For everyone For researchers For medical educators and clinicians
Anti-racism and/or diversity, equity and inclusion
Resources for everyone
COVID-19 operational updates:
- Mask updates in SMPH: Since March 12, 2022, masks have no longer required in most campus spaces, including many in SMPH. However, masks are still required in some areas of the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR), such as its entrance, central elevators, basement, and patient imaging areas, due to patient care occurring in these spaces. Masks are also still required inside the Clinical Teaching and Assessment Center on the third floor of the Health Sciences Learning Center (HSLC) to enable clinical simulation learning scenarios for health professions students. Pay attention to signage to know if a mask is still required in a specific area. See this map’s highlighted areas to know where to wear a mask in WIMR and HSLC.
- Be respectful of individual choices about mask wearing. As a school of medicine and public health, we join the Chancellor in encouraging those who want to continue to wear masks to do so.
- See this latest Q&A from campus on the mask policy changes.
- When you work or learn in a health care setting, follow the requirements of that health system. When in UW Health facilities, the VA Medical Center, or engaged in patient care or clinical learning in our statewide campus locations, follow the requirements in that setting. See this mask guidance update sent to UW Health employees on March 4.
- Questions about mask use in SMPH can be directed to smphcovid19@med.wisc.edu.
- Workspace personal protective equipment (PPE): Order items like face masks, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, mask fitters, or face shields from the MDS warehouse through ShopUW+ (available at no cost to campus units until existing inventory is distributed). Contact your department fiscal specialist for help. For questions on accessing ShopUW+, contact your department fiscal representative or the Dean’s Office transaction team.
- A cart with PPE is in the HSLC atrium near room 1335 (see photo). Employees are welcome to take supplies for their unit. Hand sanitizer dispensers are present in all common areas and building entrances.
- UW Health COVID-19 requirements, announcements, and alerts for employees and affiliate individuals are available on U-Connect (requires UW Health login or VPN to access). Read more
Non-COVID policy, procedure, guidance, and operational news:
- Applications for the first round of fall parking offers are due this Friday, June 10. It is highly recommended to get your application in by June 10 to have the best chance of getting a permit for fall. Learn more and email questions to healthsciencesparking@mailplus.wisc.edu.
- End of fiscal year leave reminder: Before June 30, faculty, academic staff, and limited appointees with 12-month appointments must use all personal holiday and carried-over vacation leave, as well as the floating legal holiday hours earned on Dec. 25, 2021, and Jan. 1, 2022. Employees who are eligible to bank leave may do so. Unused leave remaining in these categories will be lost after June 30. See details from the Office of HR and view instructions for viewing absence balances using MyUW.
- Subscribe to ATP Touchpoints to receive updates on the Administrative Transformation Program: The objective of this large-scale initiative is to rebuild HR, finance, and research administration systems and services at all UW System campuses, an aim of reducing the complexity of the current administrative environment and refocus valuable personnel time on UW’s missions. Read the first issue of ATP Touchpoints and subscribe to receive future issues. Use the Tell Your Story form to submit feedback on the program and see the list of SMPH Ambassadors for ATP at UW–Madison to contact with questions.
- Did you know? Lactation rooms are available in many SMPH facilities, such as the UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building (MFCB), Health Sciences Learning Center (HSLC), and Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR). There are also numerous lactation rooms in UW Health facilities. A list of SMPH and nearby UW Health lactation rooms is available here
- Review guidelines on advocacy, political campaign activity, and lobbying at our public institution: They describe helpful definitions, dos and don’ts for SMPH employees, and how to get more information. Read more
- Policy released: SMPH Policy 4070, Influenza Vaccination, details the school’s requirement for all employees and students to either receive an annual vaccine or provide a waiver by a deadline established at the beginning of the flu vaccine season. While the influenza vaccination requirement is longstanding, this SMPH policy brings into one document important information about how it relates to employees and learners. Read the policy
- SMPH policies have a new digital home: In January 2021, the UW–Madison Policy Library launched as a repository for nearly 900 policies that are university-wide in scope, bringing policies together in one place so users can quickly locate the most accurate, up-to-date version of a policy. It now also houses the 36 official policies of the School of Medicine and Public Health. Read more
- Wisconsin Medicine launches “The Future Needs Us Now” campaign: Wisconsin Medicine is the philanthropic partnership between SMPH and UW Health. Together, we are embarking on an ambitious, comprehensive philanthropic campaign to raise $500 million from 100,000 donors by the end of 2025. The campaign launched publicly on May 2, with the chance to learn more and take advantage of a generous dollar-for-dollar match opportunity. Read more
Gathering, giving, and connecting:
- SMPH Community Pulse survey results: See the full results of the January survey of SMPH staff, including new data breakdowns by gender, race/ethnicity, and age in a series of interactive charts. Each section includes reflections on the data. Results will be used to inform action steps and plans being developed by the Office of Diversity and Equity Transformation and the Building Community Steering Committee. Read more
Leadership searches:
- Applications and nominations are invited for the position of Chair of Neuroscience: A profile of the opportunity is available, including a downloadable PDF. Please consider recommending this opportunity to qualified colleagues and sending in nominations. To receive full consideration, applications should be submitted by June 5. Read more
