The University of Toledo normally celebrates Constitution Day with the swearing in of dozens of people as U.S. citizens at a naturalization ceremony on campus.

However, this year during the coronavirus pandemic the University is handing out free pocket constitutions at Carlson Library.

The pocket constitutions are available in both English and Spanish on the first floor at the circulation desk.

“The purpose of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day and Week is to observe and commemorate our freedoms and to remember our responsibilities as citizens,” Lucy Duhon, collection sharing coordinator and scholarly communications librarian, said. “This is a great opportunity to enhance the civic engagement of our students.”

Constitution Day recognizes the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. All educational institutions that receive federal funds hold events to recognize the day.

Earlier this week the Federalist Society at the UToledo College of Law hosted a virtual event titled “Qualified Immunity and the Future of Civil Rights Legislation” as part of Constitution Week that featured Christopher Walker, the John W. Bricker Professor of Law at Ohio State University, and Rebecca Zietlow, the Charles W. Fornoff Professor of Law and Values at UToledo.

In addition to providing a background and information on the U.S. Constitution, University Libraries’ library guide also features Constitution Day games, puzzles and quizzes for people of all ages.

“We also want to remind the community that Carlson Library is a federal depository,” Duhon said. “That means we provide free access to core resources and documents from the federal government, including the U.S. budget, public papers of the president and the Congressional Record.”

The University of Toledo’s continued commitment to student success is reflected in the latest enrollment numbers that feature growing student retention and graduation rates even in the face of the effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Total enrollment for fall semester 2020 is 18,438, according to UToledo’s 15-day census numbers, which includes 14,424 undergraduate students and 4,014 graduate and professional students. Although exacerbated by the pandemic, these numbers do continue a decline in enrollment seen over time, which we are working hard to reverse. UToledo had 19,782 students enrolled in fall semester 2019, of which 15,568 were undergraduates and 4,214 were graduate students.

The first-to-second-year retention rate is 78.5%, which is the eighth consecutive year of more students returning to campus for their second year. The preliminary 6-year graduation rate is a record high of 53.3%.

“Thanks to the commitment of our faculty and staff in supporting student success, we are experiencing our highest retention and graduation rates in decades,” Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Karen Bjorkman said. “We will continue those efforts moving forward while also continuing to develop signature programs and new opportunities to attract additional students to our campuses.”

UToledo continues to expand programs in the health professions to meet student and community demand. The University is building its expertise and strength in interprofessional education across the range of health professions, as evidenced by strategic growth in the College of Nursing and the College of Medicine and Life Sciences. Notably, the College of Law experienced the most overall growth this fall with a 6.5% increase in students.

This story has been updated to reflect the new partnership between the UToledo Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute and the Hue Jackson Foundation.

Survivors, researchers and advocates around the world are coming together virtually next week for the 17th Annual International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference at The University of Toledo.

The event has welcomed people from 49 states and 40 countries since it began in 2004 to advance collaborative research, advocacy and program development.

This year the conference will be held Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Sept. 23-25 on Zoom and feature more than 100 speakers and 70 breakout sessions.

“We are in a unique position this year with hosting our conference virtually as we will be able to reach thousands of more individuals from all over the world who would not have had the opportunity to travel to attend our conference,” Dr. Celia Williamson, Distinguished University Professor and director of the UToledo Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute, said. “Our top priority is to keep everyone safe while still fulfilling our mission of uniting the global community to learn, connect and collaborate to combat human trafficking and promote social justice.”

New this year, the UToledo Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute and the Hue Jackson Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Ohio, are partnering together to collaborate on the Stranger 2 Changers program, which will be free for students to participate in remotely through their schools.

The prevention program is part of Hue Jackson Foundation’s T.E.A.C.H. Initiative that provides a platform for students in schools to directly and indirectly interact with “Changers” from a variety of professional and non-professional platforms who can assist them to gain insight, knowledge, education and support while also giving them a sense of community as they navigate many of life’s challenges that may put them at greater risk for human trafficking.

“We are excited about our partnership with The University of Toledo,” said Hue Jackson, founder of the Hue Jackson Foundation. “Sharing our common goals to educate others in an effort to have a positive impact on society makes this a partnership that we hope inspires others across the country.”

