U Rising

Dr. Michael L. Good joined the University of Utah in the summer of 2018 as our senior vice president for Health Sciences, CEO of University of Utah Health and executive dean of the U’s School of Medicine. We knew that Dr. Good, who previously was at the University of Florida, was an absolutely fabulous leader, administrator, experienced guide and a person of the highest integrity. He has lived up to every expectation we had and more, earning the trust and respect of our campus and the broader community. Now, Dr. Good is taking on a new responsibility—interim president. In this episode of U Rising, Dr. Good talks about his new role, his priorities and what he hopes to accomplish, and what he wants our campus to know as we navigate the coming months. Recorded on March 31, 2021. Thanks to Brooke Adams, Emily Black and Dave White for technical assistance. Original music by Taylor Hartley.

Mental health issues and suicide were already high in Utah when pandemic arrived more than a year ago, exacerbating anxiety, stress and loneliness for many Utahns—including many U students. But there is reason to be optimistic that our state can address these challenges in a meaningful, impactful and transformative way, thanks to a donation from the Jon M. and Karen Huntsman family. The donation made possible the creation of the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. In this episode of U Rising, you’ll hear from Dr. Mark Rapaport, the institute’s new CEO, about how HMHI is working to create new models of care, better service and also to advance research and knowledge that ultimately changes lives. Recorded on March 11, 2021. Thanks to Brooke Adams, Emily Black and Dave White for technical assistance. Original music by Taylor Hartley.

The University of Utah recently received a STARS Gold rating for its all-encompassing efforts to promote sustainability—in campus operations, research and in the curriculum. Dan Reed, senior vice president for Academic Affairs, talks with Kerry Case, the U’s chief sustainability officer, about what the rating means, how we are approaching sustainability on campus and ways faculty and students are making an impact in environmental issues. Plus: Get ready for Earth Day! Recorded on March 16, 2021. Thanks to Brooke Adams, Emily Black and Dave White for technical assistance. Original music by Taylor Hartley.

Since its inception, the University of Utah has been overseen by a governing board—though that board and its duties have changed over time. Today, the university is governed by a Board of Trustees, chaired by Christian Gardner. In this episode of the U Rising podcast, Gardner provides an overview of the board’s duties, his role in the search for the U’s next president and describes feedback the presidential search committee has received about the qualities and priorities the next president should possess. Recorded on March 4, 2021. Thanks to Brooke Adams, Emily Black and Dave White for technical assistance. Original music by Taylor Hartley.

The Chief Safety Office at the University of Utah is a launching a new initiative — one designed by students for students — called the SafeU Ambassador program. Students can apply now to join the first cohort of ambassadors, who will begin work next fall on campus safety projects. This is a great program for students who care about campus safety and want to make a difference. In this episode of U Rising, you’ll hear from Annalisa Purser, director of administration in the Office of the Chief Safety Officer. You’ll also hear from Sabah Sial and Alvin Tsang, presidential interns who’ve spent the past year working in the office and who, among other projects, designed the SafeU Ambassador program. Recorded on Tuesday, March 9, 2021.Thanks to Brooke Adams, Emily Black and Dave White for technical assistance. Original music by Taylor Hartley.

The Justice Lab Clinic at the S.J. Quinney College of Law is a semester-long course taught by Professor Anna Carpenter that gives students an opportunity to work on real-life legal issues. Last fall, as Salt Lake County moved to a services-first approach with low-level offenders, it encountered a major hurdle: Many of the people they work with don’t have a government-issued ID and thus can’t access service programs. Enter the Justice Lab students, who studied the problem and then came up with solutions. You’ll hear about this project from Professor Carpenter and law students Scott McMurtrey and Dyana Thurgood in this episode of U Rising. Recorded on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. Thanks to Brooke Adams, Emily Black and Dave White for technical assistance. Original music by Taylor Hartley.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Utah is for people ages 50 and older who have a deep and abiding love of learning — and socializing! The program brings people from all backgrounds together to learn from subject matter experts about topics ranging from Persian cooking to politics. In this episode of U Rising, you’ll hear from three people about the program’s purpose, its shift to virtual during the pandemic and why that is working so well, and about the friendships developed and other benefits of by being involved in the Osher Institute. Thanks to Brooke Adams, Emily Black and Dave White for technical assistance. Original music by Taylor Hartley.

The Hope Corps is connecting our students with business and community organizations with the aim of mutually beneficial experiences. Our students gain on-the-job experience and participating organizations get much needed help from our students — which has proved vital to many of them during the pandemic. In this episode, Morgan Lyon Cotti, associate director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics and director of the Hope Corps program describes the program and the difference it is making in the community. Students Natalie Winward and Erick Garcia share their experiences working with Hope Corps and as interns at United Way and with the Ivory Foundation. Recorded on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021. Thanks to Brooke Adams, Emily Black and Dave White for technical assistance. Original music by Taylor Hartley.

Our faculty really pivoted in remarkable ways last March when the pandemic required us to change our approach to education. Sarah Projansky, the U’s associate vice president for faculty in Academic Affairs, has been at the forefront of efforts to help faculty navigate this new “normal,” develop best teaching and support practices and keep their own careers on track. In this episode, Sarah explains some of the lessons learned, why we’ve added mental health days and a return-to-remote learning period this spring and offers advice to make the semester run smoothly. Recorded on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Thanks to Brooke Adams, Emily Black and Dave White for technical assistance. Original music by Taylor Hartley.

Gail Miller is one of the most trusted and respected leaders in Utah and when she stood center court at a Utah Jazz game in March 2019 to deliver a message about courtesy, civility and showing respect for all, her words went far beyond the state. Months later, Gail’s message was at the center of an anti-racist initiative called "Lead Together." And this summer, as the Black Lives Matter movement focused our attention squarely on racism, she gathered employees and Utah Jazz players to listen as they shared experiences and views on changes needed. In our conversation, Gail shares why she has stepped up, spoken out and done what she can to make this a more welcoming, accepting and tolerant community — and her hopes for how young people will drive change. Recorded on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. Thanks to Brooke Adams, Emily Black and Dave White for technical assistance. Original music by Taylor Hartley.