providers on the ground regarding the situation in destination countries, in order to make prudent decisions. We will not hesitate to reroute or cancel programs as needed related to the safety of students, faculty, and staff on Augsburg programs abroad.

Please contact one of the following persons if you have questions or need additional information:
Orv Gingerich gingerio@augsburg.edu (1381)
Leah Spinosa de Vega devega@augsburg.edu (1650)
Regina McGoff mcgoff@augsburg.edu (1678)

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Swine Flu and Augsburg College

As you are likely aware, a swine flu outbreak has emerged in several areas of the United States and other countries. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, there are currently no reported cases of swine flu in Minnesota. The MDH is NOT recommending any changes in operation at Minnesota schools, including Colleges and Universities.

The Center for Disease Control web site is regularly updated with the most current information on swine flu. http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/?s_cid=swineFlu_outbreak_001

The MDH and CDC encourage the following everyday actions to prevent the spread of all viruses, including swine flu:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
- If you are ill, contact your own health care provider as you would normally.

The college is monitoring the current situation, particularly as it impacts out international operations, and will notify you of any changes that impact the college. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this or other Public Safety issues, please contact John Pack, Director of Public Safety, 612-330-1644 or pack@augsburg.edu.

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WEC Advising Days -- Get Ready for Fall

Since Fall trimester registration will open on May 26, 2009, the Augsburg for Adults office is holding a WEC Advising Day to help you get ready for fall.

Faculty advisors from your major will be available at the following dates and times for drop-in advising:

Friday, May 15, 2009
4:30-6:30 PM
Christensen Center Lobby
All Business majors, Education (in their Sverdrup offices), and Psychology

Saturday, May 16, 2009
11:30-2:00 PM
Christensen Center Lobby
All Business majors, Communication, Education (in their Sverdrup Offices), and Psychology

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All Hands Meeting

Faculty and staff are invited to attend an All Hands Meeting on Thursday, May 7, 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Hoversten Chapel.

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Augsburg Dining End of Semester Hours

Commons: Last Meal is Friday Lunch.

Murphys: Closed Friday

Coopers: Open Friday until 5 p.m.

Nabo: Open Friday until 4 p.m.

C-Store: Closed Friday

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Candy Bars BOGO

Coopers, Nabo, & Murphy's will be offering by one get one free on all candy bars. So if you have to many points to shake a stick at, pick some and and be the envy of all of your friends.

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Spring Day Grades Due Friday, May 8

Spring Day grades are due Friday, 8 May.

Grading information can be found at http://www.augsburg.edu/enroll/registrar/faculty/index.html then click on Faculty Information.

Timely grade submission is important to our students. Many of our Day students are dependent on scholarships which require graded coursework for continuance or for application for new monies. Thank you for your efforts to support our students.

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Richard J. Thoni Award Nominations

Faculty are asked to nominate a graduating senior for the Richard J. Thoni Award by May 15, 2009. This award honors a graduating senior student from the Weekend College (Twin Cities or Rochester) whose actions, commitments, and future aspirations most profoundly demonstrate a commitment to Augsburg's motto of "Education for Service."

In making a nomination, faculty should provide their name and the name of the student they are nominating, and write a nomination entry including a response to the following questions:
1. As you consider the nominee's time at Augsburg, describe ways in which s/he has been called to service and how s/he has acted on this call.
2. As you consider the nominee's future aspirations, describe how the nominee's education as an adult learner will shape his/her service to others, in one or many roles (community member, parent, employee, citizen, etc.).

Please forward nominations to Jessica Fox-Wilson, CB65, Oren Gateway Center, Suite 115, or foxwilso@augsburg.edu

The Richard J. Thoni Award

Richard J. Thoni (known to most of us as "Rick") came to Augsburg College in 1972. He spent the first part of his career at Augsburg working as a part-time psychology professor and counselor in the Office of Student Affairs, but Rick's role and impact evolved with time. Rick has served the Augsburg community as the Associate Dean of Students, the Acting Vice President of Student Affairs, the Vice President for Research and Development, the Vice President for Enrollment Management, the Director of the Weekend College program, and most recently, the Director of the Rochester Program.

Rick led a committed group of individuals who shared their knowledge and skills to found the Weekend College in 1982. The program, which began with sixty-nine students, soared to 1260 students in less than ten years. Today, the Weekend College is a signature academic program of Augsburg, educating adult students who wish to complete undergraduate degrees. Rick also played an instrumental role in establishing the Rochester Program, and served as the program's director until his retirement in 2007. It is fitting that we as a college community pay tribute to Rick Thoni as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Weekend College Program. For his 35 years of devoted work and leadership to Augsburg and the communities it serves, we give thanks.

In recognition of Rick's commitment and service to the College, I am pleased to formally announce the establishment of an award that will be given annually to a graduate of the Weekend College program. The formal text of the award reads as follows:

Established in 2007 to honor the retirement of Richard J. Thoni, whose professional work at Augsburg and commitment to its students exemplified Augsburg's mission. The Richard J. Thoni Award is an annual award honoring a graduating senior student from the Weekend College whose actions, commitments, and future aspirations most profoundly demonstrate a commitment to Augsburg's motto of "Education for Service."

The recipient of the Richard J. Thoni Award will be nominated by the staff and faculty who work with the Weekend College program. A committee appointed by the President of the College will review nominations and meet with the President to determine the award winner. The award (including a plaque and honorarium) will be announced on an annual basis at the Weekend College commencement.

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An IT Newsletter and Upcoming Events

We've started a seasonal newsletter to bring you useful tips, share what's upcoming, and help enable you to be more effective with IT. It's called "The Link" and is at http://augnet.augsburg.edu/thelink/ . It's a quick read and this first issue has some useful take-aways for working off-campus and more!

