Archive

October 23, 2003

Notices

ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES

Applications wanted
The Institute for Ethnic Studies in the United States (IESUS) invites applications from University of Washington faculty members who are engaged in or are beginning projects on ethnic issues in the United States. The deadline for applications is Nov. 17. For more information on application guidelines, please see the IESUS website at http://depts.washington.edu/iesus/  or direct questions to Carol Wong via email at iesus@u.washington.edu  or call 206-616-7518 (leave voicemail at ext #3).

Funding available
The Marc Lindenberg Center for Humanitarian Action, International Development and Global Citizenship is pleased to announce the 2003–04 small grants competition for funds to support student travel with faculty engaged in research or service in developing countries. Please see the full Request for Proposals at http://www.evans.washington.edu/research/mlc. The proposal deadline is Oct. 24. Contact Hollie Sheriff at mlcenter@u.washington.edu  or call 206-221-3026 if you have any questions.

Applications wanted
The UW-University of Ljubljana Exchange Program invites applications from faculty and senior graduate students to be an academic visitor to the University of Ljubljana, in Slovenia, during the 2004 calendar year. Visitors will give some lectures and will interact with Slovene faculty and students in their field of study. The visit must be completed by the end of 2004. The program has funds to support travel to Slovenia, and the host institution will pay all living expenses while there. Two visitors, each staying for a two-week period, can be supported. Applicants should submit their c.v. and a letter explaining the purpose and academic value of the proposed visit. Deadline for applications: Friday, Nov. 14. Applications, and all questions concerning the program, should be addressed to: Professor Louis Wolcher, Law (campus mailbox 354600; email wolcher@u.washington.edu ).

OTHER NEWS

Infant Ultrasound study participants wanted
The Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit at the University of Washington seeks volunteer families to participate in a research study about the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the brain structure of infants. Both women who did and did not drink alcohol during pregnancy, with babies up to 3 1/2 months old, are encouraged to participate. The study involves two visits. The first includes a screening questionnaire and interviews that take about 1 1/2 hours and will be done at a place of your choice, for example, your home, or our offices. The second visit will take place at the Ultrasound Clinic at the Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center where your baby will receive a cranial ultrasound. The procedure will be done by a trained technician who will put gel on the top of your baby’s head and move a transducer over the area taking pictures of his/her brain. The ultrasound takes about 15 minutes. Total participation time for the 2 visits is about 2 1/2 hours, including waiting time. You will receive $75 for your participation and we will provide transportation if you would like. For more information, please call Kristi Baldwin at 206-543-7155.

Reiki for Fibromyalgia study
If you are: 18 or older, never had Reiki (or other forms of energy medicine), not taking narcotics, and have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, you may be eligible to receive free reiki treatments through the UW Department of Medicine. For more info, please call 206-521-1731, e-mail reiki@u.washington.edu  or visit our web site at http://depts.washington.edu/reiki . Please remember that we cannot guarantee the confidentiality of any information sent by e-mail.

Blood drive
Tuesday, Oct. 28, 9:30 a.m.–noon and 12:45–3:30 p.m. in the parking lot east of Balmer Hall.

Monday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 1:45 –4 p.m. in the HUB, Room 108.

LEGAL NOTICES

Anti-kickback, Conflict of Interest and Whistleblower Regulations

Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR 52.203-7) require the University to implement procedures designed to prevent and detect violations of the Anti-Kickback Act of 1986 (41 USC 51-58). This is published as a reminder of the policies and procedures in place at the University of Washington

1.Kickback Defined. “Kickback” as defined by FAR means any money, fee commission, credit, gift, gratuity, thing of value or compensation of any kind that is provided directly or indirectly to any prime contractor, prime contractor employee, subcontractor or subcontractor employee for the purpose of improperly obtaining or rewarding favorable treatment in connection with a prime contract or in connection with a subcontract relating to a prime contract. University employees are prohibited under federal and state laws from accepting or offering kickbacks.

2. Ethics in Public Service Act. The Ethics in Public Service Act codified in Chapter 42.52 of the Revised Code of Washington prohibits State of Washington employees from accepting a gift, gratuity or additional compensation for personal services rendered as part of official duties.

