Good Morning, Colleagues. Welcome back to campus and here is this week’s update:
Priorities for the Spring Semester
I thought it a good idea to share with you some of our priorities for this coming semester:
- Preparation for the next biennial budget (in close collaboration with the Division of Finance and Administrative Affairs, plus deans and directors in Academic Affairs);
- Continued work on the implementation of school/college Academic Plans – we have met with almost all the schools/colleges at the end of last semester;
- Final preparation for the Higher Learning Commission’s accreditation visit (our site visit is April 20-21);
- Enrollment management, with a particular focus on recruitment and retention;
- Searches for the Vice Provost for Research (in progress), the Dean of the College of Health Sciences (launched last semester);
- Continue work on the adoption of a new budget model for campus;
- Advancement of the DAWG (Data Analytics Working Group) goal of having a more integrated approach to the use and access of our data to inform decision making across campus;
- Further growth in UWM’s Flexible Option competency-based programs;
- Wide utilization of the Student Success Collaborative advising tool – in support of our retention efforts;
- Engagement with donors related to the Comprehensive Campaign (in close collaboration with Development and Alumni Relations); and
- Launch of a new Academic Affairs website (March-April time frame).
Kudos
– UWM has been named among the nation’s top universities for community engagement by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. See http://www5.uwm.edu/news/2015/01/07/carnegie-foundation-recognizes-uwm-for-community-engagement/#.VLKbKkipoXQ.
– Tracey Heatherington, Anthropology, has been appointed as Associate Dean of the Graduate School, effective January 1, 2015. Congratulations, Tracey!
– Neal Pease, History, recently received the Mieczyslaw Haiman Award, which is offered annually to an American scholar for sustained contribution to the study of Polish Americans. The award was established in 1969 in honor of the late Mieczyslaw Haiman (1888-1949), a co-founder and charter member of the Polish American Historical Association. Well done, Neal!
– Kimberly Blaeser, English, has been named Wisconsin’s Poet Laureate for 2015-2016. See
http://www5.uwm.edu/news/2015/01/07/uwms-blaeser-named-wisconsin-poet-laureate/#.VLKa-EipoXQ. This is indeed an honor, Kimberly!
– UWM’s U-Pace Online Instructional Approach, developed by Diane Reddy, Psychology, has been selected as a finalist in the IMS Global Learning Consortium Learning Impact Awards. The Learning Impact Awards program is facilitated by IMS for the purpose of recognizing outstanding applications of technology that address the most significant challenges facing the global education and learning industries. Good luck, Diane.
– The Electa Quinney Institute for American Indian Education (EQI) was recently awarded a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts to support the Woodland Indian Arts Initiative. This award will support a partnership between Margaret Noodin (EQI) and Kimberly Blaeser (Department of English) highlighting folk/oral traditions in the American Indian community. Performances will be announced in late spring and early summer of 2015. If interested in partnership opportunities with EQI, please contact Patricia Najera at 229-2814 or ptnajera@uwm.edu.
– UWM’s Flexible Option programs have been selected by the U.S. Department of Education for participation in its innovative Experimental Sites Initiative, which will increase flexibility in awarding financial aid for the competency-based programs.
Synopsis of the week
Monday
I start the week with a meeting with Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Affairs Robin Van Harpen, followed by a meeting of the Chancellor’s Cabinet. I will also participate in a UW System Common Systems Review Group video conference and attend the Chancellor’s Enrollment Management Action Team (CEMAT). The agenda includes an update on UWM Online and the Flexible Option.
Tuesday
I have regular monthly meetings with Dean Tim Smunt (Lubar School of Business) and Dean Rodney Swain (College of Letters and Science). I also will attend a board meeting of the Clinical and Translational Science Initiative, a National Institute of Health-funded consortium of eight Milwaukee institutions dedicated to transforming the biomedical research enterprise in Southeast Wisconsin to advance patient care and education.
Wednesday
I have meetings concerning the Innovation Campus and space planning, as well as several meetings with direct reports.
Thursday
I have regular meetings with Vice Chancellor for University Relations and Communications Tom Luljak, Director of Legal Affairs Joely Urdan, and my weekly meeting with the Chancellor.
Friday
I’ll be in Madison, attending a UW System Provosts meeting. Agenda items include budget, Engineering programs in the System, and transfer agreements. I will be back in the afternoon to attend a deans meeting.
Announcements
Spring A2S Retention Summit
– The A2S Spring Retention Summit, which will focus on retention beyond the first year, will be held on February 12 from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in the Union Wisconsin Room (register by February 6 at http://bit.ly/1DpqNYT).
Spring Memo
The spring 2015 start of semester memo is posted at: http://uwm.edu/acad_aff/policy/begin_semester_memo.pdf
CETL Funding Opportunity for Innovative Instructional Strategies
– The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) is offering a funding opportunity that supports instructors in sharing the innovative strategies that they utilize in creating rich, meaningful, online and blended learning environments for their students. Instructors will receive a $400 stipend to work with CETL staff in the design of a project that focuses on the implementation of a strategy around one (or more) of our targeted themes in at least one of their spring courses. More information on this opportunity, including the targeted themes and how to apply, can be found here: http://uwmltc.org/?p=11010.
New Office of Research Website
– The Office of Research has just launched its brand-new website: https://uwm.edu/officeofresearch/. The site provides a wide range of information for researchers and administrators to develop, submit, and manage research grants.
Mark Harris will welcome any feedback on the new site – just click on the Feedback button on the website or email your comments to Kari Whittenberger-Keith (kariwk@uwm.edu) or Michelle Schoenecker (schoene7@uwm.edu).
Active Learning Classrooms
– North West Quadrant Active Learning Classrooms for fall 2015: In addition to requesting a classroom space through your Department Course Scheduler, instructors who wish to teach in the NW Quadrant Active Learning Classrooms in fall 2015 must complete a Course Application and Agreement Form by Friday, January 16. Forms and maps are available on the CETL website https://uwm.edu/cipd/Partners/.
The North West Quadrant Active Learning Committee is providing workshops on Active and Group Learning:
Fridays, January 16 and 30 from noon – 4 p.m. in Union 250
Fridays, February 6 and 20 from noon – 4 p.m. in Union 250
Register through CETL at this website: http://uwm.edu/cipd/. Contact Connie Schroeder for further information at connies@uwm.edu or 229-5764.
From UITS
– Upcoming change to the Office 365 OWA dashboard
The Microsoft Office 365 Outlook Web App (OWA) interface changes frequently to keep pace with the dynamic business environment it’s designed to serve. Soon, you’ll have the option of “pinning” additional app icons to your personalized dashboard.
http://www5.uwm.edu/news/2014/12/30/upcoming-change-to-the-office-365-owa-interface/#.VKMOtGNZ6ak.
Take care and enjoy a “warmer” week,
Johannes
Johannes Britz
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs