Wendy Fritz has been appointed assistant vice provost for international services and support, effective January 1, following her service in this role in an interim capacity over the past year.

Kevin Parker, the William F. May Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences, is being remembered as a pioneer in the field of ultrasound imaging and a revered faculty member who served in numerous leadership positions, including dean of what was then called the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

University flags on the Eastman Quadrangle and near the entrance of Strong Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department, and the flags atop the Eastman Theatre at the corner of Gibbs and Main Streets, will be lowered for Parker on Tuesday, February 3.

Scott Grimm, an associate professor of linguistics, describes how language science helped the Supreme Court decide that gun kits should be treated like firearms.

The University’s dependent eligibility verification process begins on January 12. Action is required for all employees who have dependents enrolled in the University’s medical or dental plans. Affected employees will receive a letter and an email from the third-party partner, Verifi1, outlining the verification requirements, instructions, and next steps. As shared during open enrollment, this verification process helps ensure that only eligible dependents are enrolled in the University’s medical and dental plans. This effort supports the University’s ability to keep premiums as low as possible for faculty and staff, while continuing to offer plan options that provide access to high-quality coverage and care for employees and their eligible dependents.

Setting healthy boundaries is key to protecting your time, energy, and emotional well-being in 2026. In this week’s blog post, learn how to create a simple checklist that helps you stay balanced and intentional all year long. UR Medicine EAP is brought to you by Well-U, helping eligible individuals assess issues through short-term counseling and referrals.

Tonight, a new release of Blackboard will be introduced, featuring updates to navigation and the interface. The most significant change is that the course content will now be displayed in full-screen view, and you will use a home button to return to the main Blackboard navigation. Visit the latest Blackboard newsletter for specific information about this navigational change and some of the new features available.

Health Promotion is benchmarking the current availability of free menstrual products at URochester. Products are currently provided in several bathrooms across the campuses. Individuals, groups, and departments may also be providing products through more informal processes. Complete this survey if you supply free menstrual products or if you are aware of any other individual, department, or location that supplies free menstrual products. This information will ideally be used to centralize and expand the availability of free menstrual products.

The application deadline for this Teaching Center grant has been extended to January 14 for 2026–27 courses. Instructors can apply for up to $12,500 to support the integration of experiential learning or other high-impact practices into two instances of a redesigned or new course. Learn more here.

As of January 1, the standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile driven for business use, up 2.5 cents from 2025. The rate applies to fully electric and hybrid automobiles, as well as gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles. The 2026 Mileage Log Form can be found here. A completed Mileage Log Form is the required backup (receipt) for all mileage reimbursement requests.

Join the NSF Center for Matter at Atomic Pressures for the seminar “Accelerator’s Experiments to Probe Beam Instabilities in Blazars’ Pair Jets” with speaker Gianluca Gregori, a professor of physics at the University of Oxford. Attend via Zoom on Friday, January 9, at 4 p.m. No registration is required. Email Adriana Cabiedes with questions.

Learn how AI is transforming healthcare, what’s working today, and what’s on the horizon in this rapidly evolving field at this panel event on Wednesday, January 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Ryan Case Method Room (1-9576), Medical Center.

The Fellowships Office shares information on three undergraduate fellowships: the Astronaut Scholarship, the Beinecke Scholarship, and the Medtronic Spark Scholarship. Students interested in the Astronaut and Beinecke scholarships should complete the Fellowships Preliminary Questionnaire by January 15. Medtronic Spark applicants are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Fellowships Office to work on their applications.

Forbes, December 30

Adam Frank, the Helen F. and Fred H. Gowen Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, predicts which science and technology predictions you’ll be hearing about in 2026 that just aren’t going to happen.

Cheer on Rochester’s varsity teams at home contests scheduled for this coming week. Find more information on the Athletics website calendar and social media channels. Events are weather-dependent and subject to change.

Saturday, January 10

• Men’s basketball vs. Emory University, noon
• Women’s basketball vs. Emory University, 2 p.m.