Good morning, colleagues. Here is this week’s update from Academic Affairs—it will be a busy week as the campus prepares for the start of the fall semester!
Kudos
Congratulations to eight technical college students who completed a 10-week summer program sponsored by an NSF/BHEF grant to foster undergraduate STEM Interventions in industry with SFWS faculty Carmen Aguilar Diaz and Russell Cuhel. Students received an 8-week paid internship with The Water Council companies, gained research experiences with SFS research scientists, and received mentoring from UWM faculty and industry partners. This Water Sys-STEM grant is in its fourth year and is intended to promote diversity among students going into STEM by providing high impact practices during summer session and fostering enrollment from a technical college into a STEM degree at UWM. Excellent work again by Carmen and Russell.
In the News
An interview with Carolyn Eichner (History) is the lead story in the French newspaper Mediapart. It is the fourth part of their series “The Colonial Project in New Caledonia,” on the upcoming referendum on New Caledonia’s independence from France.
Milwaukee Athletics
The Milwaukee men’s and women’s basketball teams have announced their non-conference schedules for the upcoming season.
The Week
Monday
I start the week with my standing meeting with Robin Van Harpen, followed by a discussion on the Student Success Collaborative, a budget planning meeting, and a Chancellor’s Executive and Expanded Cabinet meeting. Later, I’m doing the welcome at the new graduate student orientation, I have meetings with my staff, and the CEMAT Executive Committee meets.
Tuesday
I’m meeting with Tom Luljak, I’m joining the Chancellor in making remarks at the new faculty and instructional academic staff orientation, I meet with Peter Sands, and I’m meeting with a finalist for the Director of Strategic Partnerships position. I have a student success and research meeting with the Office of Research, and the Academic Leadership Council meets. Agenda items include a professional service opportunity for university staff, open educational resources, math initiatives, media training, and focus group feedback.
Wednesday
I’m holding an Academic Affairs staff retreat in the morning, followed by an office picnic. In the afternoon, I have standing meetings with Kim Litwack, Sue Cashin, and Brian Thompson. I also have my weekly meeting with the Chancellor. Throughout the day, I am meeting with several finalists for the Director of Strategic Partnerships position.
Thursday
In the morning, I’ll be attending the new College of General Studies Opening Day event, I have interviews with Director of Strategic Partnerships candidates, and a budget model monthly meeting. I have a standing meeting with new College of Letters and Science Dean Scott Gronert, and we continue our student success and research meetings with the schools/colleges. Wednesday we meet with the Peck School of the Arts leadership team.
Friday
Today, I have student success and research meetings with L&S and the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, an Integrated Shared Services executive sponsors meeting, and I’ll be facilitating a Common Read discussion with a group of Business students. I end the day with the Chancellor and campus leaders at the University Welcome to incoming students on the Mitchell Hall front steps, followed by dinner on Spaights Plaza.
Announcements
Classroom Technology Training
Multimedia classroom orientation is offered before the start of both fall and spring semesters to provide training and information to help instructors. More information and Fall 2018 Orientation Schedule.
New Graduate Student Orientation
The UWM Graduate School will host New Graduate Student Orientation today from 11 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. in the UWM Student Union. The event agenda includes an information fair with tables from campus resources and organizations, breakout sessions, a panel discussion with current graduate students, and concurrent sessions on topics related to academic success. The Graduate School’s orientation is different from any new graduate student orientation that may be offered by your academic program. Please check with your department for program-specific information.
Start of Semester Memo
My start of semester memo is online.
Student Accommodations
The UWM Accessibility Training Site for Instructors—an online, self-paced training resource developed by CETL and ARC—provides valuable, just-in-time information for instructors on student accommodations and Universal Design.
Male Allies and Advocates Workshops
As part of UWM’s effort to build a more inclusive climate for female faculty members, the university is offering Male Allies and Advocates workshops on September 27 and 28 in the fourth floor conference center of the Golda Meir Library. All male faculty members are invited to the interactive workshops, which will look at ways to improve the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women, especially in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) areas. Male faculty members can sign up for one of the workshops online. The interactive workshops will be based on a National Science Foundation-funded model developed at North Dakota State University designed to improve gender equity through the direct and proactive engagement of male faculty members.
Canvas Update from the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
1. Official Course Sites with Enrolled Students are Now in Canvas
We are happy to note that instructors teaching with Canvas this fall (Canvas Pioneers) can access their official course sites with students in Canvas.
2. Canvas is Now Listed on the UWM Home Page
Also, students and instructors can now access the Canvas login website from the drop-down menus under Current Students and Faculty/Staff on the main UWM home page. Students and instructors can also go to the Canvas login website directly at: uwm.edu/canvas.
Other
On Saturday, I’ll be heading to Germany for a short visit. I will lead a UW delegation visiting the Hessen Higher Education System. My next update will be on September 10.
Take care,
Johannes
Johannes Britz
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs