University of Arkansas notebook

Grant to aid study of rotator cuff gel

FAYETTEVILLE -- A $428,100 National Institutes of Health grant will help University of Arkansas, Fayetteville research into an injectable gel to treat rotator cuff injuries.

Jeffrey Wolchok, associate professor of biomedical engineering, will work with various collaborators to counter a known problem with existing surgical treatments, according to the project's description as published on the website for the National Institutes of Health.

"A recognized risk factor for surgical failure is fatty muscle infiltration. The muscles of the rotator cuff undergo progressive fatty infiltration following tendon tear," the project description states.

A goal is to develop a gel that would help with the development of muscle tissue and "reverse" fatty muscle infiltration, according to the project description.

"A treatment that addresses damage to rotator cuff muscles is badly needed," Wolchok said in a statement.

Blackwell picked for design honor

FAYETTEVILLE -- Marlon Blackwell, a University of Arkansas, Fayetteville architecture professor, is among 33 artists and architects honored this year by the New York-based National Academy of Design.

Blackwell was named a National Academician, joining about 420 living members nominated and elected by their peers. The National Academy of Design dates back to 1825 and promotes American art and architecture.

Blackwell has been a professor at UA since 1992. Past honors include a 2016 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award.

The Buildings in the Heart of the Park at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, a project by Marlon Blackwell Architects and James Corner Field Operations, has been shortlisted for recognition in the 2018 World Architecture Festival Awards under the category of civic and community completed buildings.

Franco wins prize, $1,000 for poetry

FAYETTEVILLE -- Gina Franco has won the annual CantoMundo Poetry Prize awarded in conjunction with the University of Arkansas Press.

The prize goes to a Hispanic poet for poems written in English.

Franco will receive $1,000 and have a collection of her work published in the fall of 2019.

Franco was born and raised in Arizona, according to an online biography published by the Poetry Foundation. She is an associate professor of English at Knox College in Illinois.

Waller singled out for diversity work

FAYETTEVILLE -- Matt Waller, dean of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville business college, will be honored by the Urban League of Arkansas for his commitment to diversity and inclusion at UA and elsewhere in the state.

Waller is receiving the Whitney M. Young Award from the Urban League, which works to create equal opportunity for all Arkansans.

The UA Sam M. Walton College of Business this fall enrolled 1,115 undergraduates from racial and ethnic minority groups, according to UA data, about 18 percent of the 6,141 undergraduate students enrolled at the college.

"An integral part of the Walton College mission is to serve all Arkansans, something I take seriously," Waller said in a statement. "To aid us in our mission, Walton College leans on our Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the oldest diversity office of any SEC business college."

Marquita Little Numan, president of the Urban League of Arkansas, said in an email that Waller is also being recognized for his contributions to education and business in the state.

Information-post finalists to speak

FAYETTEVILLE -- Three finalists for the top information officer position at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville will make campus presentations this month.

The three finalists are: Jane Livingston, an associate chief information officer at Yale; Dawn Stoyanoff, higher education and academic practice director for Austin, Texas-based Information Services Group; and Paige Francis, UA's associate chief information officer.

UA is seeking to replace Chris McCoy, who started in the job in 2015 and in August became the university's top finance officer.

There were 99 applicants for the position, said John English, dean of the UA College of Engineering and chairman of the search committee for the position. A previously announced fourth finalist, Eddie Huebsch, interim chief information officer at the University of Oklahoma, has withdrawn from consideration, according to UA.

A 2017 report by consultants Russell Reynolds Associates found that among the "top 100" universities as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 21 percent had women as chief information officers.

UA late in paying taxes on 4 parcels

FAYETTEVILLE -- Late tax fees for 2017 are due on four real estate parcels owned by the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, including the site of UA's downtown Brewer Family Entrepreneurship Hub.

Based on information from Washington County, UA stands to pay more than $1,000 extra because the payment is late. UA spokesman Mark Rushing said that based on university records, $1,009.22 will be paid in late fees.

The total amount due on all four properties is $9,887.81, according to information from Washington County. That includes $7,346.03 for the property that now hosts entrepreneurship-related lectures and working space for students.

All four parcels were acquired by UA in 2017. Washington County Assessor Russell Hill said beginning with 2018 the properties will be exempt from real estate taxes because of exemptions relating to ownership by the university, a state entity.

But taxes remain due for 2017, Hill said. Rushing said in an email that the university is "in the process of working with the seller" of the entrepreneurship property to receive the pro-rated tax amount for the year.

"Regarding the other three parcels, seller's taxes were withheld at settlement on those properties, with the intent for the University to make payment when due. In a brief search we have not located any record of a tax statement on those properties for the year, but regardless we are in the process of making payment," Rushing said.

Metro on 12/04/2018

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