In Brief

Warner event targets counselors

The Warner Center for Professional Development and Education Reform is sponsoring a daylong conference on Wednesday, January 21, designed to address the professional and personal needs of school counselors. The format and content of workshops, skill-building sessions, and networking will capitalize on the expertise of area professionals.

The program will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a keynote address by Jody Fiorini, assistant professor in the School of Education at SUNY Oswego, on change and the "climate of complexity" faced by counselors.

Now in its 13th year, Renewal and Reflection for Counseling Professionals is open to counselors at all grade levels and school districts. The cost of the conference, which will be held at the Airport Holiday Inn on Brooks Avenue and includes lunch, is $50 for graduate students and $65 for all others. The registration deadline is Friday, January 16.

The counseling conference is presented by the Warner Center, an initiative of the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development. A full description of the program is available at www.rochester.edu/Warner/warnercenter or by calling x5-8270.

Finance announces holiday closings

The following University Finance offices will be closed on Friday, December 26:

• Accounts Payable
• Bursar
• General Accounting
• Finance
• Financial Reporting & Analysis
• Payroll Office (PERC)
• Research Accounting and Costing Standards

The Bursar's office will also be closed on Friday, January 2.

In addition, Towne House, Suite 260 will not have pick-up/drop-off service availability.

ID Office posts holiday hours

The River Campus Customer Service Center/ID Card Office will have shortened hours of operation during the winter recess beginning Saturday, December 20:

• Saturday, December 20: Closed
• Monday, December 22: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 23: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 24, through Sunday, January 4: Closed
• Monday, January 5, through Friday, January 9: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday, January 10: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Standard office hours of Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. will resume on Monday, January 12.

Patient safety course offered

The faculty of the Division of Clinical Practice Evaluation in the Department of Community and Preventive Medicine are offering a mini-certificate course specifically designed for health care professionals, trainees, and students from medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, hospital administration, and health services research.

The program offers information on how to improve safety as well as the latest thinking and theories regarding patient safety.

Consisting of ten individual sessions, the program will combine presentations with case studies and discussion and cover many major issues regarding safety such as malpractice, crisis management and teamwork techniques from the aviation industry, the science of medical errors, redesign to achieve lean and error-free performance, and more.

The registration deadline is Friday, January 30. Sessions begin Thursday, February 5, and continue through June 17. They will be offered twice a month on Thursdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. An information session will be held on Thursday, January 29, at 5:30 p.m. in the Case Method Room (1-9576) for those who want to learn more about the course before registering.

The program, which includes all course materials, parking, and refreshments, is provided free of cost to University and Strong Health employees and students.

For information and registration materials, contact Judy Hughes at x5-7712 or by e-mail at judy_hughes@urmc.rochester.edu. Those planning to attend the information session on January 29 should contact Hughes to reserve a seat.

Reminder: Gift certificate policy

Gift certificates should not be purchased with University funds to give or award to University employees, according to the Finance Office. IRS rules require the University to consider these awards as compensation and include them in the employee's taxable income, listed on the W-2 form.

Rate changes take effect January 1

Effective January 1, the University's business mileage reimbursement rate will be 37.5 cents per mile. This change is due to the IRS rate increase of 1.5 cents per mile over the 2003 rate of 36 cents per mile.

Also effective January 1, the University's standard mileage rate for moving expenses is 14 cents per mile. This coincides with the recently announced 2004 federal rate increase.

Wine lovers wanted

The Office of Special Programs and Part-time Studies is offering a Wine Appreciation Course. Internationally known wine expert Sherwood Deutsch, owner of Century Liquors and Wines, will lead five evening sessions that will offer basic information on how to read wine labels, recognize fine quality wine, and store, handle, and serve wine.

Participants will taste and compare fine wines and champagnes, including some of the most famous from France, Germany, Italy, and America. More that 60 wines will be sampled, including Dom Perignon champagne, burgundy from Romanee-Conte, Chateau d'Yquem (the very finest sauterne), French chateaux, California cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, and more.

The cost of this noncredit course is $195. The course begins Monday, January 26, and continue for five Monday evenings from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Those interested can register by calling x5-2344 or by downloading a registration form from www.rochester.edu/College/osp/apply/wine.html. Gift certificates for class registrations also are available.

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