The University of Rochester has this on its website:

The University of Rochester envisions itself as a community that welcomes, encourages, and supports individuals who desire to contribute to and benefit from the institution’s missions of teaching, research, patient care, performance, and community service. In a pluralistic culture, that community includes faculty, students, and staff who represent important differences. … The University not only welcomes such differences in the members of its community but, in fulfilling its own missions and in preparing the leaders of tomorrow’s world who will necessarily be operating in an equally wide-ranging environment, it actively seeks to recruit and include them in all aspects of the institution’s operations.

Steven E. Landsburg is a tenured Professor of Economics at the University of Rochester. he authors the blog The Big Questions. In several recent posts, he has defended Rush Limbaugh’s comments about Sandra Fluke and that is the issue that the University seems to have with him. Here is a sample:
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Afghan National Army Private Mohammed Khaili, the 100,000th BWC graduate to go through literacy training, is awarded a plaque and pen at Kabul Military Training Center in Kabul, Afghanistan, July 28, 2011, in recognition of the Afghan National Security Force's accomplishments in the realm of education and literacy. Basic Warrior Training Kandak 162 graduated 1,287 soldiers, all of whom will continue military and literacy training at various Afghan National Army Branch Schools or the Consolidated Fielding Center in Kabul. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael James

The Afghan National Army graduated 1,287 soldiers from Basic Warrior Training at Kabul Military Training Center, July 28, including a special commemoration marking the graduation of the 100,000 Afghan National Security Force literacy program trainee.

ANA soldier Mohammed Khalil, graduating with BWT Kandak 162, was chosen to represent the 100,000th literacy graduate. He was awarded a commemorative certificate and writing pen.

“Education is vitally important. When we become educated, it gives us the ability to recognize our friends from our enemies,” said Khalil. “Education will take us from the darkness to the light.”

The recognition of the 100,000th graduate of literacy training represents a milestone in the professional development of the Afghan National Security Force, which consists of the Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police and Afghan Air Force.

Literacy training was integrated into the ANSF required curriculum in November 2009 and has been expanding rapidly since. There are currently more than 86,000 soldiers and policemen enrolled in some level of literacy training.

“I am the eldest of six brothers; I do all I can to provide for them,” said Khalil. “I am now able to take the lessons I learned in Basic Warrior Training and share them with my brothers.”

The goal set by Afghan and coalition leadership is for all literacy program students to read at a first grade level by the end of basic training. The literacy education received by such large numbers of young Afghans is expected to have far-reaching effects throughout Afghan culture.

“Literacy is the basic tenant for building partnering capacity and professionalizing an already very capable ANSF,” said U.S. Army Col. Ken Lenig, Force Integration Director, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan.

Today’s graduates of the Basic Warrior Training course will go on to attend branch schools and leadership courses offering specialization in military proficiencies as well as continued literacy training.

NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan
By: U.S. Navy Petty Officer Michael James

And it’s not Paris during WWII.

Stephanie Williamson, French instructor, and 1st Lt. Zachery Bailey discuss different aspects of the French class that was given to his platoon in order to prepare them for their upcoming deployment to North African nation of Djibouti, Africa. Photo by Sgt. Brian Gisbrecht

A bilingual member of the 205th Infantry Brigade and his daughter used their French speaking abilities to help train 1st Platoon, A Battery, 1-161st Field Artillery Regiment deploying to Africa.

Sgt. 1st Class Bill Williamson, a member of the Arizona National Guard, is an Observer Controller Trainer assigned to the Counter Insurgency Lab, 1-335th Operations Battalion, 205th Infantry Brigade as a COIN and Linguist instructor.

His passion for the French language started back in the 1980’s, “I didn’t have a choice but to speak French because I fell in love with a beautiful Swiss girl and we started a family,” said Williamson.

When Williamson’s daughter turned one-year old, he decided to move his family to Switzerland.

Williamson learned the French language during this time in order to make life easier, work, mingle with the locals, and communicate with his daughter Stephanie so she could grow up bilingual knowing French and English.

Williamson moved back to the United States after eight years of living in Switzerland to start a career with the Army.

Upon his return from a Kosovo deployment in 2010, Williamson signed on to work with the 205th Infantry Brigade as a COIN and language instructor.

When the Horn of Africa mission came up on the 1-335th battalion’s radar, Williamson and his teaching partner SGT Cheikh Ndiaye attended a class given by the Socio-Cultural Resource and Advisory Team who worked indirectly with the military on cultural adversity in Africa.

“Because our brigade has never trained a unit going to Africa, my teaching partner, Ndiaye and I did some research and learned a little about the area where the 1-161st are going”, said Williamson.

Williamson and Ndiaye realized after attending the class, the area in Djibouti consists of primarily French speaking people.

Based on this new knowledge, Williamson approached his chain of command with an idea to teach basic French to members of the 1-161st Field Artillery Regiment in order to give them an advantage with the townspeople during their deployment.

“I put together a PowerPoint presentation of the French language to teach the soldiers of 1st Platoon, Alpha Battery, 1-161st Field Artillery, and asked my daughter to take a look at it since she grew up in Switzerland and is more proficient with the French language than I am”, said Williamson.

When Stephanie spoke with her father over the phone concerning the presentation, he explained why he was giving the class and that it was the first time the COIN lab has ever given a language classes before.

