Good morning, colleagues. Here are this week’s updates from Academic Affairs:
Kudos
– Congratulations to the UWM undergraduate research students and their faculty mentors representing UWM this week at the annual Posters in the Rotunda legislative outreach event in Madison on Wednesday. Students presenting their research include: Ian Clavel working with Doug Steeber in Biology; Ndeye Drame working with Wail Hassan in Biomedical Science; Brett Fulleylove-Krause working with Jim Moyer in Psychology; Nisrit Pandey working with Ben Church in Materials Engineering; Michelle Soderling working with Carmen Aguilar and Russell Cuhel in Freshwater Science; and Rosetta Washington working with Lucy Mkandawire-Vahlmu in Nursing. You make us proud!
As part of Wednesday’s Posters in the Rotunda event, University Relations and the Alumni Association are sponsoring a UWM Advocacy Day in the Capitol. A busload of alumni will be joining VC Tom Luljak for a round of meetings with state legislators. It is an important part of UWM’s efforts to inform state lawmakers about the vital role our university plays in Wisconsin.
– Kudos to the Graduate School: Panthera became active and took in the very first graduate applications that are fully online, including online letters of recommendations, and fully customized for the special requirements of each UWM graduate program. Special kudos to Erin Fox for her leadership of this major project and to the amazing Panthera Team at the Graduate School!
The Week:
Monday
The Chancellor’s Cabinet meets, and I have meetings on space and the Lubar School of Business’s accreditation, as well as a meeting with VC Robin Van Harpen. I end the day with a budget meeting.
Tuesday
I’m attending the Lubar Center for Entrepreneurship Board of Advisors meeting, there is a Deans’ morning meeting, and I have a CEMAT sponsors meeting. Additional meetings include the Budget Communication Task Force, the Academic Staff Committee, and the UW System Common Systems Review Group.
Wednesday
A day occupied by meetings with direct reports, including Dean Alan Shoho. I also have my weekly staff meeting.
Thursday
The Faculty Senate meets, and I’m meeting with Student Association leaders and direct reports. In the evening, I attend three events (College of Nursing 50th Anniversary, College Possible fundraising dinner, and CEAS 50th Anniversary).
Friday
I will be in Madison for a UW System Provosts’ meeting.
Saturday
I’ll be stopping by the Center for International Education-sponsored Water-Centric Cities Conference at the Hefter Center.
Announcements
Grant Opportunity
The UWM Social Compact Grants committee welcomes applications for grants that support or initiate quantifiable solutions to alleviating poverty in Milwaukee. Grant proposals must illustrate strategies for demonstrating measurable outcomes and lead to sustainable collaborations or efforts. Of the total $200,000 available, the committee will award an unspecified number of grants up to $25,000 each. Each grant application must have at least one UWM partner and at least one community partner. The deadline for applications is *Thursday, April 28*. For more information, see https://uwm.edu/sejecgrants/ or contact Christy Uttech at 414-229-4331.
Run 4 Water MKE
Registration is now open for the Run4WaterMke 2016 to be held on Saturday, April 23 at 9 a.m. at Veterans Park. This is the fifth year this fundraiser for water projects is being undertaken by UWM’s Chapter of Engineers without Borders.
Nominations Sought for 14th Annual Student Organization and Leadership Awards
We are seeking your assistance with nominating students, and student organizations and events in multiple award categories! All nominations are due by Noon April 14. The awards ceremony will be held at 4:30 p.m. on April 28 in the Union Ballroom. More information and nomination forms. If you have any questions, please contact Justin Raibolt at jraibolt@uwm.edu.
From the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Come enjoy the free 38th annual Latin American Film Series at UW-Milwaukee, April 8-14. This year’s series features 12 films from 10 countries. See the complete lineup.
LACUSL Spring 2016 Speaker Series
Award-winning Haitian poet, novelist, and short-story writer Kettly Mars will present, “Parole-femmes – Women’s Words from and about Haiti,” a conversation in English, and reading in French, Kreyol, and English on Tuesday April 12 in Special collections, 4th floor Golda Meir Library at 5 p.m. Refreshments served. Free and open to the public.
From the Office of Undergraduate Research
Faculty, academic staff, and graduate students are needed to serve as judges at the annual UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium, scheduled for the afternoon of April 29. We do not require any particular expertise. Registration to be a judge is quick and simple; tell us whether you would like to judge at the oral or poster session (or both!) and we’ll be back in touch with you directly with details. This is a particularly pleasant campus service opportunity.
From the Sam & Helen Stahl Center for Jewish Studies
Michael Twitty presents, “Kosher/Soul: Black & Jewish Identity Cooking,” on Tuesday, April 12 at 7 p.m. at the Centennial Hall of the Milwaukee Public Library. His talk will illuminate how Kosher/Soul is about melding the histories, tastes, flavors, and Diasporic wisdom of being Black and being Jewish.
From the UWM Military and Veterans Resource Center
The 3rd Annual UWM Military and Veterans Graduation Ceremony will be held on May 12 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Fireside Lounge. Military and veteran spring and summer 2016 graduates can RSVP for the ceremony by emailing MAVRC Interim Assistant Director Sarah Terry at tarah@uwm.edu with full name, academic degree, and number of guests.
Japanese Spring Festival
All are invited to the UWM Japanese Program’s Spring Festival, which will showcase student work (presentations will be in Japanese with English subtitles), on Monday, May 2 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.
From the Manfred Olson Planetarium
The UWM community is cordially invited to join the celebration for the 50th Anniversary of the Manfred Olson Planetarium on Saturday, April 23. This “Celestial Celebration” will take place in the KIRC atrium and will include a catered dinner, live entertainment, a silent auction, and special presentation. For ticket information, please visit https://events.attend.com/f/1383773105#/reg/0/ to register, pay, etc.; or visit the Planetarium’s website (www.planetarium.uwm.edu). Deadline for registering has been extended through Wednesday, April 13. Proceeds will benefit the UWM Planetarium. It will be stellar!
Other
Congratulations to the West Indies men’s and women’s cricket teams who won the cricket T20 world cup titles this year!
Take care,
Johannes
Johannes Britz
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs