So what's University of Utah President Taylor Randall doing at the BYU Creamery?
University of Utah President Taylor Randall took a quick break from a busy, three-day Southern Utah tour to indulge in his favorite BYU Creamery flavor: In-Shanely Chocolate — named, aptly, for his friend/rival/counterpart, BYU President C. Shane Reese.
But there was nothing cloak-and-dagger about Randall's lunch-hour reconnaissance deep inside Utah County.
Call it 'Ice Cream Diplomacy.'
The University of Utah leader and several members of his team were on campus Friday at the invitation of BYU leadership to enjoy burgers and sample the sugary Creamery goods.
But it also offered leaders from the two Utah schools — one private, one public — a few moments to fortify friendships and academic cooperation at a volatile moment for higher education.
'We have a lot of collaborations that go on between our two institutions — both formal and informal,' Randall told the Deseret News.
The two schools' respective claims, he added, are actually quite similar. 'There's probably more research collaborations going on between these two schools than you would even imagine, right at the professorial level.'
It's essential that those collaborations are accessible and maintained.
Both the University of Utah and BYU, Randall added, are entrusted with educating students in Utah. 'We share common concerns about how to increase individuals coming into the overall higher education system. So it's good to talk through what each other is seeing.'
Additionally, the two higher education institutions are working to solve basic societal problems.
'With BYU opening up a new medical school, and us expanding our medical school, one of our shared objectives is to solve access to healthcare issues in the Intermountain West — but also in the state of Utah, which ranks very, very low.'
Much of the University of Utah leadership's three-day Southern Utah tour focused on meeting with fellow educators and health care professionals to seek ways of improving medical care in rural communities.
BYU Administration Vice President and CFO Steve Hafen said he and his blue-clad associates were eager to host Randall and his team at a popular campus hang-out.
'It's an opportunity to sit down in a casual environment and get to know them a little bit better,' said Hafen. 'There's so much that they experience that we can relate that to — and so that collaboration and discussion is great.'
Hafen added his school continues to seek opportunities to strengthen relationships with Utah's flagship public university. 'The University of Utah is an outstanding educational institution with good leadership, and we want to learn from them. And I think they want to learn from us.'
'They're public. We're private. But there are a lot of synergies and a lot of things that we can collaborate on.'
Randall will return to the BYU campus on Oct. 18 to watch the Utes play the Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
And Hafen assured that the University of Utah leader will have his choice of Creamery flavors on that fast-approaching football Saturday. 'We'll leave the ice cream open all day long.'
Randall and his team Friday also toured the U.S. Army Reserves headquarters building project that's well underway at Camp Williams in Bluffdale.
Last August, the University of Utah and the U.S. Army Reserve announced a historic land transfer and relocation agreement.
Using more than $100 million appropriated by the Utah Legislature, the University of Utah is building a headquarters for the Army Reserve at Camp Williams, clearing the way for the military to vacate the remaining 50.9 acres it occupies just east of the university campus.
Following the relocation of the Army Reserve, the historic Fort Douglas property will be transferred to the University of Utah for future campus development.
The Utah Legislature appropriated a total of $117 million for a land purchase and to relocate the Utah Army National Guard 76th Operational Response Command's personnel and operations to Camp Williams.
Officials said Utah is the only state to fund such a military relocation.
The state of Utah will reportedly own the building and will lease it to the Army Reserve. Construction of the facility started in April of last year
Fort Douglas and the University of Utah have a shared history spanning more than 150 years.
According to a university press release, at one point, the fort stretched over 10,500 acres, from 900 South to 6th Avenue, and from 1300 East to the mouth of Emigration Canyon. Presently, the university surrounds the remaining 50 acres of fort property.
The new two-story, 215,000-square-foot Army Readiness Building at Camp Williams — which includes administrative offices, storage and a separate vehicle maintenance shop — is slated to open and begin operating in 2026.
The 50-acre Douglas Armed Forces Reserve Center at Fort Douglas has been constrained by outdated infrastructure, according to a university release.