In the past year, the UToledo Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute launched the F.R.E.E. Program, which provides scholarships and support for survivors of human trafficking from across the country as they pursue their education goals.

The F.R.E.E. Program, which has 55 human trafficking survivors currently enrolled, is the focus of one of the sessions. Hear success stories from women who earned certifications in yoga and phlebotomy, as well as a master’s degree in social work at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23.

“F.R.E.E. represents a survivor’s potential to become a thriver by achieving economic and psychological freedom and empowerment,” LaDonna Knabbs, coordinator of the F.R.E.E. Program in the UToledo Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute, said. “It stands for Foundation, Readiness, Education and Employment. By achieving a degree or certification, survivors obtain livable employment.”

Other presentations include:

• “Sex and Labor Trafficking of the Intellectual and Developmental Disability Population” 1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25 by Pat Stephens, director of the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and Steve Mentrek, program director at Bittersweet Farms;
• “Prevalence of Transactional Sex Among High School Students in Minnesota” 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23 by Dr. Lauren Martin, associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing; Caroline Palmer, Safe Harbor Director at the Minnesota Department of Health; and Dr. Nic Rider, assistant professor and licensed psychologist at the Program in Human Sexuality at the University of Minnesota Medical School and co-associate director for research at the National Center for Gender Spectrum Health;
• “Raised in Pimp City: The Truth About Domestic Human Sex Trafficking” 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23 by Armand King, co-founder of the nonprofit Paving Great Futures;
• “Increasing Organizational Capacity to Better Serve and Reach LGBTQ+ Survivors of Human Trafficking” 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 by Alexander Delgado, program officer for the Trafficking Victim Assistance Program at the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants; and
• “Emancipation Nation Network: Social Justice through Online Connection and Education” 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 by Williamson at UToledo.

For a full schedule of presentations or to register, visit the conference website.

Dr. Ruth A. Hottell will be inducted into the French Republic’s prestigious Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of the French Academic Palms) at the grade of chevalier (knight).

An official ceremony to mark the honor was postponed due to the pandemic, but is expected to be rescheduled.

The French Academic Palms recognize those who have rendered eminent service to French education and have contributed to the prestige of French culture. This esteemed distinction awarded by the Prime Minister of France, upon the recommendation of the Minister of Education, acknowledges educators’ merits, talents and exemplary activities.

Hottell

“I am so thrilled to receive this award from the French Government; it is significant that the nomination began with the French Consul General to the Midwest. Traveling throughout the region, he has witnessed our dedication to expanding appreciation for French language and culture through our teaching, research and community service,” Hottell, professor emerita of French, said.

Napoleon founded the French Academic Palms in 1808 to honor educators; it is the oldest non-military French decoration. This distinction was initially awarded to outstanding members of the university community and today recognizes the significant contributions of faculty members through their teaching, scholarship and leadership over the course of their careers.

“Dr. Ruth Hottell has dedicated her life to French education and research,” said Dr. Linda M. Rouillard, professor of French and chair of the World Languages and Cultures Department. “She is an expert on French cinema, a topic she has written about and given presentations on for decades.”

Hottell joined the UToledo faculty as an assistant professor in 1988. She was promoted to associate professor in 1994 and professor in 2000. When she retired in 2018, she was designated professor emerita.

During her career, she taught and conducted research in France, and led several study abroad programs to the European country she loves. Hottell’s research focuses on French cinema; she has written numerous articles on Francophone women directors and is working on a book about Agnès Varda’s works. She has co-authored books, including “French-Speaking Women Filmmakers” and “Francophone Women Documentarians.” She continues to coordinate a French film series for the French Program at The University of Toledo and the Alliance Française de Toledo.

Hottell is a member of the American Association of Teachers of French, Society of Cinema and Media Studies, Women in French, Modern Language Association, and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

“To accompany my students in their acquisition of French language and cultural competence has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life,” Hottell said. “I am grateful for the support of my students, colleagues, friends and family as I pursued my passions and goals.”

The Office of Multicultural Student Success and the Latino Student Union will kick off Hispanic Heritage Month this week, focusing on virtual events that celebrate Hispanic culture and heritage. It’s part of a University-wide effort to highlight global culture.

“Although most of our events will be virtual, we look forward to connecting with people to learn and celebrate the different cultures highlighted through history and heritage months,” said Aleiah Jones, manager of the Office of Multicultural Student Success. “We kick things off with Hispanic Heritage Month and will be highlighting virtual events across the country to provide more opportunity for those who want to engage.”

The signature event will be the Latino, Latina, Hispanic or Latinx? The Continuing Search for Self-Identity forum. Dr. Jorge Chinea, director of the Center for Latino/a & Latino American Studies at Wayne State University, will speak on the history of the term Latinx at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9 during the forum available via WebEx.

This year’s Hispanic Heritage Month festivities also include the annual “Viva Mexico” celebration. The event features music and dance performances, led this year by actor and director Roen Salinas. Salinas founded the AZTLAN Dance Company in Austin, Texas and works to promote greater cultural understanding through dance and other art. The livestream runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 and will be available on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter free of charge.

“And of course, there will be many more events happening throughout the month,” said Jones. “We invite anyone interested in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month to follow us on Instagram as we recognize Hispanic/Latino individuals who have made significant contributions to our society and share news about other things happening this month.”

Hispanic Heritage Month events also include:

• Thursday, Sept. 17 — 31st Annual Diamante Awards, 6-7:30 p.m., Zoom. Celebrate individuals and organizations for their achievements and service to Latinos in northwest Ohio. Registration is free via Eventbrite, but a $10 donation is recommended.

• Thursday, Sept. 24 — Netflix Watch Party: Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado, 5:30 p.m. Join OMSS program coordinator Aleiah Jones in watching this documentary about the life and career of Walter Mercado, one of the most important astrologists in Latin America and the world.

For additional information, and to RSVP for the online events, visit the Office of Multicultural Student Success website.

The University of Toledo Varsity ‘T’ Hall of Fame will induct seven former student-athletes this fall.

A dinner will be scheduled at a later date, pending developments with the COVID-19 pandemic. Information on purchasing tickets will be announced after the event is scheduled.

The 2020 Varsity ‘T’ Hall of Fame inductees are:

Kate Bean McCauley, women’s volleyball, 2003 to 2006. She dominates the Toledo volleyball record book, ranking first in career attacks (4,522), second in career kills (1,515) and career service aces (173), third in career kills per set (3.40) and fifth in career digs (1,401). She also ranks fourth for most kills (435) in a season, and her 39 digs vs. Ball State as a senior was the most ever by a Rocket in a match. A native of Louisville, Ky., McCauley made the Mid-American Conference All-Tournament Team in 2005. She is the only Rocket in volleyball program history to be named to the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America First Team (2005 and 2006) and is one of two student-athletes in Toledo history to be a member of the first team on more than one occasion. She also was a three-time Academic All-MAC team selection and a three-time Academic All-District pick.

Jeremiah Detmer, football, 2011 to 2014. A three-time All-MAC selection, Detmer was the 2013 MAC Special Teams Player of the Year. That season, Detmer was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award that goes to the nation’s top kicker, a year in which he also made first-team All-MAC, connecting on 19 of 20 field goals and 44 of 45 extra points. Detmer is second on Toledo’s all-time field-goal list with 65, trailing only Rusty Hanna (68 from 1989 to 1992), and seventh all-time among MAC kickers. He is the MAC’s all-time leader in field-goal percentage (65-77/84.4%) and ranks third in points scored in Toledo history with 340. His long field goal of 52 yards ranks second in Toledo history. Detmer was named MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week nine times during his career. He ranked No. 44 on Toledo’s All-Century Team released in 2017 and was the only kicker on the list. As a freshman in 2011, Detmer was used mostly for kickoffs, but he still hit field goals of 50 and 52 yards. He took over the field-goal duties full time in 2012, at one point making 17 field goals in a row. He ended the season hitting 24 of 29 boots, earning third-team All-MAC honors. His best game in 2012 came in a 29-23 win over No. 18 Cincinnati in which he hit all five of his field-goal attempts. In 2013, he extended his consecutive field-goal streak to 23, the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history. He also ranked second in the nation in field-goal percentage (95.0%). As a senior co-captain, he made second-team All-MAC, connecting on 17 of 22 field goals and nailing 57 of 59 extra points. A three-time Academic All-MAC selection, Detmer made Academic All-District in 2013. He graduated with a degree in education in 2015.

Greg Mancz, football, 2010 to 2014. A three-time All-MAC selection, Mancz won the Vern Smith Award as the top player in the MAC in 2014, the only offensive lineman ever to earn that honor. Mancz was a four-year starter on Rocket teams that went 34-17, and won two division co-championships and two bowl games. As a freshman, he earned Freshman All-America (Yahoo Sports) and Third-Team Freshman All-America (Phil Steele) honors in 2011. He was a key part of an offense that ranked eighth in the nation and first in the MAC in scoring (42.2), and 10th in the nation and first in the MAC in total offense (481.3). Toledo’s offensive line also ranked tied for sixth in the nation and first in the MAC in fewest sacks allowed (10) that season. He went on to make third-team All-MAC as a sophomore and second-team all-league as a junior. In his junior season, the Rocket offensive line allowed six sacks in 12 games, the fewest in the country. Mancz earned first-team All-MAC honors in 2014 for a Rocket offense that ranked No. 1 in the MAC in total offense (486.3) and in rushing offense (247.3). He also earned second-team All-America (Football Writers Association of America) honors, becoming the first Toledo offensive lineman to make either first- or second-team All-America on one of the five major All-America teams since Dan Bukovich made the Associated Press first-team in 1938. A four-time Academic All-MAC pick, Mancz has played five seasons in the NFL with Houston Texans. Mancz ranked No. 36 on Toledo’s All-Century Team that was released in 2017.

Jessica Popiel Stone, women’s golf, 1996 to 1999. She was the MAC Player of the Year and a first-team All-MAC selection as a senior in 1999, compiling a career-best stroke average of 78.7 that year. She also made the MAC All-Tournament Team in 1998, a year in which the Rockets won the MAC Invitational Tournament. Popiel was a tournament medalist twice in her career. Additionally, she was named a National Golf Coaches Association All-American in 1997 and 1998, and won the MAC Presidential Award (1998-99) and MAC Commissioners Award (1998-99). A four-year letter winner, Popiel co-captained the Rockets for the 1998-99 season. She was the first Rocket to compete in an LPGA Tour event, playing in the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic (now Marathon Classic) from 2000 to 2002.

Dr. John Rudley, men’s basketball, 1965 to 1969. Rudley was a four-year starter and two-time co-captain at point guard, helping to guide the 1966-67 team to a 23-2 record, MAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. He was the team’s floor general and leading passer in an era when assists were not kept as a statistic. With scorers like Steve Mix, John Brisker and Bob Miller on the floor, he likely had big assist numbers. Rudley averaged 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds as a sophomore, 12.0 points and 4.6 rebounds as a junior, and 15.0 points and 4.8 rebounds as a senior captain. Rudley received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from UToledo, then went on to earn his master’s degree and Ph.D. in administration from Tennessee State University. He served as the president of Texas Southern University from 2008 to 2016, and is president emeritus and distinguished professor of business there. Previously, he served as interim chancellor and president at the University of Houston (2007 to 2008), as well as vice chancellor for business and finance at Houston (2002 to 2007), vice chancellor for business and finance for the University of Tennessee Board of Regents (1995 to 2002), vice chancellor for administration and finance at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (1987 to 1991, 1992 to 1995), and vice president for fiscal affairs at Texas Southern (1981 to 1987). He also worked for former Tennessee Gov. and Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander at the U.S. Dept. of Education from 1991 to 1992.