Resources for researchers
- Co-leader sought for TL1 pre- and post-doctoral training program: The UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research is recruiting a co-leader of the TL1 training program. Faculty members (associate or full professor) may self-nominate. Supported by the National Institutes of Health, the TL1 program trains future research leaders in the foundations of clinical and translational research through innovative training and educational approaches. Apply by June 10. Read more
- The national Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) provides multiple funding opportunities for researchers: During “PCORI Funding Opportunities: Pathways to a Successful Award” on June 21 from 9-11 a.m., UW–Madison researchers and PCORI program officers will discuss their experiences completing PCORI projects, elements of successful proposals, the application process, and more. Learn more and register
- Announcement from medRAMP: The school’s Research Administration and Proposal Development Services unit has instituted a nominal fee structure for single-investigator proposals to increase staffing capacity and provide additional support. Established in 2015 with a charge to promote cross-disciplinary collaboration and multi-investigator projects, medRAMP offers specialized services focused on overall pre-award project management for multi-PI, multi-project, and/or multi-institutional proposals from inception to submission at no cost to departments. Research administration services for single-investigator proposals are available for a fee. Visit the medRAMP website to learn more about its services and the new fee structure.
- New recommended training for those working in laboratory environments: A new training from UW Environment, Health & Safety specifically for SMPH can help orient or refresh lab members on how we approach safety on our campus and school regarding facilities, operations, and personnel. The training is recommended for anyone working in a lab environment, including research staff, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates. Find the training here
- In-person high school student summer research: Beginning June 15, high school students may engage in in-person research internships or summer research projects involving SMPH investigators or investigators from other schools and colleges who are working in facilities managed by SMPH. The school will continue to monitor data and projections on COVID-19 cases on campus and in the community and announce changes if necessary.
Resources for medical educators and clinicians
- Continuing medical education opportunity with Wisconsin Medical Journal (WMJ): Gain American Medical Association credit for free with any of the WMJ courses available in the ICEP Portal. Topics include rural residence as a predictor of better health outcomes, quality of diet in children with developmental disabilities, and how faculty and medical students’ perceptions of learning differ.
- The Wisconsin Medical Journal (WMJ) published five new papers online recently including research by SMPH faculty and learners that examines genetic providers’ perspectives on the utility and effectiveness of telehealth in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. WMJ is a peer-reviewed, indexed journal owned jointly by SMPH and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Read more and subscribe here
Resources and Upcoming Events:
Anti-Racism and/or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- How can I help make the university more inclusive to our community members with disabilities? A new campus website called Accessibility @ UW–Madison provides a central location for campus accessibility answers. Read more
- Draw the connections between power, place, and health in County Health Rankings & Roadmaps’ new podcast, In Solidarity: Hosts Ericka Burroughs-Girardi and Beth Silver explore how our lives – and our fates – are all interconnected. Listen to all six episodes on the racial wealth gap, available now. County Health Rankings & Roadmaps is an effort of the SMPH Population Health Institute, produced with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
- Office of Diversity and Equity Transformation launches Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) at SMPH: ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups that foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with organizational mission, values, goals, business practices, and objectives. ERGs do this by focusing on the experience and perspectives of people of a particular race, ethnic or cultural background, gender, gender identity, religion, age cohort, sexual orientation, history of disabilities, military services, or similar parameters. This program, which has been operating successfully at UW Health for two years, is now open to SMPH employees. Learn more
- Inclusion of learners with disabilities: In a commentary published in Academic Medicine, Dean Robert N. Golden, MD, and Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Elizabeth Petty, MD, urge medical schools to provide inclusive education for learners with physical and sensory disabilities. Read more
- Looking for insights on inclusive language? Read the SMPH Presenter’s Guide. Originally written by a group of medical students in fall 2019, it is reviewed annually, revised as needed, and has been endorsed by the Building Community Steering Committee. The Presenter’s Guide gives examples of how to talk about underrepresented identities in medicine. Read the guide
- New resources added to the Racial Equity Tools collection: Racial Equity Tools is a website designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. It offers resources, research, tips, curricula, and ideas for people who want to increase their understanding and to aid those working for racial justice in systems, organizations, communities, and society at large. Search the collection and see the expanded RET Glossary.
- Treaties: How we come to be where we are: View the recording with Ho-Chunk Nation’s leading legal experts about treaties and how our ongoing nation-to-nation agreements with the Ho-Chunk Nation are fundamental to daily life here at Teejop (day-JOPE), the place currently known as Madison, Wisconsin. Watch the video and read more