The new site, contiguous to Camp Williams, will offer a modern, secure location with room for future expansion. It will support all current and future Army Reserve operations, providing a more efficient and accessible training environment.
The university had reportedly been working on the exchange for 14 years, annually submitting the proposal to the respective university presidents over that time as an institutional goal.
Following Friday's tour, Randall said the building projects' design and progress exceeds his 'wildest expectations.'
'It's exciting that two organizations could find and plot an exciting, joint future together,' he said. 'I give particular credit to state leaders for their vision in crafting a really unique interchange of property and buildings so that both of these great institutions could move forward.'
Even while touring the Camp Williams building project, Randall was considering the future of the Fort Douglas property on the university campus.
'We will start early-scenario planning over the next year of how we'll use that property,' he said. 'We already know the broad uses. Some of it will be for healthcare. The other piece will be for actually expanding our 'College Town Magic' to create a remarkable place for students to thrive.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Texas A&M mascot Reveille has eye removed after glaucoma diagnosis
Texas A&M announced Wednesday that Reveille X, the school's mascot, had to have an eye removed during surgery after she was diagnosed with glaucoma. The collie has served as A&M's mascot since April 30, 2021, when Reveille IX retired. Reveille is a central part of gameday activities at Texas A&M and runs out on the field ahead of home games before taking her normal spot on the sidelines. 'Under the watchful eye of her Mascot Corporals, it came to our attention that Miss Rev has been experiencing some discomfort and cloudiness in her right eye,' A&M president Mark Welsh said in a statement. Sadly, the issue has progressed and during a recent check-up, she was diagnosed with glaucoma. At the recommendation of our world-class veterinarians at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Miss Rev underwent surgery earlier [Wednesday] to relieve any discomfort. During surgery, the veterinary team discovered signs of abnormal tissue, and out of an abundance of caution, removed her eye. The tissue was sent to an ocular pathologist for evaluation, which is standard practice.' Welsh said in his statement that Reveille would not make any public appearances while she recovers from her surgery, but that the school 'can expect Miss Rev to be back to enjoying all her favorite activities — cruising on Rev Force One, attending classes, cheering on the Aggies, and keeping our campus squirrels in line - this fall.' The first Reveille was adopted by A&M students in the 1930s and the mascot is officially listed as the highest-ranking member of school's Corps of Cadets. Members of the corps take care of Reveille and she goes everywhere with her caretakers and she's the only non-service dog allowed on campus building. According to Texas A&M tradition, if Reveille barks during a class she's in, the class is canceled.
New York Times
25 minutes ago
- New York Times
Kennedy Rescinds Endorsements for Some Flu Vaccines
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday formally rescinded federal recommendations for all flu vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that the anti-vaccine movement has falsely linked to autism. The decision cements a move last month by vaccine advisers whom Mr. Kennedy named to the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices after abruptly firing all 17 previous members. After hearing a presentation by the former leader of an anti-vaccine group, the panel had voted to walk back federal recommendations for all flu vaccines containing thimerosal. The decision will not affect most Americans seeking flu vaccines: Thimerosal is added to multidose vials of flu vaccines to prevent bacteria from growing, but it is not an ingredient of the single-dose vials administered to most people. During the 2024-25 respiratory virus season, only 3 percent of children and 2 percent of older adults received flu vaccines containing thimerosal, according to an analysis of electronic health records by Truveta, a company that analyzes such records. Still, multidose vials are needed in places where it is difficult to store many vaccines, such as nursing homes or mobile clinics serving remote rural areas. Mr. Kennedy's sign-off does not withdraw vaccines containing thimerosal from the market. But his rescinding the federal recommendation means that such shots may not be available to Americans, because insurance companies are no longer required to cover them. 'We urge global health authorities to follow this prudent example for the protection of children worldwide,' Mr. Kennedy said in a statement. Vaccine manufacturers have confirmed that they have the capacity to replace multidose vials containing mercury, ensuring that vaccine supplies for children and adults will 'remain uninterrupted,' the Department for Health and Human Services said in a statement. Federal health officials began removing thimerosal from childhood vaccines about 25 years ago, citing an abundance of caution despite a lack of data supporting safety concerns. Dozens of studies have shown thimerosal to be harmless. But the anti-vaccine community has long falsely maintained that the ingredient can cause neurological problems. At a meeting of the vaccine advisers last month, Lyn Redwood, a former leader of Children's Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group founded by Mr. Kennedy, claimed thimerosal was dangerous and toxic to children. Her presentation incorrectly said the only flu vaccine still containing thimerosal had 50 micrograms per dose, double the actual amount. The seven new advisers voted 5-1, with one abstention, to withdraw recommendations for flu vaccines containing thimerosal for children, pregnant women and other adults. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention typically accepts the recommendations of the committee. But the agency does not currently have a leader, and so the decision fell to Mr. Kennedy.