Chris Wallace, football 1995 to 1998. Wallace played quarterback for four seasons at Toledo and was the starter in 1997 and 1998. He ranks fourth in career touchdown passes (44); fifth in career passing yardage (5,454) and passing attempts (848); sixth in career passing completions; and seventh in completion percentage (54.7). He accumulated most of these numbers in just two seasons. As a junior in 1997, Wallace set records (all since broken) in passing yardage (2,955), passes completed (232) and TD passes (27). He still holds the single-season record for passes attempted (433). For his efforts in 1997, he was named second-team All-MAC. His biggest game as a Rocket came in 1997 when he passed for 364 yards in a thrilling win over Miami, tossing a winning TD strike to Brock Kreitzburg with just seconds remaining. Wallace led the Rockets to division titles in both 1997 and 1998, including an 8-0 start in 1997 that saw the Rockets move to No. 18 in the Associated Press poll. He played 18 seasons of professional arena football, retiring following the 2018 season. Wallace spent eight seasons with the Florida Firecats, setting league records in career touchdowns (484) and passes completed (1,797), and team records for TD passes (100) and passing yards (3,918). He led the Florida Tarpons to league titles in 2012 and 2013, and rejoined the team in 2015 until his retirement in 2018. Wallace was a high school football coach and dean of students at the Florida Christian Institute in Fort Myers for three years. He returned to Ohio to take care of his father, James, during his battle with Alzheimer’s disease, which ended in 2011. Wallace lives in Springfield, where he serves as the community mentor supervisor for the Springfield City School District. Wallace leads the Springfield Chapter of My Brothers Keeper, which was launched by President Obama as a national initiative to address the opportunity gaps facing young minority male students. The program connects students with community leaders through mentoring relationships and educational events to help ensure all young people reach their full potential. Wallace also coaches football at his alma mater, Springfield High School, where he serves as the offensive coordinator. In 2019, he helped lead the Wildcats to their first state semifinals in school history. He also serves as the head coach for the freshman basketball team at Springfield.

Inma Zanoguera, women’s basketball, 2011 to 2015. Zanoguera was a three-time All-MAC honoree who played on teams that averaged 22 wins per season and won one MAC regular-season championship and two division crowns. As a senior, Zanoguera earned first-team All-MAC honors, leading the Rockets in scoring (15.4), rebounding (6.7) and assists (5.0). She was selected as one of 30 NCAA women’s basketball nominees for 2014-15 Senior CLASS Award, only the second player in school history to make the list. As a junior, she averaged a team-best 14.0 points and 8.7 rebounds, earning second-team All-MAC. Zanoguera was a third-team All-MAC pick as a sophomore, averaging 10.2 points and 5.6 rebounds for a Rocket team that went 29-4 and won the MAC regular-season championship title. She was named MAC West Division Player of the Week six times in her career. Zanoguera, who played both guard and forward as a collegian, ranks fourth in school history in career minutes played (3,936), fifth in free-throw percentage (.819, 258 of 315) and games played (132), seventh in steals (195), 10th in rebounds (781), 10th in assists (375) and 15th in scoring (1,424 points). A two-time team captain, Zanoguera was twice named Academic All-MAC. She graduated with a degree in communication. After graduation, she played professional basketball in Italy. A native of Llucmajor, Spain, on the island of Majorca, Zanoguera played for all Spanish national teams from U16 to the senior team. She was a three-time European Championship Gold Medalist (2011, 2012, 2013); a Bronze Medalist with the Three-on-Three Senior Team in the 2015 European Olympics in Baku, Azerbaijan; and was selected to the All-Europe U20 First Team in 2013. Zanoguera was featured in a 2018 documentary titled “Running Home,” which chronicled her journey to the Western Sahara refugee camps in Algeria, where many Sahrawi people, including her mother, fled during a civil war in neighboring Morocco. While there, Zanoguera ran and won the Sahara Marathon in her first attempt to run the 26-plus-mile event.

Others to be honored by the Varsity ‘T’ Club include Dan Saevig, who will receive the Distinguished Service Award. Saevig retired in March as UToledo’s vice president of alumni engagement after serving his alma mater for 30 years. And receiving honorary lifetime membership awards from the Varsity ‘T’ Club will be former Toledo Mayor Mike Bell, a football player at UToledo from 1973 to 1976, and Jeff Hepinstall, who played football for the Rockets from 1974 to 1977 and has been an active member of the Varsity ‘T’ Club for many years.

