Announcements

Whispers Café will be closed to users and foot traffic through Aug. 1, so that a number of renovations can take place. When the café reopens for the start of the fall semester, students, faculty, and staff can expect a fresh look, with new menu boards and merchandise cases, a stronger system for moving people through the line quickly during peak hours, and a counter that allows for easier interaction between patrons and servers.

Washington University in St. Louis’ schools, departments, programs and groups implement an impressive array of community service activities, both locally and internationally.The Gephardt Institute for Public Service maintains the Community Counts database to track such activities, and it’s time to submit initiatives from the 2012-13 academic year. The deadline to provide information is July 25. Each new or updated initiative submitted will be entered into a drawing for a $500 grant to support the project.

Join Joel Minor, curator of the Modern Literature Collection/Manuscripts, for a guided tour of the exhibition William H. Gass: The Soul Inside the Sentence on Thursday, June 20, at 4 p.m. or on Friday, July 19, at 9 a.m. in Olin Library.

Two events focused on disparities in health care will be held on the Washington University Medical Campus — a symposium June 15 and a fast-paced “Ignite” event July 11.

Bradley L. Jolliff, PhD, is named the inaugural Scott Rudolph Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Arts & Sciences.

Washington University employees’ current U-Pass — allowing WUSTL faculty and staff free use of Metro, the region’s public transportation system — will expire June 30. Benefits-eligible employees may request a new U-Pass for the 2013-14 fiscal year at the Parking & Transportation Services website.

Several Libraries staff members are offering a series of free workshops this summer to help students, faculty, and staff tap the practical powers of social media. Topics range from an overview of social media marketing to an in-depth look at specific uses of Twitter.

Today’s issue marks the last daily Record email of the academic year. Beginning Wednesday, May 29, the Record shifts into its summer schedule.

At the 46th annual Eliot Society banquet, held April 30 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, members gathered to enjoy an evening of fine dining, engage in conversation and honor the members of the Steinberg and Weil families who were present to receive the society’s highest honor. They were also treated to an inspiring address by General Stanley A. McChrystal, the former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan and former commander of the Joint Special Operations Command that oversees the military’s most sensitive counter-terrorism units. ​​

Two WUSTL graduate students are competing in a National Science Foundation essay contest, the Innovation in Graduate Education Challenge. They propose a new course to teach graduate students how to communicate their work to the general public. Vote for their idea online now through May 29.