June 1, 2000/ Volume 19, Number 22
News Bureau | Calendar | II Info | II Archives
- New soybean variety suitable for growing, eating at home
- Honey, pass me the soybeans, please. Putting soy on the table is about to get easier. As early as this fall, some family gardeners will have homegrown soybeans available as finger foods or additions to salads, soups and stir-fry meals.
- At least 16 states' pension funds well below 'optimal values'
- Over the next few decades, millions of state and local government workers will find out how well their pension plans are funded. Some may be in for a shock.
Vintage Vinyl is June 10 ... Faculty/Staff Directory updates wanted
Honey, pass me the soybeans, please. Putting soy on the table is about to get easier. As early as this fall, some family gardeners will have homegrown soybeans available as finger foods or additions to salads, soups and stir-fry meals.
Soybean breeders at the UI have released six "Gardensoy" lines of larger-than-average beans that taste better than traditional commercial lines. The new vegetable-soybean varieties were developed for growing in home gardens, said Richard Bernard, professor emeritus of crop sciences and plant breeder at the UI's National Soybean Research Laboratory.
The seeds are being distributed in free sample packs to anyone who requests them, but supplies are limited, said Bernard, whose research has led to several commercial lines of soybean seeds. The seeds can be planted through late June and still grow into a family-sized crop in the fall, he said.
"While all soybeans are edible, certain soybean varieties with larger seeds and milder taste have been developed for human food usage, especially in Japan and Korea," he said. "Those Asian food varieties have desirable seed traits but are not well adapted to our climate, insects and diseases."
The new lines range in size from 50 percent larger than average seeds to those that are twice as large as the common grain types now grown in Illinois. Yields are expected to be about 60 to 80 percent that of average commercial varieties.
"These beans can be harvested and used like any dry bean, but probably the best way to use them is to pick the immature pods while green, after the seeds have reached full size, but before any yellowing begins," he said. "They should be boiled for about four minutes, after which the seeds are ready to eat and can be easily squeezed out of the inedible shell. They can be eaten as finger food or be added to soups, salads, fried rice or other dishes."
After cooking, the soybeans also can be frozen in or out of the pod for later use. When used as a dry bean, they should not be presoaked, which may cause a rancid taste, but rather placed directly into boiling water and allowed to boil for about 30 to 40 minutes. The immature beans, Bernard said, do have another advantage beyond their taste and easy cooking: They won't contain oligosaccharides, a hard-to-digest group of carbohydrates.
The demand for soy products has increased in the wake of studies showing cholesterol-lowering and cancer-fighting benefits. "Eating the whole soybean is an easy and inexpensive alternative and supplement to the many soy-derived products now on the market," Bernard said.
Over the next few decades, millions of state and local government workers will find out how well their pension plans are funded. Some may be in for a shock.
There is no uniform funding level of public employee pension systems. "Unlike private pension plans, there are no federal regulations mandating minimum funding requirements for state pension plans. What's more, unlike private plans, there is no insurance coverage in case a public pension fund goes into insolvency," said Stephen P. D'Arcy, a professor of finance at the UI.
To get a handle on the appropriate funding levels for the state plans, D'Arcy developed current and optimal funding ratios after 10 and 40 years. Enough data were available for the UI professor to examine 48 state pension plans. (Massachusetts and West Virginia were excluded because of missing data.)
The results varied "drastically," with 14 state pension systems found in good shape, 18 states in satisfactory shape and 16 states "at levels well below the optimal values, which creates the potential for serious problems in the future."
The 14 states with strong pension systems included Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, North Dakota, Rhode Island and Tennessee. These states currently funded their pension plans at 100 percent or higher and had enough of a projected tax base to sustain future benefit increases.
In the satisfactory category were clustered many of the larger states, among them, California, Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania and Virginia. These states had plans that, although not currently funded at the 100 percent level, showed a pattern in which the projected tax base and cost of future pension benefits would cover the cost of the benefits earned.
Examining the Illinois State Universities Retirement System, D'Arcy noted that pension funding legislation enacted in 1995 has led to a current 90 percent funding ratio, which is a significant improvement over the 63 percent level in 1992. Based on the recent relationship between the growth in the state's tax base and pension costs, the optimal funding level, however, appears to be 97 percent.
Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey and Ohio were prominent among the 16 states D'Arcy found in trouble. The states had not only currently underfunded plans, but the gap between pension expenses and state revenues remained wide over projected 10- and 40-year periods.