You are invited to join the IT staff for bite-sized technology tips on Thursday, May 7 from 1-3pm in OGC 100. "Technology Tapas" will provide a plethora of byte-sized tastes of technology to enhance your teaching, work, or life in general. Stop by any time as the program is continuous.

Along with the IT faculty and staff survey going on right now, we're hosting 2 focused conversations to answer your questions about the IT support and services we provide. Join me in Lindell 202, the CTL Workshop Room, on Friday May 8 at 10 a.m. and Monday May 18 at 3 p.m. Bring your questions and feedback.

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Commons Lunch Served in Century Room

Today, Lunch will be served in the Century Room to make room for a large catered event. Sorry for any inconvenience.

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Summer Flex Points For Staff & Faculty

If you are going to still be around this summer, please contact Danny Nguyen 612-359-6475 or augsburg@aviands.com to keep your points going. We clean up the system and are going to a new operating system in June so it is critical that you contact him no later than May 1st to keep your points available. Thank you, Augsburg Dining.

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Conquer the GMAT

Are you thinking of applying for an MBA program? Do you need to take the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)? The Augsburg MBA Program is sponsoring an on-campus GMAT preparation course: "Conquer the GMAT!" The cost is only $300 (the most affordable in the Twin Cities) and includes test prep materials. The preparation includes one writing, two verbal, and two quantitative sessions.

Dates are :
Tuesday, June 16, 6 - 9 p.m.
Tuesday, June 23, 6 - 9 p.m.
Tuesday, June 30, 6 - 9 p.m.
Tuesday, July 7, 6 - 9 p.m.
Tuesday, July 14, 6 - 9 p.m.

Register now, as space is limited: http://www.augsburg.edu/programs/urgo/GMATregform.pdf For information regarding the GMAT Prep course, contact Tara Borkowski at borkowsk@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1778. For information about the Augsburg MBA Program contact Nate Gorr at gorr@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1390.

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WEC Students -- Tell Your Story

The Dean of Students and the Weekend College Student Senate wants your feedback on your Weekend College experience. If you want to let us know what you think, please take the time to fill out this brief survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=mFcMWdu_2fadlv6yXapAk5kQ_3d_3d

Thank you for your help!

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Winford Invited to Vikings Minicamp

Royce Winford invited to Vikings rookie minicamp
http://athletics.augsburg.edu/news/2009/4/28/fb042909.aspx?path=football

MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg College wide receiver Royce Winford (SR, Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo HS) has been invited to attend the Minnesota Vikings' rookie minicamp for a tryout, Augsburg head coach Frank Haege has announced.

The rookie minicamp will begin on Friday and run through Sunday at the Vikings' Winter Park complex in Eden Prairie, Minn. In addition to the five players the Vikings drafted during last weekend's NFL Draft and the 14 rookie free agents signed by the team following the draft, roughly 30 prospective players are also invited to attend the minicamp on a tryout basis, according to Bob Hagan, Vikings director of public relations. The Vikings do not release a list of tryout players invited to the rookie minicamp.

"Royce's opportunity is very exciting for everyone in the Augsburg football family," Haege said. "Royce is very deserving, as he can do so many things well and is a first-rate character player. We all wish him the very best and will be rooting for him hard all the way."

One of the top wide receivers in NCAA Division III football during his career, Winford was considered a "sleeper" for the NFL Draft, and had worked out for NFL scouts at a "pro day" held at the University of Minnesota in March. However, no Division III players were selected in the seven-round NFL Draft.

Winford has also received interest from several Canadian Football League teams, according to Haege, working out for the 2008 Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders at a three-day minicamp this month.

Winford earned Division III All-America honors the last two seasons, and was named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year and D3football.com West Region Offensive Player of the Year in 2008.

Winford finished his career with 247 catches for 3,282 yards -- both totals second-most in school history, and tied Augsburg legend Scott Hvistendahl (1995-98) for the school's career records for both overall touchdowns (41) and receiving touchdowns (40).

This season, Winford caught 93 passes for 1,139 yards, his second straight 1,000-yard receiving season and the fifth-most receiving yards in a single season in school history. Winford tied his single-season school record with 16 touchdowns. Playing on defense for the first time in his career, Winford finished with four interceptions, three pass breakups and 11 tackles (eight solo) as a cornerback.

Nationally, Winford finished fourth among NCAA Division III receivers in receptions per-game (9.30), seventh in receiving yards per-game (113.90), 12th in total receiving yardage (1,139) and 23rd in scoring (98 points, 9.80 points per-game).

In MIAC overall statistics, Winford led the conference in receiving yardage per-game and scoring, while standing second in receptions per-game, third in all-purpose yardage and sixth in interceptions. In league games-only, Winford led the league in scoring (76 points) and receiving yardage (944), while standing second in receptions per-game (75, 9.38 per-game) and receiving yardage per-game (118.0 yards per-game), fourth in all-purpose yardage per-game (120.1) and sixth in interceptions (3).

Under Haege, in his fourth year as the Auggies' head coach, Augsburg finished 5-5 overall, 3-5 in MIAC play in 2008, duplicating its record from 2007. Augsburg opened its season with four straight victories, including its second win in a row over nationally-ranked Wartburg (Iowa) in nonconference play, a 30-24 overtime win on Sept. 13.

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I Know You Want a Quilt for Graduation

I can turn your Augsburg t-shirts into a warm, cuddly quilt -- the perfect graduation gift! Nine shirts will make a 45"x45" quilt, great for covering up when you're watching tv or studying for your graduate school courses. Just $100! Larger sizes also available. Email wheelerw@augsburg.edu for more information.

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