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Benefit Advocates Provides Wake Forest University with Healthcare & Benefits Advocacy Services for Retirees

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Wake
Forest University has partnered with Benefit
Advocates, a leading provider of healthcare and benefit
advocacy, to support its retirees with navigating the healthcare
system, resolving complicated and sensitive health insurance and
claims issues, coordinating Medicare, as well as
understanding and utilizing their benefit plans.

“Benefit Advocates is a vital member of our team and serves as our
trusted partner to confidentially and compassionately support our
retirees and their families in understanding their benefits and
resolving complex healthcare issues,” said Beth Fay, associate
director, benefits for Wake Forest University. “Benefit Advocates’
knowledgeable and responsive team provides personal, hi-touch assistance
and we are pleased to add this service to our retiree benefits package.”

Retirees and their families, enrolled in a Wake Forest University health
plan, can access Benefit Advocates’ complete line of services including:
medical and benefit claims resolution and appeals, help with
Medicare-related issues and enrollment, Medicare primary/secondary
coordination, assistance with understanding their benefit plans,
obtaining second opinions and locating the best medical professionals
for their needs. Benefit Advocates provides all Wake Forest University
retirees with dedicated, one-on-one advocacy and maintains complete
confidentiality and HIPAA compliance.

“With rising costs for health care and the increasing complexity of the
system, employees and retirees want and deserve a knowledgeable and
compassionate advocate to help them understand their benefits and to
negotiate on their behalf,” said Mary
Kesel, CEO, Benefit Advocates. “We appreciate the opportunity to
provide Wake Forest University retirees and their families the peace of
mind that comes from having experienced benefits professionals
advocating for their health and benefits needs.”

ABOUT BENEFIT ADVOCATES:

Headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC and founded in 2001, Benefit
Advocates provides health and benefits services to individuals and large
and small businesses nationwide, including: SunTrust Banks, Inc, Denny’s
and Wake Forest Baptist Health. Benefit Advocates is certified by the
Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBENC) – the nation’s largest
certifier of businesses owned and operated by women. For more
information, please visit our website at www.benefitadvocates.net.

Article source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/benefit-advocates-provides-wake-forest-150000732.html

University Hospital expanding to Grovetown's Gateway

News 12 First at Five / Tuesday, March 20, 2012

GROVETOWN, Ga. — It’s a hospital with roots in Augusta and Columbia County, but now University Hospital is looking to grow in Grovetown, bringing emergency care closer to your family.

Grovetown is one of the fastest-growing local cities and a lot of businesses are taking notice. Just last month, University Hospital purchased more than 6 acres in Grovetown.

They’re hoping to leave their mark on the Gateway by expanding medical services and giving people like you more options when it comes to health care.

“That would be wonderful. There are some wonderful opportunities in Grovetown. It’s growing by leaps and bounds. People need a closer place to get medical care,” said Janet Ritchey of Harlem.

University Health Inc. bought the land next to the Gateway Walmart. It’s a growing area with new businesses popping up left and right.

“It’s just really something to be excited about having come here,” Ritchey said.

No timeline is in place just yet for the $900,000 property, but University Hospital says they couldn’t ignore the census numbers that more folks are moving to Grovetown. Each new business means more jobs.

“Being a person about to graduate, it’s nice to see that there are jobs coming here,” explained radiological technician Monica Shepard.

With very few outpatient services in the area, University is hoping to fill a need and give people more options away from downtown Augusta.

“Working in the medical industry you see people so much coming from Thomson and from all over the place just to go and certain procedures done and things like that,” Shepard said.

And it sounds like they’ve already got patients ready to go.

“If I could get medical care closer to home … that’s where I’d go,” Ritchey said.

Again, no timeline here just yet, only looking into the future. There are other projects coming to the Gateway in the next few years, including both county and commercial projects.

University’s board also recently approved buying 40 acres near Thomson with hopes of building a new hospital in McDuffie County.

Article source: http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/University_Hospital_expanding_to_Grovetowns_Gateway_143558176.html

Swastika scratched into car, tires slashed near Washington University campus

UNIVERSITY CITY • Police here are investigating vandalism, including a swastika and slashed tires, to four cars parked near a fraternity at Washington University with Jewish roots.

The vandalized cars were discovered in the 7000 and 7100 blocks of Forsyth Boulevard, said Capt. Mike Ransom of the University City Police Department.

The cars belong to members of Zeta Beta Tau and the damage was reported to police when the students returned from spring break, Ransom said. Three damaged cars were reported to police Friday and the fourth was reported Monday.

Police believe the cars were hit either last Thursday or Friday, Ransom said. The vandals appear to have been targeting vehicles owned by members of the fraternity. Police said nobody from the Chabad house, a center for Jewish students that is next to the ZBT house, was affected. Police have no witnesses.

Zeta Beta Tau was founded as the world’s first Jewish fraternity, according to the organization’s website, but has welcomed members of other faiths since the 1950s.

Mike Hayes, Washington University’s executive director of campus life and director of Greek life, said his office’s top priority is ensuring students are safe and staying focused on academics.

He said eight fraternity members live in the ZBT house while other members live in nearby apartments.

“This is just really not what we want on our campus,” Hayes said. “We’re asking, how did this happen and what can we learn from this?”

Students are being asked to help police with the investigation, Hayes said.

Joel Currier covers breaking news for STLtoday.com and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Article source: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/d85eb430-72a7-11e1-9c97-001a4bcf6878.html

Cal State panel approves pay hike for two university presidents

A California State University panel voted Tuesday to increase compensation for the new presidents of the Fullerton and East Bay campuses, focusing renewed scrutiny on the executive pay issue.

Meeting in Long Beach, the Committee on University and Faculty Personnel approved 10% pay hikes for incoming Fullerton president Mildred Garcia and East Bay president Leroy Morishita, by a 6-2 vote.

Garcia will make $324,500 and Morishita $303,660, plus other benefits.

The compensation packages must still be approved by the full board, which will convene later Tuesday afternoon.

The pay hikes are in line with a new policy adopted in January to cap the pay of executives at 10% above that of their predecessor, with a limit of $325,000 in public funds.

The move followed intense criticism of Cal State’s compensation policies when trustees approved an annual salary of $400,000 for the new president of San Diego State — $100,000 more than his predecessor — at the same July meeting at which tuition was increased by 12%.

Trustee Steven Glazer lauded the qualifications of Garcia — currently president of Cal State Dominguez Hills — and Morishita, but argued that double-digit pay hikes set a bad example during a time of financial crisis.

Cal State officials announced Monday that it will freeze enrollment next spring and wait-list all applicants in fall 2013 pending the outcome of a proposed tax initiative on the November ballot.

Should it fail, the system could be hit with a $200-million funding cut in the middle of the 2012-13 academic year.

“We have to look beyond qualifications,” Glazer said. “We need to set the right tone and example of shared sacrifice. We should freeze compensation at current levels until there’s an improved economic situation.”

But other committee members said that Cal State executives are underpaid compared to their peers at other colleges and universities.

Article source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/03/cal-state-panel-approves-pay-for-two-university-presidents.html

University to schedule classes on religious holidays

By Todd Starnes

New York’s Stony Brook University has decided to no longer cancel classes for major Christian and Jewish holidays in an effort to ensure that some religions aren’t given special treatment and to “afford equal support and equal respect to students and faculty from all faiths.”

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Jewish students would be impacted on Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Passover and Holy Week. Christian students would be impacted on Good Friday. The Christmas holiday is protected under a union contract and occurs when classes are traditionally not in session.

The university had considered allowing faculty to schedule exams on Saturday and Sunday – a time when many students attend worship services. However, that decision was tabled after reaching a compromise with students.

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“As a secular university, as a state-funded university our priority must be to maximize instructional opportunities for our students,” said Charles Robbins, vice provost for undergraduate education. “First and foremost, it’s important to note that while I respect everyone’s concerns, the reality is it’s a relatively small number of people who are upset.”

Robbins told Fox News the university’s decision to stop cancelling classes for Christian and Jewish holidays offers “equal protection under the regulations to everybody and no one is getting quote, unquote, special treatment.”

Robbins, who has a background in social justice, said many religions, including the Muslims and Buddhists have never had their holidays officially recognized by the university.

“Now all segments of our population will be equally recognized,” he said. “It really is the American fair thing to do.”

However, Stonybrook University’s 24,100 undergraduate and graduate students are not as religiously diverse as the vice provost said. According to a report in The Jewish Week, 26 percent consider themselves Roman Catholic, 24 percent consider themselves other Christian, eight percent are Muslim, five percent are Jewish, and five percent are Hindu.

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, told Fox News that the university’s board of trustees should conduct an investigation into the matter.

“The goal here is radical secularism being shoved down the throats of the people at Stony Brook,” he said.

The university’s decision led the school’s Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Catholic and Asian Christian chaplains to write a letter encouraging them to reconsider.

“We’re not taking an adversarial position against the university administration,” Rabbi Joseph Topek told Fox News. He heads the university’s Interfaith Center and wrote the letter with “a heavy heart.”

Topek said the new policy “becomes less respectful of religious diversity instead of more respectful.”

“Rather than ‘respecting all religions equally,’ as we were told the new calendar would do, it will surely be perceived as an attack on student and faculty religious identity and observance,” the letter read. “We fear that this will be seen as making Stony Brook a less tolerant community that seeks conformity over diversity.”

But Robbins disagreed and said the new policy is anything but disrespectful. He said students may still attend and participate in their religious activities. They will also have the ability to make up any class work should they be absent. Faculty members will also be instructed not to assign exams on religious holidays.

“We’re giving more students the ability to practice their faith in any way that they see fit,” Robbins told Fox News.

Donohue also took issue with the university’s contention of religious fairness.

“There are thousands of religions but this country was founded on the Judeo-Christian ethos,” he said. “No one should be apologetic about it. It’s just a matter of giving due tribute to the heritage and the legacy of western civilization. So that argument doesn’t work either.”

A number of faculty and students are outraged over the decision.

“You really have to choose between my faith and my school work and I don’t want to be put in that position,” Aaron Gershoff told CBS News.

Norman Goodman, a professor of sociology, told The Jewish News the policy “stinks.”

“It was done without any input except from the administration – and it was done in secret. It does not take into account the variety of needs of faculty and students and it shows no respect for religion.”

Robbins said the university is undeterred.

“It’s not that we don’t recognize holidays,” he said. It’s that we don’t feel that as a secular and a state institution that we are in a position to decide which holidays to cancel classes for.”

Article source: http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/university-will-no-longer-close-for-christian-jewish-holidays.html

University of Pennsylvania Health System Implements Brainware Distiller and Ascend SmartTouch

March 20, 2012, ASHBURN, Va. and BREA, Calif. /PRNewswire/ — Brainware and Ascend Software announced today that University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) Health System, a Philadelphia-based network of renowned healthcare facilities, has successfully implemented a combined Brainware and Ascend solution for accounts payable automation, including real-time integration with Lawson ERP.  Furthermore, UPenn Health System will leverage these technologies for the imaging of HR documents.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100827/PH56146LOGO)

“We selected Ascend and Brainware for their ability to create a single input channel for paper and electronic invoices, as well as substantial flexibility for routing and managing these documents to serve our needs,” said Stephan W. Kelly, Director of Disbursements for UPenn Health System.  “In addition to eliminating a great deal of manual data entry and paper handling, automating our accounts payable operation provides greater visibility and therefore greater accountability throughout the process.”

“With Ascend and Brainware, UPenn Health System can experience the benefits of a complete, end-to-end accounts payable automation solution,” said Larry Robinett, Vice President, Sales at Ascend Software.  “Users experience a significant productivity boost through automated capture, validation, routing for approval, document management and integration with Lawson, including drill-down capability for immediate handling of invoice queries.  The result is an invoice processing routine that is both faster and more accurate, saving time and money.”

“This combined solution provides unmatched capabilities for header and line-item data extraction, which enables UPenn Health System to process a significant volume of invoices hands-free,” said Charles Kaplan, Vice President of Marketing at Brainware.  “Supporting their goal of accommodating growth without increasing headcount in accounts payable, this project delivers greater visibility into accounts payable and, ultimately, an opportunity to direct more resources away from the back office and towards the health services to which the organization is committed.”

The University of Pennsylvania Health System‘s patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania—recognized as one of the nation’s top 10 hospitals by U.S. News World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; and Pennsylvania Hospital—the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751.  For more information, visit www.pennmedicine.org.

About Brainware, Inc.

Brainware, Inc. is an innovative provider of intelligent data capture and enterprise search solutions that help Global 2000 companies eliminate costly manual data entry, rapidly process large volumes of documents and retrieve data from across the enterprise. Its solutions were built from the ground up to manage unstructured data without templates, exact definitions, taxonomies or indexing.  Headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia, Brainware maintains global sales and support operations through its North American, U.K. and European offices.  Brainware customers include Airbus, Alcon, Anadarko, BBT, Baylor Health Care System, British American Tobacco, BSkyB, Clear Channel Communications, Cleveland Clinic, Continental Airlines, CORT, Frontier Communications, Gardner Denver, Halliburton, Her Majesty’s Prison Service, Johns Manville, KPMG, NEC, NHS/Steria, Newell Rubbermaid, Old Dominion Freight Line, Philip Morris International, Resurrection Health Care, Reynolds Reynolds, Shell, Southern Company, Sun Chemical, The Bank of New York Mellon/SourceNet, TriZetto, and many others.  For more information, please visit www.brainware.com.

About Ascend Software

Since 1997, Ascend Software has developed business process management solutions that provide greater cost savings automation and are easy to implement.  Ascend’s enterprise information management solution was designed from the ground up to archive all types of information (i.e. reports, documents, images and all file types) to build a centralized archive in order to retain corporate information.  Additionally, Ascend developed their advanced workflow solution that provides greater automation and is the foundation for their SmartTouch Solution suite, which features robust automation and business savvy design delivering greater cost savings to customers.  Ascend’s advanced automation overcomes challenges typically found in workflow solutions and is the reason for the implementation success. Ascend’s solutions are implemented in all industries and distributed in fourteen countries. Headquartered in Brea, California, the company has branch offices in Tennessee, Maine, Oregon, Illinois, and Northern California.  Visit www.ascendsoftware.com for more information.

Article source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/university-pennsylvania-health-system-implements-130000387.html

University of the Sciences Names Dr. Helen F. Giles-Gee Its 22nd President

PHILADELPHIA, March 20, 2012  /PRNewswire/ — University of the Sciences’ board of trustees has named Dr. Helen F. Giles-Gee the University’s 22nd president announced Board Chairman Marvin Samson. Dr. Giles-Gee, who has served as president of Keene State College in Keene, N.H., since 2005, will begin her presidency at USciences (http://www.usciences.edu/) on July 16, 2012.

“I am delighted that USciences was able to convince Helen to come back to the Delaware Valley,” said Samson, who has been the University’s interim president since Sept. 1, 2011. “She is a proven leader who understands the need for students and faculty members to be exposed to different disciplines, to appreciate knowledge in a broad context and to value the benefits of diversity. Helen joins this great institution at a time when science and healthcare are making quantum leaps forward. Her demonstrated ability to proactively embrace change, inspire students, faculty, staff and alumni, to effectively engage with the community, and her wide view of the university’s role in society, as a whole, are of critical importance as we seek to educate healthcare and scientific leaders of the future.”

The first female president in USciences’ 191-year history, Dr. Giles-Gee (http://usciencesblogs.typepad.com/presidentsearch/) brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education. A well-respected and nationally known scholar, educator, and administrator, she has a documented history of working with faculty, staff, administrators, and campus communities to implement strategies that propel institutions to higher levels.

In her time at Keene State, Dr. Giles-Gee has led the institution through a major transformation. She spearheaded the development and implementation of a strategic plan that in its first five years reached or surpassed benchmarks for academic excellence. She established the positions of provost and vice president for advancement, initiated a college-wide honors program, and oversaw capital improvements and investments. Dr. Giles-Gee also led positive initiatives in the areas of curriculum, co-curriculum, campus building, advancement, shared governance, and diversity. The results have translated to annual double-digit growth in applications for admissions and the increase of Keene State’s stature for academic achievement and economic opportunities in the region.

