Briefs

Police broaden coverage: Since the first report of a "flasher" and an incident of public lewdness in August, Cornell Police has been paying particular attention to areas where similar incidents have been reported and have broadened their campus coverage, in both area and personnel assigned. An ongoing investigation into the incidents, with cooperation from the Ithaca Police Department, is continuing, and no reports have been received since early October. Cornell Police and its Crime Prevention Unit also have been working with the Office of the Dean of Students and Campus Life to spread the word about personal safety -- with advice such as walking in well-traveled, well-lighted areas, avoiding secluded paths at night and being aware of services such as Blue Light buses and phones -- beginning with sessions with Orientation counselors in August. Cornell Police is asking for any information about the incidents and for people to report any similar occurrences as soon as they can, by calling 255-1111 or coming to Cornell Police headquarters in Barton Hall.

HealthNow provider listings: Last week, Mary Opperman, vice president for human resources, announced two new endowed health plans in addition to the 80/20 Plan, as well as a number of other new and revised benefits programs for Cornell employees (see Cornell Chronicle, Oct. 21, 1999). One of the new health plans is HealthNow's Point of Service (POS) Plan, which takes the place of Aetna's current Managed Choice Plan, with very similar benefits and a wider network. Benefit Services wants to remind endowed employees that network providers included in the HealthNow POS health plan are signing up every day. The providers listing in the Benefits Open Enrollment packets mailed this month shows all providers included as of the end of August. Since that time, many new providers have joined the network. HealthNow's network soon will be even larger than the Aetna Managed Choice Plan that HealthNow will replace at the start of the new year. HealthNow soon will be printing a supplemental-provider listing with physician groups and health-care facilities that recently have signed up for the network. In the next two weeks, that supplement will be mailed to all those who received the endowed open enrollment packets. But, even if a physician is not listed in the supplement, he or she may have signed a contract very recently. The best source for verifying whether a physician or medical facility is in HealthNow's network is to call HealthNow, toll free, at (888) 951-1116. The customer service representatives always have the latest information on network physicians, both primary care and specialists.

BTI, employee honored: The Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research was honored by Challenge Industries at an award ceremony Oct. 14. The institute was named Employer of the Year by the community rehabilitation center for its role in helping to diversify today's workforce. And Donald White was named Challenge Industries' Employee of the Year for his contribution to the BTI research greenhouses, where he has worked as a pot washer since May 1999. A BTI staff member reports that White's colleagues speak highly of him saying: "Don does a great job. He has a wonderful sense of humor. He is a consistent, hard worker who is reliable and always nice to be around." More information about BTI, located at Cornell, can be found at http://bti.cornell.edu.