The University of Toledo’s Women’s Mentoring Network is hosting a panel discussion about how to survive and thrive in this new reality.

The virtual event titled Giving Yourself Grace in Uncertain Times will take place noon to 1p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 on WebEx. RSVP by completing the webform on the Women’s Mentoring Network webpage. Participants will receive a confirmation email with a link to access the event.

The discussion aims to address feelings of being overwhelmed and stressed by providing practical advice to achieve a new sense of balance to reach your goals and promote overall well-being. Participants will learn about resources and strategies for managing stress, practicing self-care, and navigating the blurred lines between work and home in the age of COVID-19.

Dr. Linda A. Lewandowski, vice provost for health affairs for interprofessional and community partnership, and dean of the College of Nursing, will moderate the event.

Panel participants will be:

• Dr. Tameaka Gray El, assistant professor in the College of Nursing;

• Rachael Decker, associate director of programs and assessments for the Office of Recreational Services;

• Dr. Amy Riese, assistant professor Department of Psychiatry in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences; and

• Sandra Bishop, a representative with IMPACT Solutions.

This event is co-sponsored by UToledo’s Catharine S. Eberly Center, Office of the Provost, College of Nursing and Rocket Wellness.

For more information, contact the Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women at 419.530.8570 or ecwomen@utoledo.edu.

In the absence of football on what would’ve been the first home game of the season, The University of Toledo Rocket Marching Band will make its 2020 performance debut virtually from the Glass Bowl with custom-made masks and socially distant field formations.

“Saturday Sounds of the Stadium” will be live-streamed starting at noon Saturday, Sept. 12 on the band’s Facebook page, with more virtual performances to be scheduled throughout fall semester.

Lauren Weinberg plays the baritone during rehearsal for the virtual “Saturday Sounds of the Stadium” event.

“Having the opportunity to continue to perform and make music with the Rocket Marching Band is truly a blessing,” Ashley Venrick, a senior at UToledo majoring in music education and one of the drum majors, said. “We were unsure if we would be able to perform at all, and to know it’s actually happening this weekend lifts everyone’s spirits.”

Though the seats in the Glass Bowl will be empty, Rocket Nation can watch from anywhere around the world as the Rocket Marching Band performs music and choreography from its traditional pregame show alongside longtime UToledo standards and Rocket fan favorites.

But the performance will look different as the 175 students follow safety precautions advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“As one of the more visible ambassadors for The University of Toledo, we want to set an example for how we can all ignite our tradition of campus and community pride, while maintaining low-risk operation,” said Tiger Rhodes, associate director of bands, director of athletic bands and associate lecturer of low brass in the UToledo Department of Music. “We have creative and adaptable students and staff who are able to generate unique performance opportunities.”

The band practices exclusively outdoors, rehearses in small groups for 30-minute blocks, and masks the staff, students and instruments.

The Rocket Marching Band’s first performance of the year will be live-streamed on the band’s Facebook page starting at noon Saturday, Sept. 12.

Instead of standing shoulder-to-shoulder, band members are spaced a minimum of 7.5 feet apart — at least four steps.

They wear face masks, including specially crafted masks with a small slit for mouthpiece access that allow students to play wind instruments.

Plus, fitted bell covers are used as “masks” for all wind and brass instruments to prevent the spread of germs.

Rhodes said he worked closely with CLDesigns in Sylvania to create the blue bell covers as well as a mask with a horizontal overlap to allow for a horn to reach the student’s face while also providing the player coverage when the horn is down.

“We are thankful to have the opportunity to continue our tradition of striving for the highest levels of excellence in performance, discipline and academics,” Rhodes said. “And we are most assuredly learning much about the strength of our team in the face of these new challenges.”

The University of Toledo College of Law is hosting a virtual event featuring a national expert on racial profiling after the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in May and the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha last month.

David A. Harris, the Sally Ann Semenko Chair and professor of law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, will deliver a lecture titled “Police/Civilian Confrontations and Deaths: How Often? Why? What Can We Do?” from 11:50 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11 on Webex. Registration is required for the free, public event on the College of Law website.