“I am honored and excited to join University of the Sciences as its president at a time when its mission of educating strong leaders in the fields of health and the sciences is crucial to the success of the state and the country,” said Dr. Giles-Gee. “The University has an established history of achievement as the premier college of pharmacy in the nation. I look forward to the opportunity to work with USciences students, faculty, staff, board, alumni and its surrounding community to foment a solid expansion in the sciences and healthcare fields that fulfill vital needs for economic development, entrepreneurship, and graduate accomplishments. These are the fuel of the quality of life of citizens in many communities and I believe that the University is determined and extraordinarily able to ignite that fuel.”

Prior to her arrival at Keene, Dr. Giles-Gee was provost at Rowan University where, as the chief academic officer, she managed the Colleges of Business, Communication, Education, Engineering, Fine and Performing Arts, and Liberal Arts and Sciences along with the Graduate School. In addition, she worked with key legislatures and local leaders to secure $5 million to support development for the Rowan campus in Camden, N.J. Dr. Giles-Gee previously served as dean of the School of Professional Studies at SUNY Cortland, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and director of articulation at the University System of Maryland, and executive assistant to the president at Towson State University.

Dr. Giles-Gee is the former chair of the American Association of Colleges and Universities Board of Directors. She is a past president of the international Society for College and University Planning, and has been a planning consultant for numerous organizations. She has a long list of academic and professional awards and commendations, including the National Award of Distinction from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, and was named as a “New Century Leader” by New Hampshire Magazine.

She earned a bachelor of arts in psychobiology, a master of science in science education with Pennsylvania teaching certificates in biology and general science, and a PhD in measurement, evaluation, and techniques of experimental research from University of Pennsylvania. In addition, she holds an MS in zoology from Rutgers University. A native of Alabama, Dr. Giles-Gee is one of five sisters, three of whom also graduated from University of Pennsylvania, and the other from Tuskegee University. She is the mother of one daughter, Lauren, who attends college in New Hampshire.

Dr. Giles-Gee assumes the presidency of a University that is renowned as the first college of pharmacy in North America. She replaces Dr. Philip P. Gerbino who retired on August 31, 2011, after 16-plus years as president.

Download a headshot of Dr. Giles-Gee: www.usciences.edu/president/giles-gee_helen.jpg

Visit usciences.edu/presidentsearch for a full bio and additional information regarding the search for the new President of University of the Sciences.

At University of the Sciences, students embark on a challenging learning experience in a proving ground for successful professionals in the science and healthcare-related fields. A private institution dedicated to education, research, and service, and distinguished as the nation’s first college of pharmacy, the University has produced leaders in the science and healthcare marketplaces since its founding in 1821. Students in USciences’ five colleges learn to excel in scientific analysis and to apply their skills to improving the lives of people worldwide. For more information, visit usciences.edu.

– Twitter @USciences –

Article source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/university-sciences-names-dr-helen-143000268.html

University students face off for NESTEA® The Recruit®

- Chance to win tuition, paid internship

TORONTO, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – University students know that competition in today’s job market is fierce.  To prove they have what it takes, students from eight universities across the nation are going head to head in the hopes of becoming the next NESTEA® The Recruit®, winning a full year’s tuition* and a paid summer internship at Coca-Cola Ltd*.  During this unique program, participants gain valuable hands-on experience and learn relevant marketing skills by participating in three business challenges.

“NESTEA® is about The Start of Something Different and that is exactly what we want to offer students through NESTEA® The Recruit® – the chance to see first-hand what it’s like working in a real business environment and perhaps start them on a career path,” said Helen Gushue, Senior Marketing Manager, NESTEA.  “These students have demonstrated a keen sense for business and an incredible amount of creativity, passion and professionalism – we have been very impressed.”

