SMPH Intranet
For the School of Medicine and Public Health Community

In the Know Quick Links – Week of May 3, 2021

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Timely information to help build community within SMPH:

Resources for everyone

    • Vaccination updates from UW–Madison and UW Health: 
      • Thousands of vaccination appointments are available this week for employees, students, friends, family, and members of the public through University Health Services. All three types (Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson) are available this week. Appointments are preferred, but drop-ins at the Nicholas Recreation Center (currently operating M-F) are fine as well. If you prefer a particular manufacturer, make an appointment rather than dropping in. Sign up at go.wisc.edu/myuhs
      • Everyone age 16 and older who lives, works or studies in Wisconsin is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. More than 35,000 members of the UW–Madison community have received at least one dose of vaccine.
      • Please read this week’s end-of-academic-year update for employees.
      • UW Health offers information for patients including a COVID-19 vaccination scheduling dashboard, and a summary of vaccine information for UW Health employees on U-Connect
      • Safer Badgers/COVID-19 Testing updates and health/safety information:
        • Information about summer Covid-19 testing, building access and events guidance has been released by campus, and additional details for SMPH were noted in an April 26 message from Dean Golden.
        • Enforcement of Badger Badge restrictions related to university building access is in effect. Your Badger Badge must be green (access granted) to be in compliance to enter a campus facility. 
        • Employees and students who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be excused from routine on-campus testing. Your Badger Badge in the Safer Badgers app will remain green unless you report symptoms or test positive for COVID-19.
        • If you have been vaccinated by University Health Services, you will not need to submit proof of vaccination for exemption from testing. Your badge will turn green automatically and you should receive a message telling you this is due to your vaccination status.
        • If you have been vaccinated elsewhere (including through UW Health), you must submit proof of vaccination. Follow these instructions for uploading vaccination records.
        • Continue to wear face coverings in public and in working and learning environments if you have been vaccinated. This aligns with guidance from the CDC and public health and safety requirements of UW–Madison, the state, and Public Health Madison & Dane County. Thank you for helping to keep our community safe.
        • Room reservations in HSLC will only be taken for instructional purposes until the university releases updated guidance about classroom distancing and density requirements, and SMPH has determined how to operationalize this guidance in our school.
        • Elevator capacity in Health Sciences Learning Center, Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, Medical Foundation Centennial Building, and Medical Sciences Center has changed from a maximum of 2 people per elevator to a maximum of 4 people per elevator.
        • A message from Dean Golden provides more guidelines for in-person events:  
          • A form to request exemptions to campus event policy restrictions on a case-by-case basis is available. Exemptions will be rare. In-person SMPH degree program graduate recognition events will not be approved.  
          • If an in-person event is approved, leaders and supervisors may not require or exert pressure on any SMPH employee or learner to attend or support any in-person event. (Employees can be expected to do remote work related to in-person events.) If a university employee believes they are being pressured to attend an event, they should report the situation to SMPH Employee Relations.
        • Just released: Bioethics Symposium, a podcast project of the Department of Medical History & Bioethics. In lieu of the traditional in-person symposium event (which was canceled in spring 2020), this inaugural slate of episodes features SMPH bioethics faculty in conversation with leading figures on ethical issues raised by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  Tune in
        • The Spring 2021 issue of Corpus Callosum is now online. This issue of Ebling Library’s journal of the arts features 32 entries including music, visual art and writings from students, staff, and faculty of the UW–Madison health sciences community. Attend a May 18 meet-the-artist event and access the issue here
        • Night owls, take note: DoIT Network Services will be performing maintenance on its datacenter network hardware firewall this Sunday, May 9 from 12 a.m. to approximately 2 a.m. and next Saturday, May 15 from 11:59 p.m. to approximately 3 a.m. Many IT services supported by DoIT will be disrupted or completely unavailable during these times. Read more and email questions to changemanagement@doit.wisc.edu.
        • Furlough reminder: Employees with furlough time obligations must record that time no later than June 30. An online calculator is available for checking your furlough balance. Only hours already approved by your supervisor will be reflected; hours that are pending approval will not be included. Furlough obligations have been reduced by one day (8-hour equivalent).
        • Transportation Services has announced plans to resume regular parking operations September 1. To secure parking, you must apply before the June deadline. Watch your email in May for more information. Verify your contact information to ensure you receive updates. Learn more here. If you have questions, email healthsciencesparking@mailplus.wisc.edu or leave a message at 608-263-7943. Your call will be returned within 24 business hours.
        • A new cybersecurity awareness training has rolled out. The mandatory, microlearning format training must be completed by all UW–Madison faculty and staff (excluding graduate students and undergraduate student employees) by June 30, 2021. Students will undergo training this fall. Read more
        • Funding opportunity for community organizations aims to alleviate pandemic’s impact on children: The Wisconsin Partnership Program has announced an additional $1.6 million in COVID-19 Response grant funding to help address the toll the pandemic is taking on the social and emotional health of the state’s adolescents. Letters of intent are due May 17. This opportunity is open to Wisconsin-based, nonprofit community led organizations. Read more
        • Payroll schedule and benefits deductions changes coming in 2021: Beginning in April, employees who are currently paid biweekly will have most deductions for benefits split evenly over the first two biweekly paychecks each month. Beginning in July, employees who are paid monthly will be moved to a biweekly pay schedule. See more information here, including about informational forums on May 13, and May 17. Read more
        • Title and Total Compensation (TTC) Project timeline: This project involves a redesign of staff job titles and compensation structures across all UW System campuses. Implementation was delayed due to the pandemic. A new date has been set for November 7, 2021. See this update from the SMPH HR team. Many informational resources are available on the UW–Madison TTC Project website.
        • Visit the leadership search candidate page for details on candidate interviews. Visits have ended for the Chair of the Department of Medical Physics, Chair of the Department of Neuroscience, and Chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, but recordings of the visits are available. Passwords to access video recordings are “Neuroscience2021,” “MedMicroImm2021,” and “MedicalPhysics2021” for each respective search.
        • Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology position now open: The online position profile contains extensive information on this opportunity and a PDF is also available for download. Please recommend this opportunity to colleagues in the field of alumni relations and send suggestions to the search committee co-chairs. The application closes June 6. Read more 
        • ShopUW+ has launched, replacing the previous purchasing platform MDS/Shop@UW. Read more
        • Employees will now see a new line titled “Months in Service” in the Absence Balance tab in Time and Absence, accessible from MyUW. This is a way for employees to see their total number of months of service. After faculty, academic staff, and/or limited employees have completed 10 years (120 months) of service, they are eligible to bank leave that would otherwise be lost or carried over. The new line is an easy way to track progress toward 120 months. More information is available here

