Author: Susan Killenberg McGinn

Lorraine A. Goffe-Rush, assistant vice chancellor for human resources at Washington University in St. Louis, has been named vice chancellor for human resources, according to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. Goffe-Rush will succeed Ann B. Prenatt, vice chancellor for human resources since 2003, when she retires Dec. 31.

Four staff members received the 2012-13 Arts & Sciences Outstanding Staff Award from Barbara S. Schaal, PhD, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences and the Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biology. Schaal also presented the Dean’s Award to Ann B. Prenatt, vice chancellor for human resources, for her support, service and commitment to Arts & Sciences.

To help ensure the WUSTL community is prepared in the event of an earthquake, a voluntary earthquake safety drill will be held for all WUSTL faculty, staff and students at 10:17 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 17. The drill is part of the 2013 Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, organized by the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium.

The annual open enrollment for the health/dental or dental-only plans, the Flexible Spending Accounts, the Health Savings Account and the Retirement Medical Savings Account will take place from Monday, Nov. 11 , through Monday, Dec. 2. Enrollments and changes to these plans made during the open enrollment period will be effective Jan. 1 for calendar year 2014.

Interest among WUSTL employees and students in the fall semester workplace safety training sessions has been so high that six more sessions have been added to the schedule. The one-hour free training class for employees and students focuses on two emergency situations: recognizing and preventing violence in the workplace and responding to an active shooter on campus.

A master’s degree program at Washington University in St. Louis specifically designed for high school science teachers nationwide is helping them learn techniques for inspiring not only the brightest and most motivated science students, but also those with other interests. The two-year program through University College in Arts & Sciences offers teachers online courses during the school year and an on-campus summer institute for three weeks each summer.

George Pepe, PhD, professor of classics in Arts & Sciences, received the David Hadas Teaching Award for his commitment to and excellence in teaching first-year undergraduates. On the WUSTL faculty for nearly 50 years, Pepe received the award Sept. 9 during the annual Arts & Sciences reception, held to celebrate the start of a new academic year, introduce new faculty and recognize the Hadas award winner.

Samer S. Shehata, PhD, a leading Arab-American expert on Middle East politics, will deliver the keynote address at a public symposium titled “The Crisis in Egypt” at 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23, at Washington University in St. Louis. The symposium, which will be held in Umrath Lounge, will also feature a roundtable discussion and presentations on the latest developments in Egypt. 

Washington University will test its emergency communication system, WUSTLAlerts, at noon Wednesday, Sept. 25. The test will take place unless there is the potential for severe weather that day or some other emergency is occurring at that time. WUSTLAlerts will send emails to @wustl.edu addresses and text messages to cellphones. 

Leigh E. Schmidt, PhD, delivered the following address during his Sept. 3 installation ceremony as the Edward Mallinckrodt Distinguished University Professor at Washington University in St. Louis.