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First winner announced in Access Center promotion
 Philip
Nido, of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, was the
lucky winner of a $50 Valero gas card in a promotion supporting 2-CARE.
2-CARE (ext. 2-2273 or 409-772-2273) assists employees, their families
and retirees with everything from making an appointment to resolving a
complex inpatient or outpatient service issue, 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. The card was presented by Pam Kuchta of the Access Center,
which offers the 2-CARE service. Those who use 2-CARE—like Nido—have an
opportunity to take a survey about the experience, and gain entry into a
monthly drawing for a $50 Valero gas card and a quarterly drawing for a
$250 gas card. Visit the
Access Center online for more information, or read
more about 2-CARE.
Questions? Contact
Kuchta via email or call (409) 747-3653.
GNL Tours Available!
 Want a first-hand look at the newest research building on the UTMB campus and learn more about the university's exceptional infectious diseases program? Here's your opportunity. UTMB employees are welcome to sign up for guided tours of the Galveston National Laboratory (GNL) — one of only two national biocontainment laboratories for the safe study of infectious diseases. Individual requests must include your name, UTMB department and contact phone number and should be emailed to gnl.tour@utmb.edu. These one-hour tours will be conducted on Friday afternoons from mid-September through the end of October. Tour slots are limited. Email requests will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Celebrating Women: Mind, Body, Spirit”: Register now to attend this year’s conference!
 You won’t want to miss this year’s Galveston women’s conference, the marquee event that aims to celebrate women—mind, body and spirit—on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008. UTMB is again co-sponsoring the event with the Galveston Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Teri Wenglein-Callender will give the opening remarks for the second straight year. The all-day conference is scheduled for 8:19 a.m. to 3:59 p.m. at the Galveston Island Convention Center at the San Luis Resort, 5600 Seawall Boulevard. Networking opportunities and vendor visits may continue until 7 p.m. This is an outstanding opportunity for women throughout the Galveston area to hear renowned speakers present topics of interest to women of all ages and backgrounds. This fun and lively event will help to inspire and reinvigorate women, both personally and professionally. To register for the conference or to get more information, please visit the conference web site.
See the new UTMB experts site
Go to http://intranet.utmb.edu/experts to see some of UTMB’s world-renowned experts. The site features our experts’ bios, areas of expertise and short videos of each. The site is not only for members of the news media to quickly search for an expert on a specific topic but also a resource for the UTMB community. The site was a project of the Office of Public Affairs and the site will be continuously updated and expanded with more experts.
Vanpool drivers needed: Drive a van and commute for free!
 In our ongoing effort to provide effective commuter solutions for UTMB employees, there are immediate opportunities for additional vanpool drivers. With the work schedule changes taking place throughout the institution, volunteer driver positions are available to cover a wide variety of shifts from various locations. If you are interested in participating as a driver in this program, please contact Neal Cooper at extension 77918. For additional information on becoming a vanpool rider, please refer to the "Commute Info" link on the UTMB homepage.
Obesity and Health: A Fresh Perspective with Dr. Alok Kalia
Please join Dr. Alok Kalia, recently retired professor from UTMB, and currently the director of the Bluebonnet Health Program, as he uses his skills as a medical teacher to take you on a guided tour of the body to discuss obesity and health. The discussion will include: how and why we make fat, the causes of hunger and how one gains control over hunger, how to lose weight without being hungry and how much weight one needs to lose to avoid the complications of obesity. The lunchtime session will be offered from noon to 1 p.m. on four consecutive Tuesdays: Aug. 26 - 3.320 Levin Hall; Sept. 2 – Shriners Hospital 7th Floor Auditorium; Sept. 9 - 1.504 Rebecca Sealy; Sept. 16 – Shriners Hospital 7th Floor Auditorium. For more information, please contact Gerald Cleveland in Human Resources Health Promotion at gtclevel@utmb.edu or 409-772-3689.
"GO GREEN" with BCBSTX benefits statement
 Effective Sept. 1, 2008, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) is launching a new initiative, "Go Green!," which has been approved by both the UT System Office of Employee Benefits and Teacher Retirement System of Texas. When UT SELECT medical benefit claims are processed by BCBSTX, UT members will receive their explanation of benefits (EOB) statement electronically through BCBSTX's Blue Access for Members web site http://www.bcbstx.com/ut/, unless the member specifically requests to continue receiving paper EOBs in the mail. Requests to switch back to receiving paper EOBs through the mail can be made after Sept. 3, 2008, by altering user preferences in Blue Access for Members or by contacting UT SELECT Customer Service. For more information or questions, please contact either BCBSTX Customer Service at (866)882-2034 or the Office of Employee Benefits at (512)499-4616.
Message from President Callender: Employee and institutional options for combating rising energy costs
 Dr. David Callender first mentioned the effect of rising gas prices on individuals and institutions at the July 28 Town Hall meeting. In a message to the university today, President Callender again addresses the issue and presents details about options the university is considering to help lower commuting costs for employees and, in some areas, lower utility costs for the institution. One alternative is a work week composed of four 10-hour days. Another option is for some employees to telecommute from home or another site closer to home on one or more days per week. Read the message for details …
Join Mrs. Teri Wenglein-Callender and UTMB’s “Cruisin’ for a Cure” team at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure!
 The UTMB Cancer Center is organizing this year’s team for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Saturday, October 4, 2008, in downtown Houston. This year alone, UTMB cancer programs have received more than $1.4 million in Komen funding, and the Cancer Center wants to give back by building a strong UTMB presence at the event. Any UTMB employee, family member or volunteer may join our “Cruisin’ for a Cure” team. Team members can sign up on the Komen-Houston web site under “join a team,” and then enter “UTMB Cancer Center Cruisin’ for a Cure.” UTMB will provide complimentary logo shirts and ball caps to all members of the team. Mrs. Teri Wenglein-Callender is serving as this year’s Honorary Chairman. The goal is to have at least 125 team members who will raise a minimum of $15,000 in donations toward finding a cure for breast cancer.
For more information, please contact Sheila Lidstone, UTMB Cancer Center, at 747-1904 or sheila.lidstone@utmb.edu. Lots more details to come!
NLM’s national traveling exhibit at Moody Medical Library runs through Sept. 25
 The National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) traveling exhibit, “Changing the Face of Medicine: Celebrating America’s Women Physicians,” which opened on Aug. 13 at the Moody Medical Library, will run through Sept. 25, 2008. The exhibit was officially opened on Aug. 14 by Dr. Barbara Thompson, chair of UTMB’s Department of Family Medicine; Dr. Ellen More, co-curator of the exhibit and former member of UTMB’s Institute for the Medical Humanities, offered introductory remarks. On Aug. 18 at 5:30 p.m., Dr. More will present a lecture "Changing the Face of Medicine: Women Physicians and the Cultures of Professionalism," at the Rosenberg Library, 2310 Sealy.
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