“We are delighted to host Professor Harris to help us grapple with these difficult issues,” said Rob Salem, associate dean for diversity and inclusion and clinical professor of law at the UToledo College of Law. “We all have a responsibility to listen carefully and engage affirmatively in anti-racist efforts.”

David Harris

Harris taught at the UToledo College of Law from 1990 to 2007, where he was the Eugene N. Balk Professor of Law and Values.

Harris teaches, writes and speaks about the law, policing and the American criminal justice system. His research focuses on search and seizure law, police conduct, and the intersection of race and criminal justice.

For more than two decades, Harris has been the nation’s foremost expert on racial profiling. His research and publications became the basis for the first proposals in Congress to curb racial profiling and led to laws and regulations against profiling in more than half the states and hundreds of police departments.

Harris frequently works with national, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations across the country to improve the quality of police work, with a special emphasis on bridging the gap between police and the communities they serve.

He is the creator and host of the “Criminal Injustice” podcast, which is devoted to issues in the criminal justice system. Harris also is the author of several books, including “A City Divided: Race, Fear, and the Law in Police Confrontations,” which was published by Anthem Press in 2020.

In 2015, Harris received the Jefferson Award for Public Service for his work in Pittsburgh and other communities across the country to create better relationships between police and the communities they serve, particularly Black communities, to bring about both respectful, just policing and public safety.

The University of Toledo is honoring the life and legacy of the late Philip Markowicz, a Holocaust survivor who was a cherished member of the Toledo Jewish community.

During the virtual event “An Evening in Honor of Philip Markowicz” at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13 on Zoom, UToledo and Markowicz’s children will celebrate the release of his book recently published by The University of Toledo Press titled “Losing God in Translation: A Study of the Hebrew Bible” and announce an endowed professorship in Judaism and Jewish Biblical Studies established in his name.

Register for the virtual event at the UToledo College of Arts and Letters website.

Philip Markowicz

“The University of Toledo College of Arts and Letters is grateful for Mr. Markowicz’s many contributions to this community and the generous gift his family has made to establish the Philip Markowicz Endowed Professorship in Judaism and Jewish Biblical Studies,” Charlene Gilbert, dean of the College of Arts and Letters, said. “This gift serves as a permanent testament to the scholarship he sought to pursue before his dreams of being a biblical scholar were destroyed by the brutality of the Nazi invasion of Poland.”

Markowicz’s children, Dr. Allen Markowicz and Professor Sylvia Markowicz Neil, together with their spouses Hindea Markowicz and Daniel Fischel, have for the past decade supported a UToledo faculty position in Jewish studies. They and others in the community donated more than $250,000 to fund the new endowed faculty position in Markowicz’s name, and the family will match additional contributions up to $125,000.

“This gift has been fundamental in supporting our efforts to increase our offerings in the study of Judaism and to continue Philip Markowicz’s legacy of scholarship of the Hebrew Bible,” Dr. John Sarnecki, chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, said.

The event also will feature a keynote lecture by Dr. Yonatan S. Miller, assistant professor of religious studies and the new Philip Markowicz Endowed Assistant Professor who also prepared and edited Markowicz’s new book.

Markowicz was born in 1924 in Przerab, Poland. The son of a rabbi, Markowicz was known as a Talmud prodigy but his yeshiva education was interrupted by the Nazi invasion of Poland.

He survived the ghetto of Lodz, several concentration camps including Auschwitz, and a death march. Nazis murdered his entire family with the exception of his brother.

After being liberated by the Allies, Markowicz met and married his wife, Ruth, in a Displaced Persons camp and started their family and emigrated to Toledo, where – with no connections or resources – Markowicz trained himself in electronics and created a thriving business.

Philip continued his passion for Torah study and wrote extensively in his retirement. He published an autobiography, “My Three Lives,” in 2010, and completed the manuscript for “Losing God in Translation” shortly before he died in 2017.

The publication of his new book inaugurates a new series from The University of Toledo Press with the imprint of the University’s Center for Religious Understanding.