Fox News
26 minutes ago
- Fox News
At-home test works like coffee rings to spot serious illness faster
Have you ever noticed how a spilled cup of coffee leaves behind a telltale brown ring? While those stains might be annoying, the science behind them, known as the coffee ring effect, has sparked innovations in health technology. UC Berkeley researchers recently turned this everyday phenomenon into a breakthrough medical test, making rapid and reliable disease detection as easy as brewing your morning coffee. Curious how a simple coffee stain could inspire cutting-edge diagnostics and revolutionize at-home testing? Let's look at how a forgotten mug on your desk might just save lives. Ever wondered why spilled coffee, wine or tea dries in a ring rather than evenly? This common pattern is known as the "coffee ring effect." The phenomenon occurs because of the liquid's surface tension. As the drop begins to dry, water at the edges evaporates more quickly since that area is thinner. To keep up, liquid from the center flows outward, carrying tiny particles with it. Once the drop is completely dry, these particles settle along the edge, creating the signature ring stain you see on tables and countertops every day. Surprisingly, that annoying coffee ring on your table has inspired a major breakthrough in medical technology. Researchers at UC Berkeley transformed this everyday nuisance into a powerful new at-home diagnostic test. This innovative test can identify diseases like COVID-19, prostate cancer and sepsis with remarkable accuracy. In fact, it is up to 100 times more sensitive than many current rapid tests. Even better, it delivers results in just twelve minutes, depending on the test. The idea began with Kamyar Behrouzi, a former Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley. While developing a COVID-19 biosensor in 2020, he noticed that virus particles, much like coffee particles, tend to gather at the edge of a droplet. By using this natural effect, the researchers designed a test that captures and concentrates disease markers, making detection much easier. Thanks to this stain-inspired science, fast and reliable testing is now possible right at home. So, how does this innovative test actually work? First, you place a small sample from your nose or cheek onto a special membrane. As the sample dries, disease proteins concentrate at the edges to form a visible ring. Next, you add a second droplet containing light-reactive particles. If certain disease biomarkers are present, these nanoparticles light up when exposed to light. You can see positive results with the naked eye in some cases, or verify them more accurately using a special AI-powered smartphone app. This rapid test does more than detect COVID-19. It can also identify early signs of sepsis, a life-threatening infection that needs quick treatment. To make home testing accessible, the UC Berkeley team even created a 3D-printed prototype for easy use on your kitchen counter. According to professor Liwei Lin, this innovative approach could transform regular health screening, with no lab visit required. This coffee ring-inspired test brings hospital-level disease detection right to your home. With results ready in under twelve minutes, you can quickly check for diseases like COVID-19 and even early signs of sepsis. You no longer need to schedule lab visits or wait days for results. Instead, you can take charge of your health from the comfort of your kitchen, using a simple, affordable tool that could catch problems early and help keep your family safe. As technology like this becomes widely available, routine screening could become as easy as making your morning coffee. It's incredible how a common coffee stain inspired a breakthrough in medical testing. Science proves that even life's little messes can spark big innovations. With these advances, you can look forward to faster, easier health checks at home and maybe appreciate your next coffee spill just a little more. Would you trust a coffee stain to help catch disease early? Let us know by writing us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