Indiana, New York, Texas and Wisconsin were noted as needing to increase pension funding. Even though they fund their public pension plans in excess of 100 percent, pension costs are growing faster than the states' tax bases. So even higher funding levels are needed to avoid a funding crisis. D'Arcy said Texas needed a funding ratio of 129 percent in 10 years to adequately finance its pension program.
"Given these flush economic times, states should consider targeting a higher funding level than at present to protect both future taxpayers and future retirees," he said. The research by D'Arcy and two assistants was published in the Journal of Risk and Insurance.
The UI will be the site of a new national Disability Research Institute supported by the U.S. Social Security Administration.
The federal agency announced this week the awarding of a five-year, $5.25 million grant to fund the institute, starting with $1.25 million for the year beginning June 1, when the institute will open.
The institute will be based in the College of Applied Life Studies on the UI's Urbana-Champaign campus, under the direction of Chrisann Schiro-Geist, a professor of community health. It also, however, will involve other campus units, as well as units or researchers at six other schools. (See chart at right.)
Being designated as the site for the institute is "a recognition of the leadership role that we have served in disability," said Tanya Gallagher, dean of the College of Applied Life Studies and co-principal investigator on the grant. "We've long been a campus involved with issues related to disability, so [the institute] builds on what we have as our historical strength, and it represents a whole new phase of dealing with these issues."
The college is home to the first-of-its-kind Division of Rehabilitation-Education Services, which began pioneering work on disability issues and services more than 50 years ago.
The campus has been listed by several publications in recent years as among the top 10 most disability-friendly in the nation. New Mobility magazine listed the UI as No. 1.
Establishment of the institute marks the first time the Social Security Administration has created an organized research agenda in the area of disability, according to Schiro-Geist, who will serve as both the institute's director and co-principal investigator with Gallagher on the institute grant.
"[The institute] will be the focal point for the whole country where researchers in disability and public policy will come together to share ideas," Schiro-Geist said.
As a research arm of the SSA, the institute will analyze agency data on more than 8 million recipients of income-support funds tied to disability, Gallagher said. "The institute will prepare and make data available and interpretable to a number of groups and academics to do research, [as well as] to policy-makers and the public, with the goal that we better serve the needs of these individuals."
Training will be another goal, Schiro-Geist said. "We're also going to create training options -- including training Social Security's own workforce -- in the things that we learn."
The grant will pay mostly for establishing the institute. Additional funds for specific projects are expected to come from the SSA and elsewhere.
Gallagher and Schiro-Geist are optimistic the institute will continue beyond five years.
"They [SSA] have been quite clear," Gallagher said, "that they are interested in a long-term relationship, and that this will only build."
University affiliate partners
Other schools or units involved outside the UI campus
Other institute partners on the UI campus
Two promising young German scholars have won prestigious fellowships from a German foundation to work at the UI on the correspondence of two of the most brilliant German humanists of the 19th century.
The scholars, Stephan Heilen and Markus Dubischar, are recipients of the Feodor Lynen Fellowships of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Bonn. They are working in the UI classics department for a year with their host, classics professor William M. Calder III, on a project to publish the first edition of the correspondence between Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff and Georg Kaibel.
Olms/Weidmann Verlag in Hildesheim will publish their edition of the correspondence.
Calder, the W.A. Abbott Oldfather Professor of the Classics, is a world authority on Heinrich Schliemann, the 19th century German archaeologist of Troy.
Peter M. Siegel of Iowa State University has been chosen to be the new chief information officer for the UI's Urbana campus, UI Provost Richard Herman announced May 19.
Siegel is the director for academic information technologies at ISU in Ames, where he oversees a full-time professional staff at the ISU Center for Academic Information Technologies, along with a geographical information systems group and a high-performance computing research group.
"Peter Siegel brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Illinois," Herman said. "In addition, he greatly impressed those who met with him during the interview process. He has a proven record of accomplishment as well as a vision for the future of information technology in the academic arena. We look forward to working with him in the years ahead."
Siegel is the first permanent Chief Information Officer on the Urbana campus. The position was created in 1998 to ensure a coordinated vision for information technologies for the campus.
Hassan Aref, a UI physics professor and the head of the department of theoretical and applied mechanics, has served as interim CIO.
"The campus is most grateful that Hassan agreed to step in on short notice and provide vital leadership for this key area on campus," Herman said.
Prior to joining ISU in 1998, Siegel was director of networking and computing systems for Cornell Information Technologies, where he was responsible for direct support of the campus networks central computing systems for administrative, research and library needs, and executive director of the Cornell Theory Center.