Regulations published by the State Ethics Board and in University rules at http://www.washington.edu/admin/adminpro/APS/47.02.html  prohibit the use of university facilities and equipment for personal business use. E-mail and local telephones may be used for personal nonbusiness uses so long as the use is minimal and does not interfere with the carrying out of official duties. Each faculty and staff member is individually responsible for compliance with these rules.

3. Procurement Integrity Provisions. The Procurement Integrity Provisions of Public Law 100-679 (1988) prohibit university employees from offering promises of future employment, business opportunities, money, gratuities or other things of value to federal procurement agents. University employees are precluded from soliciting information about proprietary or source selection information from any federal officer or employee prior to the award of a contract. University employees responsible for a federal contract over $100,000 may be required to certify before the award that they have no information concerning a violation of the procurement integrity provisions.

4. Outside Consulting Work. Faculty and staff are required to receive prior approval from their supervisors before engaging in outside professional work for compensation. See University Handbook Vol. IV, Part V, Chapter 6 and Administrative Policy Statements at http://www.washington.edu/admin/adminpro/APS/47.03.html. University facilities and resources, including computers and e-mail, may not be used in outside work.

5. Internal and Governmental Audits. Internal audits conducted by the university’s Internal Audit Department, and external audits conducted by the office of the State Auditor and the Office of Naval Research, among others, provide checks and balances to University procedures.

6. Purchasing Procedures. The Purchasing Department solicits competitive bids for most purchases on behalf of the university. Purchases may not be made by university personnel unless authorized in advance by a department employee with signature authority and by a Purchasing Department Buyer. Purchasing procedures are described at http://www.washington.edu/admin/purchasing/. No gift or benefit of any kind may be offered to or accepted by a state employee involved in the purchasing process as an inducement to buy a particular product or restrict competition. (Revised code of Washington Sections 43.19.1937 and 42.52.140.) The state ethics law also prohibits any state employee from participating in a purchasing transaction that may result in an economic benefit to themselves or to a family member. Check writing and accounting functions are conducted by Payables Administration.

Under the state ethics rules, a University employee who independently contracts with the University for the sale of goods and services may need to receive prior approval from the State Ethics Board.

7. “Whistleblower” Provisions and Protection. University employees may report improper governmental actions to the Office of the State Auditor. To encourage the reporting of improper governmental actions, employees are protected from reprisal or retaliatory action by the provisions of state law. The Whistleblower law is codified in Chapter 42.40 of the Revised Code of Washington. Procedures for reporting improper governmental actions are in the Administrative Policy Statements at http://www.washington.edu/admin/adminpro/APS/47.01.html.

Summary of the Provisions and Protections of RCW 42.40.

“Whistleblower Act” chapter 42.40 RCW was enacted to encourage employees of the State of Washington to report improper governmental actions to the State Auditor’s Office. “Improper governmental action” means any action by an employee undertaken in the performance of the employee’s official duties that is:

• A gross waste of public funds of resources; or
  
• In violation of federal or state law or rule if the violation is not merely technical or of a minimum nature; or
  
• Of substantial and specific danger to the public health or safety.

“Improper governmental action” does not include personnel actions for which other remedies exist, such as employee grievances and related complaints.

In order to be investigated, an assertion of improper governmental action must be provided to the State Auditor’s Office within one year after the occurrence of the asserted improper governmental action.

Assertions of improper governmental action must be filed in writing with the State Auditor’s Office. Telephone calls are not accepted. Assertions can be reported using the Whistleblower Reporting Form or in a separate letter. In either case, the report should include:

• A detailed description of the improper governmental action(s);
  
• The name of the employee(s) involved;
  
• The agency, division and location where the action(s) occurred;
  
• When the action(s) occurred;
  
• Any other details that may be important for the investigation – witnesses, documents, evidence, etc.;
  
• The specific law or regulation that has been violated, if known;
  
•  The whistleblower’s name, address and phone number.

