University Times

Starting today, Pittsburgh campus staff, faculty and students must change their telephone dialing habits at work as well as at home. Pitt is dropping the 1 from the old 9-1 dialing system needed to get an outside line from the Pittsburgh campus. The change coincides with a mandated change to 10-digit dialing for all local […]

Sharon L. Johnson, vice provost for Student Affairs and dean of students since last July, has stepped down to assume a faculty appointment in the School of Education, according to Provost James V. Maher. The provost has named Vice Provost Jack L. Daniel interim dean of students, effective July 2. Robert Pack, vice provost for […]

Port Authority of Allegheny County and Pitt officials met this month to renegotiate the contract for free rides for Pittsburgh campus I.D.-holders. But some details need to be worked out before the current contract expires July 31, both sides said. In a February letter, the Port Authority told University officials that it expected "an increase […]

UPMC Health System is world famous for breakthroughs in cutting-edge specialties such as organ transplantation and bioengineering. But the system also is moving ahead with its study and practice of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including some non-Western therapies that are centuries old. Expect to see a major marketing campaign this fall, promoting UPMC programs […]

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is gaining acceptance among Western physicians, but one doctor's CAM can be another's sham. Take acupuncture, as a pointed example. Dating back thousands of years, the Chinese technique of puncturing the body with needles at key points is supposed to stimulate positive energy flow, relieving pain and curing allergies. It […]

As more people are getting more information via the Internet, Pitt's administration wants University web sites to present a consistent graphic image and content. This month, the Office of Public Affairs issued web design guidelines and recommendations for Pitt units, as part of a three-year initiative. As of July 1, new or substantially updated Pitt […]

UPMC Health System has been ranked by FORTUNE magazine as the third best company in the United States for Asian employees. The ranking was published in the July 9 issue of FORTUNE and is the result of a national survey, "America's Best Companies for Minorities," conducted by FORTUNE in conjunction with the non-profit Center for […]

The division of geriatric medicine at Pitt's School of Medicine has been awarded a grant from the lamburg Fund of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHC) to train faculty in mentoring medical students who wish to become geriatricians. The grant is $30,000 per year for five years. "There is a pressing need to increase the number […]

To help realize the potential of tissue engineering and other techniques aimed at repairing damaged or diseased tissues and organs, Pitt's School of Medicine and UPMC Health System have established the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine (MIRM). Regenerative medicine is an emerging field that approaches the repair or replacement of tissues and organs by incorporating […]