Siegel's academic background is in linguistics. He will assume his duties as CIO in August.
Thousands of used records, tapes and CDs will be offered for sale, most for only $1. Used stereo equipment including CD players, turntables, reel-to-reel machines and speakers will be offered at bargain prices.
Vintage Vinyl benefits public radio stations WILL-AM (580) and WILL-FM (90.9, 101.1 in Champaign-Urbana).
Campus units: The request for directory updates will be e-mailed to units in July. Units will have about six weeks to return their updated entries; the directories will be delivered in November, as usual.
Faculty and staff members: Check your listing in the faculty/staff section (Pages 365-584) of the current directory to ensure it is correct. Listings are based on payroll records; therefore, if you want to change a listing, you must update your payroll file well before Sept. 21. Refer to Page 3 of the current directory for instructions. Information on how to update incorrect e-mail address listings can be found on Page 10 of the directory, or by contacting the CCSO Resource Center at 1420 Digital Computer Laboratory.
The Office of Publications and Marketing cannot update faculty/staff listings or verify a change to a listing. You must follow the procedure outlined above.
Special categories:
For all of the following, forms will be available after June 1. The forms must be received by Publications and Marketing by Sept. 1 and all changes to payroll records must be made well before Sept. 21 in order to be reflected in the printed directory.
Allied/Affiliated Agencies and Nonsalaried Employees: Listings for nonsalaried employees and for personnel at allied agencies are derived from forms available from your departmental business office and the Office of Publications and Marketing (333-9200). A new form must be submitted each year. Completed forms are due Sept. 1.
Joint Appointment Holders: If your payroll record does not contain all of your titles or if you filled out a joint appointment form last year and your appointment has changed, contact your departmental business office or call 333-9200 to request a form. Completed forms are due Sept. 1.
Retired/Permanent Disability: University employees who will be retiring or going on permanent disability between June 1 and Sept. 30 should request a retired/disability form from the Office of Publications and Marketing (333-9200) to ensure that their listings will be included in the next directory. Those who retired or were on permanent disability prior to June 1 will automatically receive a form in the mail after June 1; the form will be sent to the address on file with the Annuitants Association. Contact Publications and Marketing if you have not received a form by June 30. Participation is voluntary and you must file a new form every year to be listed in the directory. Completed forms are due Sept. 1.
The Office of Academic Human Resources, Suite 420, 807 S. Wright St., maintains listings for faculty positions. More complete descriptions are available in that office during regular business hours. The Employment Center lists the academic professional positions available on all UI campuses at www.uihr.uillinois.edu/jobs. Faculty job opportunity information is updated weekly and can be found on the AHR Web site at: http://webster.uihr.uiuc.edu/ahr/jobs/index.asp.
faculty
Animal Sciences. Assistant professor of animal sciences with specialty in muscle biochemistry or muscle physiology. PhD in discipline related to muscle biology required. Available Oct. 1. Contact Robert Easter, 333-1014, t-carr1@illinois.edu. Closing date: Aug. 31.
Crop Sciences. Assistant professor of agroecology. PhD in crop sciences, ecology or related discipline required. Available Jan. 1, 2001. Contact Donald Bullock, 244-8221, dbullock@illinois.edu. Closing date: Sept. 1.
academic professional
Animal Sciences. Network analyst. Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 2 years' experience working with users supporting desktop hardware and software. Available July 1. Contact Walter Hurley, 333-1327, w-hurley@illinois.edu. Closing date: June 15.
Computational Science and Engineering. Research scientist. PhD in a technical field (or MS and equivalent experience) and related work experience employing a variety of technical applications, publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals and conference presentations. Available immediately. Contact Carolyn Tschopp, 333-3247. Closing date: when filled.
Computational Science and Engineering. Principal research scientist. PhD in a technical field (or MS and equivalent experience) and a minimum of 5 years' related work experience employing a variety of technical applications, publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals and conference presentations. Available immediately. Contact Carolyn Tschopp, 333-3247. Closing date: when filled.
Environmental Council. Visiting program specialist (75 percent time). PhD in environmental sciences, natural resources or related field preferred. MS required. Available immediately. Contact Rosa Townsend, 333-4178, rltownse@illinois.edu. Closing date: June 10.
Human Resources Development, Office of (Chicago). Training specialist. Bachelor's degree in education, human resources development or a related area with a minimum of 3-5 years' related experience. Available immediately. Contact G. Smith, (312) 996-3504, hrdev@uillinois.edu. Closing date: June 19.