Assertions of improper governmental action may be filed anonymously. However, by providing a name and phone number, the whistleblower enables the State Auditor to gather additional information necessary for a thorough investigation. The identity of the whistleblower is kept confidential.

The Whistleblower Reporting Form is available by contacting the State Auditor’s Office at  206-543-4196 or through the State Auditor’s Office homepage at http://www.sao.wa.gov.

The Whistleblower Reporting Form or letter should be mailed to, State Auditor’s Office, Attention: ED, P.O. Box 40021, Olympia, WA 98504-0021.

The State Auditor’s Office has sole discretion to determine how, or if, whistleblower assertions will be investigated. The law listed factors to be considered when making this determination. The State Auditor will mail an acknowledgment to the whistleblower within five working days of receipt of the report. When the investigation has been completed, the State Auditor’s Office will send the whistleblower a letter containing a summary of the information received and the results of the investigation. If the State Auditor’s Office determines an employee has engaged in improper governmental action, it will report the nature and details of the activity to the subject(s) of the investigation, the head of the employee’s agency and, if necessary, the Attorney General or other appropriate authorities.

The law protects whistleblowers from reprisal or retaliatory action. If a whistleblower believes he or she has been the subject of such action, the whistleblower may file a claim with the Washington Human Rights Commission. The commission shall investigate the claim and take appropriate action.

A more detailed summary of the Whistleblower Law is contained in the Administrative Policy Statements at http://www.washington.edu/admin/adminpro/APS/47.01.html. You may call Internal Audit at 206-543-4028 if you have questions relating to any of the above.

University of Washington Equal Opportunity Statement
The University of Washington reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran or other eligible veteran. This policy applies to all programs and facilities, including, but not limited to, admissions, educational programs, employment, and patient and hospital services. Any discriminatory action can be a cause for disciplinary action. Discrimination is prohibited by Presidential Executive Order 11246 as amended, Washington State Gubernatorial Executive Orders 89-01 and 93-07, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Washington State Law Against Discrimination RCW 49.60, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, State of Washington Gender Equity in Higher Education Act of 1989, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 as amended, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1972 as amended, other federal and state statutes, regulations, and University policy. Coordination of the compliance efforts of the University of Washington with respect to all of these laws and regulations is under the direction of the Assistant Provost for Equal Opportunity, Dr. Helen Remick, Equal Opportunity Office, Box 354560, 4045 Brooklyn Ave., N.E., University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98105, telephone 206.685.3263/V or 206.543.6452/TTY, e-mail eoo@u.washington.edu.

University of Washington Accommodation Statement
The University of Washington is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodations contact: Disability Services Office at least ten days in advance at: 206-543-6450/V, 206-543-6452/TTY, 206-685-7264 (FAX), or dso@u.washington.edu.

DEGREE EXAMS

Members of the graduate faculty are invited to attend the following examinations. Chairpersons are denoted in parentheses.

General Examinations

• Saonli Basu, Statistics, Ph.D. noon Friday, Oct. 24. H670 Health Sciences. (Prof. Elizabeth Thompson).
  
• Amy Elizabeth Bonomi, Public Health and Community Medicine – Health Services, Ph.D. noon Wednesday, Nov. 5. H371 Health Sciences. (Prof. Diane Martin).
  
• Elizabeth A. Brown, Geography, Ph.D. 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28. 408 Smith. (Prof. Steve Herbert).
  
• Danielle Shallin Busch, Zoology, Ph.D. 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31. A023D Physics Annex. (Prof. John Wingfield).
  
• Winyu Chinthammit, Electrical Engineering, Ph.D. 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6. Bowen Conference Room, Fluke. (Prof. Thomas Furness).
  
• Andrew J. Eckert, Botany, Ph.D. 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30. K121 Health Sciences. (Prof. Benjamin Hall).
  
• Gina S. Fiorini, Chemistry, Ph.D. 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29. 339 Chemistry. (Prof. Daniel Chiu).
  
• Craig M. Grayson, Music, D.M.A. 8:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 31. 212 Music. (Prof. Julian Patrick).
  
• Michael William Halter, Bioengineering, Ph.D. 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 30. 102 Chemistry. (Prof. Viola Vogel).
  
