West named assistant vice chancellor

Christina West, director of federal relations for Vanderbilt University, has been named assistant vice chancellor for federal relations. West will continue to run the university’s Washington office and will direct all federal government relations activities for Vanderbilt.

Hance, Howser promoted at VUMC

Bill Hance, director of News and Public Affairs, will become assistant vice chancellor for Medical Center News and Communications, while John Howser will become director of Medical Center News and Communications, effective Jan. 1.

Maternal/fetal clinic opens in Clarksville

Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has opened a Maternal/Fetal Medicine Clinic in Clarksville.

New goggles light the night for LifeFlight

Vanderbilt LifeFlight is now using technology once reserved for military operations or secret spy missions.
With the ability to enhance light 10,000 times, the air ambulance service’s new night vision goggles essentially turn night into day.

Soy food linked to decreased risk of breast cancer recurrence and death

Researchers at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, led by Xiao Ou Shu, professor of medicine, have found that a higher intake of soy foods was associated with a lower risk of death and breast cancer recurrence among breast cancer patients in China.

VUMC advice: preset volume on holiday electronics

Parents and children giving or receiving an electronic device with music this holiday season should give their ears a gift as well by presetting the maximum decibel level to somewhere between one-half and two-thirds maximum volume.

New renewal process eases Medical Center parking

Automatic renewal of Vanderbilt University Medical Center parking permits is under way for most staff and faculty, with the added bonus of no parking rate increase this year.

VUH increases recycling efforts

Vanderbilt University Hospital recently implemented aluminum and plastic recycling programs in staff break rooms, public lobbies, and waiting areas to accompany the existing confidential paper and cardboard recycling programs throughout the facility.

Clinical enterprise takes center stage at assembly

First-quarter business results at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (July through September) present a positive financial picture, but the near-term outlook for health care finance in Tennessee is precarious, so everyone at the Medical Center needs to remain vigilant about costs.

more info and top stories »

  This Week

Dec. 17: “Tis the Season for Keeping Your Sanity”

Dec. 17: Control of Cash: One-hour Course

Dec. 18: Employee Turkey Giveaway 2009

Dec. 18: DigitalVU Meeting

Dec. 19-20: VU Men’s & Women’s Basketball vs. Tennessee State

Dec. 21-23:  Holiday CampVandy Offered

Dec. 21 & 29: Vanderbilt Gives Back – ARC Blood Drive; Bone Marrow & Tissue/Organ Donor Registration

Dec. 24-25: Happy Holidays

 Mark Your Calendars

Dec. 28-30: Celebrate the Holidays with Memorial Magic

Jan. 4-7: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Winter 2010 Classes

more events »

Sign Up for a Clinical Trial

Women Needed for Research Study

Announcements

Turkey giveaway shuttle, traffic and parking information

Let Weight Watchers at Work help you reach your goal

Coolbaker’s Catering offers Vanderbilt 5 percent discount on all orders

more announcements »

Featured Media

Watch: “Voices From Our America”

Ifeoma C.K. Nwankwo, associate professor of English, shares new insights and information gained through the work of her Voices from Our America project. The Voices from Our America™ project uncovers previously inaudible, silenced or neglected American voices to facilitate cross-cultural and cross-generational conversation and to make these exchanges a fundamental part of K-12, collegiate, graduate and community education in the U.S. and Panama.

more media »

Tune in to VUCast, for audio and video of events happening around campus. You can also find VU podcasts on iTunes and VU videos on YouTube.

From Commodore Nation: Hollands travel great lengths to see Vanderbilt

From West Point, N.Y., in the east to Fort Worth, Texas, in the west, National Commodore Club members Melvin and Linda Holland have seen just about every stretch of interstate in between. The Hollands have been Vanderbilt season ticket holders in football for 31 seasons, and since 1989, they haven’t missed a game — home or away. In total, the couple has seen Vanderbilt play 238 straight games under six head coaches.

From Vanderbilt View: Dawn Iacobucci has overhauled the tried-and-true marketing management textbook

Imagine writing a new version of the Bible. That’s pretty much what Dawn Iacobucci, the E. Bronson Ingram Professor of Marketing, has accomplished in the marketing world with MM, her new marketing management textbook. MM, published by 4LTR Press, has shaken up the traditional textbook model by providing access to interspersed Web-based quizzes, interactive reviews, Power Points, and videos of real-world marketing planning sessions. It is among the first graduate-level texts to utilize digital tools to enhance learning.

From Vanderbilt Magazine: All I Want for Christmas Is Another ‘Grandma’

Did you know that a Vanderbilt alumnus was responsible for the holiday classic “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer?” Lyricist Randy Brooks tells the story behind the novelty hit. He’s also written less-known songs including “Put a Bag Over Your Head (and Let’s Make Love”) and “I’d Rather Be Sailin’ with Governor Palin (Than Fightin’ All Day with You”).