Stephanie was so excited about this opportunity her dad was given to teach a French speaking class that she jumped at the chance to travel to Camp Atterbury and help her father.

This is when the Williamson training support became a family effort as his daughter Stephanie volunteered her mastery of French to assist in training forces going to HOA.

She is a double major in French and Spanish at the Brockport State University of New York, and hopes to obtain a career as a United Nations translator.

The family team effort gave the 1-161st Field Artillery Regiment the foundation and confidence to be able to better communicate with the townspeople of Djibouti.

The 1-335th Operations Battalion, a subordinate of the 205th Infantry Brigade, executes pre-mobilization assistance, post-mobilization training, validation, and de-mobilization assistance of reserve component, and other service forces in accordance with proper training guidance in order to provide trained and ready forces to regional combatant commanders mobilizing overseas.

Story by Capt. Elizabeth Brown and Sgt. Brian Gisbrecht
DVIDS

Package made from “The Bahrain School” in the B-roll section in which administrators and teachers talking about the scholastic lives of students attending the Bahrain School, which is part of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA). Produced by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Schaeffer.

Here are some of the colleges and universities in Upstate New York, and the latest information they have on their websites about Swine Flu. It is good to see that several of them have received the H1N1 vaccine and are distributing it.

• University at Buffalo (UB):
  

  So far, UB officials are aware of only a small number of cases of influenza-like illnesses on campuses—probably instances of swine flu, Raab says. Still, some offices are taking such precautions as cross-training employees and receiving briefings from information technology specialists on how staff can work and access files on UB servers from home.

• The College at Brockport:
  

  The number of Brockport students with influenza-like illness (10 today) reflect the general trend of increasing flu activity on campus and in the community. Information on vaccine clinics will be available as soon as we receive the vaccine, which is expected in the near future. Symptom severity is unchanged; mild to moderate illness. There have been no known hospitalizations. There have been no particular patterns regarding students’ residences or academic majors. Students who have symptoms of fever, cough and/or sore throat are requested to call the Student Health Center at 585.395.2414 to talk with a nurse.

• Houghton College:
  

  H1N1 remains the prominent circulating influenza strain, and continues to be a significant issue on many campuses. During the week of Oct 3–9 nearly 6,000 new cases of influenza like illness (ILI)—presumed to be H1N1—with 8 hospitalizations, were reported by 259 colleges across the country (ACHA surveillance data). While we have had a handful (or two) of people who have had symptoms consistent with ILI, so far no one on campus (that we are aware of) has tested positive for influenza.

  The Allegany County Department of Health will be on campus this Wednesday, October 21, between 1:30 and 5 p.m. to administer the H1N1 vaccine to all interested students age 24 and under, and to anyone else who meets CDC priority criteria. I strongly encourage you all to take advantage of this opportunity.

• SUNY College at Geneseo:
  

  It is important that we keep an accurate count of our students with Influenza-Like-Illnesses, so please keep us informed!

  SUNY Geneseo has a dedicated team of professionals who have been working closely together for several years to establish an effective plan for handling a pandemic flu outbreak. This team has been monitoring the recommendations of the CDC, WHO, State, and local government health departments to stay current on updated information regarding the HINI virus.

  Although the H1N1 influenza outbreak has not proven to be as severe as expected, Geneseo will continue to take additional precautions to prevent the spread of the flu as much as possible.

• University of Rochester:
  

  The University recorded its first case of influenza-like illness among students this semester on Sept 8th. Three new cases was identified today. The total number of cases identified is now 62. Five students are confined to their rooms at present.

  There are no changes to University of Rochester operations or activities because of public concern worldwide about novel H1N1 influenza.

• Rochester Institute of Technology:
  

  The RIT Student Health Center reported it treated five students with an influenza-like illness between Oct. 12 and Oct. 19. It is difficult to distinguish between seasonal and H1N1 flu. The center has advised these students to recover in their rooms. Students who are ill must self-isolate until they feel well and have had no fever for 24 hours (with out fever-reducing medicine).

• St. John Fisher College
• Elmira College:
  

  At this time there are no students or employees with confirmed cases of H1N1. However, due to the increase in reported Influenza-Like Illness cases in Chemung County and no further testing being done for confirmation of H1N1Flu unless a person is hospitalized, EPIC is initiating the Flu Protocol at this time. The information in the link below provides specific guidelines concerning how Elmira College will respond to the H1N1 Flu on our Campus. Included is a list of expectations of students, parents and employees.

• Syracuse University
• Cornell University:
  

  The first, limited, shipment of H1N1 influenza vaccine arrived at Gannett Health Services late on Friday, Oct. 16. Following CDC guidelines for situations in which vaccine supplies are limited, these initial doses will be targeted to STUDENTS at greatest risk of complications from the flu, including: those with underlying health conditions, those who are pregnant, and/or those who care for infants under 6 months old.

  There is no doubt that your vigilance and thoughtfulness are making a difference in reducing spread of the virus in our community. The number of students with H1N1 influenza has dropped dramatically since the early weeks of the semester. At Gannett, we have been diagnosing 5 to 10 students per day for the past couple of weeks (as compared to 50 to 100 during in early September). Levels of illness in the communities surrounding Cornell are also reported to be low.

Latest Upstate New York data