• John J. Juelis, Education, Ed.D. 12:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27. 112A Miller. (Prof. James Banks).
  
• Catherine Jean Karr, Public Health and Community Medicine – Epidemiology, Ph.D. 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4. H670 Health Sciences. (Prof. Joel Kaufman).
  
• Charoenchai Khompatraporn, Industrial Engineering, Ph.D. 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6. 235 Mechanical Engineering. (Prof. Zelda Zabinsky).
  
• Pavlo Kovtun, Physics, Ph.D. 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29. C520 Physics/Astronomy. (Prof. Laurence Yaffe).
  
• Sunil Laxman, Pharmacology, Ph.D. 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4. D423 Health Sciences. (Prof. Joseph Beavo).
  
• Tanya Sue Lenz, English, Ph.D. 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 31. A101C Padelford. (Prof. John Coldewey).
  
• Hassna Rehman Ramay, Materials Science and Engineering, Ph.D. 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29. 321 Roberts. (Prof. Miqin Zhang).
  
• Laura Marie Roen, Chemistry, Ph.D. 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 30. 109 Benson. (Prof. Eric Stuve).
  
• Elyse Martine Shapiro, Chemical Engineering, Ph.D. 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 24. 109 Benson. (Prof. Francois Baneyx).
  
• Jae Hyeuk Suk, Mechanical Engineering, Ph.D. 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5. 219 Mechanical Engineering. (Prof. Brian Fabien).
  
• Jeremy Charles Waltmunson, Linguistics, Ph.D. 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6. 250 Mechanical Engineering. (Prof. Alicia Beckford-Wassink).

Final Examinations

• Courtney Beers, Immunology, Ph.D. 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29. T625 Health Sciences. “The role of cysteine proteases in MHC class II processing and presentation.” (Prof. Alexander Rudensky).
  
• Stephanie Rochelle Dawson, Germanics, Ph.D. 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4. 308 Denny. “Locus ornatus ornamental structures in the idyll from Gessner to Eichendorff.” (Prof. Jane Brown).
  
• Frederick A. Eckel, Atmospheric Sciences, Ph.D. 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31. 64 Johnson. “Toward an effective short-range ensemble forecast system.” (Prof. Clifford Mass).
  
• Nicholas W. Hayman, Earth and Space Sciences, Ph.D. 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 6. 154 Quaternary Research Center. “Structure and petrology of gouge-and breccia-bearing shallow crustal shear zones of detachment faults in Death Valley, CA.” (Prof. Darrel Cowan).
  
• Robert Wesley Holdcraft, Genome Sciences, Ph.D. 2:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3. K069 Health Sciences. “Regulation of spermatogenesis by androgen receptor: Effect of hypomorphic and cell specific mutations.” (Prof. Robert Braun).
  
• Bojan B. Lalovic, Pharmacy – Pharmaceutics, Ph.D. 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6. K069 Health Sciences. “PK-PD of oral oxycodone: Role of active metabolites.” (Prof. Danny Shen).
  
• Ki Sung Lee, Electrical Engineering, Ph.D. 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5. M406 Electrical Engineering. “Pragmatic image reconstruction for high resolution PET scanners.” (Prof. Thomas Lewellen).
  
• Bethany Paige Nyholm, Chemistry, Ph.D. 12:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31. 102 Chemistry. “Resonance Raman intensity analysis of chlorine dioxide, nitrosyl chloride, and isopropyl nitrate in solution.” (Prof. Philip Reid).
  
• Benjamin A. S. VanMooy, Oceanography, Ph.D. 12:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24. 425 Ocean Sciences. “Carbon and phosphorus cycling by phylogenetically-defined groups of bacteria in the North Pacific Ocean.” (Prof. Allan Devol).
  
• Tanya Nicole Wanchek, Economics, Ph.D. 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27. 302 Savery. “Exports and legal property rights.” (Prof. Philip Brock).
  
• John David Whitaker, Chemical Engineering, Ph.D. 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24. 303 Electrical Engineering. “Electrochemical printing.” (Prof. Daniel Schwartz).