Intercollegiate Athletics. Head varsity coach (men's basketball). Bachelor's degree in physical education or related field and 5 years' collegiate coaching experience. Available immediately. Contact Ron Guenther, 333-3631. Closing date: June 8.
Intercollegiate Athletics. Media communications specialist. Bachelor's degree in art, communications or a related field required. Available immediately. Contact Kent Brown, 333-1391. Closing date: June 19.
Liberal Arts and Sciences Administration. Management methods analyst. Bachelor's degree in a relevant area or bachelor's degree with minimum 5 years' relevant work experience required. Available July 3. Contact Terry Davis, 333-4447, t-davis@illinois.edu. Closing date: June 23.
Operation and Maintenance Division. Network support specialist. Bachelor's degree in an information technology field and 3 years' relevant experience required. Must have a working knowledge of NT server system administration, scheduled maintenance and repair of networked equipment. Available immediately. Contact William McKinney, 244-4899. Closing date: June 26.
Supercomputing Applications, National Center for. Network engineer, computing and communications division. Bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering or related field and two years' relevant experience required. Must have training in the management and support of individual technologies such as network management or UNIX system administration and experience with TCP/IP or similar routed network protocols. Available immediately. Contact NCSA Human Resources, Search #7058, 333-6085, career@ncsa.uiuc.edu. Extended closing date: June 19.
Veterinary Pathobiology. Veterinary research specialist. Bachelor's degree in microbiology or other discipline in life sciences required. Must have experience culturing pathogenic bacteria. Available immediately. Contact R.M. Weigel, 244-1365. Closing date: June 15.
staff
Personnel Services Office is located at 52 E. Gregory Drive, Champaign. For information about PSO's Employment Information Program, that provides information to those seeking staff employment at the university, visit the Personnel Services Office Web site at www.pso.uiuc.edu. To complete an online employment application and to submit an exam request, visit the online Employment Center at www.uihr.uillinois.edu/jobs.
Interview by Becky Mabry
JOB: Penny McKinney is a facility attendant at the Varsity Room in Memorial Stadium. She started out as a dishwasher 27 years ago and then worked as a cook. In her current role, she orders and stores the food and keeps the Varsity Room clean and in good order. She and her husband, Don, have two grown sons. The couple lives on an acre near Mahomet, where they keep two does and their fawns in a backyard pen. Both are taxidermists. He specializes in game and fish, and she in birds. He uses the deer for real-life studies. Penny also is licensed to rehabilitate wild animals.
I can spend all day at a museum like the Natural History Museum on campus. The animals there are just beautiful. God created them and each one is so beautiful. It's like the turkey. So many people think a turkey is ugly. But me, I think it's gorgeous.
Elwood F. Atherton, 90, died May 11 at Clark-Lindsey Village, Urbana. Atherton joined the Illinois State Geological Survey in 1937. He retired in 1978 but was associated with the organization for 60 years.
Richard Lyle Fisher, 67, died May 19 at the Carle Arbours, Savoy. He was a sound technician for the UI's Division of Operation and Maintenance. He came to the UI in 1963 and retired in 1993.
Ray D. Hatch, 90, died May 14 at his Urbana home. Hatch, who joined the faculty in 1951, was a professor of veterinary clinical medicine and retired in 1976. Memorials: Shriner's Children's Home.
Edward H. Hill, 80, died May 20 at his Champaign home. Hill, a painter in the Housing Division, retired from the UI in 1976 with 27 years of service. Memorials: American Diabetes Association.
Edward G. Perkins, 65, died May 19 at Barnes Hospital, St. Louis. Perkins was a professor of food science and human nutrition from 1962 until he retired in 1999. He was then named professor emeritus of food chemistry. Memorials: American Oil Chemists Society scholarship fund or the UI College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences scholarship fund.
Leonard Ralph Rexroad, 92, died May 19 at Hospice of Dayton. He was a master airport mechanic at the UI's Institute of Aviation for 20 years, retiring in 1971. Memorials: Hospice of Dayton, P.O. Box 3509, Dayton, OH 45401-3509.
Thomas E. Tuttle, 87, died May 22 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, Coles County. Tuttle, a storekeeper in the Division of Operation and Maintenance for 20 years, retired from the UI in 1980. Memorials: Leader Dog School in care of Lions International.
William J. Webb, 78, died May 17 at the Carle Arbours, Savoy.
Webb was a building service worker in the UI's Division of Operation and
Maintenance for 40 years retiring in 1983. Memorials: American Heart Association
or the American Lung Association.