Challenge one and two were completed with overwhelming success, with the third and final challenge taking place next week in Toronto.  Over two days, March 23rd and 24th, in the heart of Toronto at Yonge and Dundas Square, the final teams from each university will demonstrate their capabilities in the most difficult challenge to-date. Building an inanimate object using only NESTEA® cans, teams will not only have to construct a free standing masterpiece, but deliver a final presentation to the NESTEA® team and participate in an interview with senior executives from Coca-Cola Ltd., including the NESTEA® management team.

For additional information and to follow all NESTEA® The Recruit® action, visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NESTEAtheRecruit.  Students and the general public have the opportunity to follow the progress of their favourite teams throughout the contest on Facebook and by voting for their favourite team, fans can be entered in a draw for one of many cash prizes and free tuition.

Students participating from the following universities:

• University of British Columbia
• University of Alberta
• University of Toronto
• University of Western Ontario
• Queen’s University
• Wilfrid Laurier University
• Carleton University
• McGill University

*Each student from the winning team will be awarded a maximum of $7,500 towards one year’s tuition and the opportunity to intern at Coca-Cola Ltd. or one of their agency partners.

About NESTEA® The Recruit®

Executing in eight universities across Canada over the course of the fall and winter semesters, participants gain unique hands-on experience and learn relevant marketing skills across numerous disciplines including public relations, promotional marketing, experiential marketing, creative concept development, and ever-important social media marketing.

Teams of three auditioned for coveted spots at each of the eight selected universities and the chosen teams face three levels of elimination-style marketing and business challenges.

About Beverage Partners Worldwide

Beverage Partners Worldwide (BPW) is a joint venture between Nestlé S.A. and The Coca-Cola Company.  BPW operates autonomously while drawing on the capabilities of Nestlé and The Coca-Cola Company. It is a global business unit with cross-functional teams located in Atlanta, GA; Zurich, Switzerland; and Bangkok, Thailand.  The Americas business unit markets NESTEA® ready-to-drink iced teas.

In Canada, BPW products are marketed and distributed by Coca-Cola Canada.  Coca-Cola in Canada operates in all ten provinces employing 6,300 people in more than 50 facilities, including seven production facilities across Canada.  We offer a wide variety of non-alcoholic brands, many of which come in no-calorie and low-calorie options.  These include three of Canada’s top nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands, Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Sprite. In addition to being the largest juice and juice drink company with Minute Maid, Five Alive and Fruitopia, Coca-Cola Canada also markets DASANI, PowerAde, vitaminwater® and other cold beverages. Coca-Cola in Canada is represented by Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada and Coca-Cola Ltd. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.livepositively.ca or www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

Article source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/university-students-face-off-nestea-130000618.html

University TVs appear in residence halls

Miami University on-campus students are afforded many amenities in residence halls including a living space, kitchen, bathrooms and study rooms.

One more may join that list according to university officials who have suggested implementing a new system of getting information to students by installing additional televisions for the primary purpose of advertising announcements to students.

“Similar to the televisions in the Farmer School of Business (FSB), they can display announcements and important information about what is going on campus,” Gabriel White, resident assistant in Scott Hall said.

White believes these televisions will spread information faster and be technologically efficient for students.

“A new television in the dorm will get noticed before a flyer,” he said.

Meetings were held with vendors to replace existing message screen boards with a university-wide system to practically use them for emergencies, similar to the emergency text-messaging system said Claire Wagner, associate director of University Communications and Marketing.

Miami has televisions used solely for announcements installed in the Shriver Center and at FSB. These announcements include when and where events are being held in the buildings and advertisements that are university-sponsored.

Housing, Dining, and Guest Services are handling the project and no exact date has been given for finalized plans, but televisions have started to appear in halls including Scott and Emerson, White said. There is no word on what specifically can be advertised on the televisions besides university announcements and logistical information involving bus scheduling and dining hall menus.

Whether the cost will come from student fees cannot currently be confirmed Wagner said. Housing, Dining, and Guest Services could not confirm what expenses have already been used on the existing monitors installed when asked for comment.

According to Senior Donald Fullum, this is not an immediate need for Miami.

“We are already paying for too many university renovations such as the Armstrong [Student] Center and with the tuition increase we need to only focus on things that we need,” Fullum said.