      Resources for researchers

      • The Office for Faculty Affairs and Development has released the Promotions Oversight Committee Guide and the SMPH Mentoring Guide. The Promotions Oversight Committee Guide provides clarity for departments, faculty and committees for the process of promotion from assistant to associate professor on the CHS and Tenure tracks. Topics include committee composition, responsibilities for those involved with the Promotions Oversight Committee, and a playbook with timeline and committee processes. The Mentoring Guide gives an overview of mentoring functions and structures to support faculty development. It also offers tools and strategies for selecting mentors and meeting mentoring needs. This guide can be used by both faculty mentees and mentors.
      • Principal Investigators: The SMPH Office of Research is your information source for funding opportunities. Bookmark these links:
      • ICTR-CAP Education and Training will offer a discussion titled “Using Design Models to Inform Translational Research” on May 17 from noon-1 p.m. Design models have a great deal to offer researchers developing projects to improve human health. In this panel discussion, we will explore the intersections and unique aspects of User Centered Design, Design Thinking, and Design for Dissemination. Panelists will discuss how these designs can be applied to expand stakeholder input into research and maximize the likelihood that interventions/solutions are put into use. They will also explore both common pitfalls and ways to successfully incorporate these designs into grant proposals. Register

      Resources for medical educators and clinicians

      • The latest newsletter from the UW Center for Interprofessional Education (CIPE) has been released. Read more and subscribe
      • Members of the School of Medicine and Public Health are invited to a virtual event hosted by the School of Nursing on Wednesday, May 12 from 7-8:15 p.m. Speaker Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, will draw on the recommendations of the National Academy of Medicine’s “Future of Nursing 2020-2030” report and its impact across all health professions. Read more and register
      • The Office for Faculty Affairs and Development has released the Promotions Oversight Committee Guide and the SMPH Mentoring Guide. The Promotions Oversight Committee Guide provides clarity for departments, faculty and committees for the process of promotion from assistant to associate professor on the CHS and Tenure tracks. Topics include committee composition, responsibilities for those involved with the Promotions Oversight Committee, and a playbook with timeline and committee processes. The Mentoring Guide gives an overview of mentoring functions and structures to support faculty development. It also offers tools and strategies for selecting mentors and meeting mentoring needs. This guide can be used by both faculty mentees and mentors.
      • Registration is now open for Pathways to Promotion 102, being held virtually October 18 from 1-5 p.m. Tailored to faculty in the Clinical Health Sciences (CHS) and Clinician-Teacher (CT) tracks who expect to go up for promotion within the next year or two, the interactive workshop includes:
        • Emphasis on what you need to do in the last year before you seek promotion.
        • Logistics of putting your packet together.
        • Overview of the promotions committees function and process by current members. Opportunity to sign up for a 15-minute one-on-one consultation on your personal statement and/or dossier.
        • Mentors are also welcome. Register here. Questions? Contact ofad@med.wisc.edu
      • The latest quarterly issue of Wisconsin Medical Journal (WMJ) is now available online. The issue, which includes research and commentary published by SMPH faculty and learners, features papers on savant syndrome, medical education, health policy advocacy, sleep apnea during pregnancy and more. WMJ is a peer-reviewed, indexed journal owned jointly by SMPH and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Access the full issue here. If you’d like to receive email updates when new content is posted online, sign up here.
      • Call for applications: Current SMPH faculty in the clinician teacher (CT), clinical health sciences (CHS), or tenure tracks are invited to submit an application for the position of Associate Dean of Multicultural Affairs for Health Professions Learners. This position requires five years of leadership experience in academic medicine or related areas of a medical school; knowledge of and/or experience with diversity, equity, inclusion programs that support learners in health professions; and ability to devote at least 30% FTE to this role. Apply by May 10. Read more