Other students like Sophomore Adrianne Johnson feel it is necessary for these monitors to be built.

“It is important that students feel safe with knowing everything that is going on at Miami,” Johnson said. “The emergency system also helps because it shows that Miami is always thinking about the safety of students.”

Article source: http://www.miamistudent.net/news/campus/university-tvs-appear-in-residence-halls-1.2822388

Cardiff University under fire for £18,000 portrait of vice-chancellor

A university’s decision to spend £18,000 on a portrait of its vice-chancellor was last night branded an “embarrassment to the higher education sector”.

Cardiff University has commissioned Wales-based artist Keith Breeden to commemorate Dr David Grant’s decade in charge of the nation’s only Russell Group institution.

Dr Grant will retire in August and the university said it was a “long-established tradition” to invest in a portrait of its outgoing vice-chancellor.

It comes against a backdrop of budget cuts and tuition fee hikes, with students at Cardiff University paying £9,000 a year for their education from September.

Read more: Controversy over Dr David Grant’s 30% pay rise in previous years

Lleu Williams, of the University and College Union (UCU) Wales, said: “This is just another embarrassing example in a long list of unjustified expenditure at Cardiff University.

“It was only a few weeks ago that we heard that Cardiff University were planning to spend £675,000 on a new house for the incoming vice-chancellor, whilst it has also been uncovered that 237 members of staff now earn more than £100,000 at the university.

“This kind of spending is another reason as to why members of staff should be sitting on university remuneration committees. At a time when lecturers are facing real-term pay cuts, ongoing redundancies and increases in their pension contributions, these kinds of stories will continue to embarrass the higher education sector.”

Cardiff University last year received £60m – more than any other Welsh institution – in public money from the sector’s funding council.

Plaid Cymru’s Neil McEvoy, deputy leader of Cardiff council, said given his salary, Dr Grant should consider paying for the portrait himself.

The university’s accounts for the year ending July 31, 2011, show that Dr Grant was paid £246,000, plus employer’s pension contributions of £39,000.

“While it might have been a tradition to have a portrait painted, I would have thought the university would have been more sensitive to the times we live in when people are facing job insecurity and increasing household bills,” said Coun McEvoy.

“Surely there are better alternatives – such as a high quality photograph – if it is felt appropriate to recognise the contribution of the outgoing vice-chancellor. Given his salary, perhaps it would be better if Dr Grant funded the portrait himself.”

Dr Grant will stand down as vice-chancellor on August 31 to be replaced by Professor Colin Riordan, currently vice-chancellor at the University of Essex.

Once completed, his portrait will hang in the university’s Council Chamber, which is decorated with pictures of previous vice-chancellors.

Dr Grant’s predecessor, Sir Brian Smith, who served Cardiff University from 1993 to 2001, was also immortalised by Mr Breeden.

Emma Boon, campaign director of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said spending thousands of pounds on a portrait was “excessive” at a time when many students and taxpayers are feeling the squeeze.

“It’s nice to keep a tradition of recording the image of those who hold the office but there are cheaper alternatives and the vice-chancellor should not throw money at a vanity portrait,” she said.

“Dr Grant should be much more careful with how he spends taxpayers’ hard-earned cash.”

Luke Young, president of student body NUS Wales, agreed there were better ways to spend £18,000.

“I wish Dr Grant a happy retirement, but I think he should put the money in the Student Financial Contingency Fund and Google a cheaper quote,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Cardiff University confirmed the cost of the painting and said: “The portrait is being painted by artist Keith Breeden, one of the country’s leading portrait painters in this style. He is based in Wales and is an elected member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters.

“His work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery and previous subjects have included the university’s former vice-chancellor Sir Brian Smith as well as commissions from other universities; the military; medical colleges and the Tower of London.

“It is a long-established university tradition to commission and invest in a portrait of the outgoing vice-chancellor, marking their contribution to the university.”

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})();//call anonymous function
//]]

Article source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2012/03/20/cardiff-university-under-fire-for-18-000-portrait-of-vice-chancellor-91466-30575116/