      • Educators: please help emphasize to graduating students they must have a green Badger Badge in the Safer Badgers app to enter Camp Randall for the May 8 graduate-only, in-person Commencement ceremony. Badger Wellness Ambassadors will be monitoring the entrances at the stadium to ensure everyone has a green badge to enter. There will be no exceptions. Read more
      • Two members of the School of Medicine and Public Health and one in the School of Nursing have been named 2021 Champions of Humanistic Care by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation. They are Jonathan T. Ketzler, MD, associate professor of anesthesiology; Nathan Wheeler, MD, internal medicine resident; and Susan Zahner, DrPH, RN, associate dean for faculty affairs at the School of Nursing and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor. These incredible individuals are being honored for their compassion and courage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
      • Mark your calendar: All are invited to view the SMPH MD Graduate Recognition Program, which will be live-streamed to the SMPH Facebook page beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 7. Read more
      • Faculty physicians: take action now to fulfill maintenance of certification (MOC) requirements by the end of the year. Earn MOC Part 4 credit for quality improvement work you’ve completed related to COVID-19 or other topics. Get started today by responding to this intake form, and direct questions to Cathy Means. The following courses are approved for MOC part 2 credit:
      • SMPH Medical Education Day will occur on May 27, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. as a virtual event featuring keynote speaker Cynthia Nebel, PhD, of Vanderbilt University. The event is open to all SMPH faculty and staff and will feature professional development opportunities, engaging workshops and oral presentation sessions that highlight education initiatives and innovation. Read more and register

      Upcoming Events: Anti-Racism and/or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

      • Continuing education credit is now available for four papers published in the recent special issue of the Wisconsin Medical Journal focused on the impact of race and racism on health. Credit is available through the UW-Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership (ICEP). Look for articles that display a blue “CE” button at wmjonline.org, and to register, click on the “earn continuing education credit” links or visit the ICEP website. There are no fees for participating in or receiving credit for this online enduring educational activity. WMJ is a peer-reviewed, indexed journal owned jointly by SMPH and the Medical College of Wisconsin.
      • The Graduate School is sponsoring a virtual presentation on May 18 from 4-5:30 p.m. titled “Niceness is Not Anti-Racism: How White Aspiring Allies Can (and Must) Step Up Their Game.” Read more and register
      • SMPH Spring 2021 Initiative: Advance Health by Acting Against Racism. A webpage for this initiative serves as the one-stop-shop for our anti-racism events this spring, as well as others on campus and resources for further learning.
      • The Building Community/Ebling Library Book & Film Club will host a discussion on Wednesday, June 2 at noon of The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin’s 1963 bestseller. To register and get access to an electronic version of this book, please visit the Book Club website. You do not need to have completed the book to join the discussion. Ta-Nehisi Coates once said of the book: “Basically the finest essay I’ve ever read…. Baldwin refused to hold anyone’s hand. He was both direct and beautiful all at once. He did not seem to write to convince you. He wrote beyond you.” Register
      • The UW–Madison Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement has issued a call for proposals for breakout sessions at the annual UW–Madison Diversity Forum. The event will be held on November 2 and 3, 2021 at Union South and will also be livecast to remote participants. Workshop, panel discussion or lecture concepts for 75-min long breakout sessions will be accepted for consideration. The deadline has been extended to May 17. Read more and submit a proposal
      • Save the date: A virtual Women’s Health and Health Equity Research Lecture & Symposium will be presented by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology on October 14, 2021. Read more