December 16, 2019  |  News & Events, Provost's Updates

Good morning, colleagues. Here is this week’s update from Academic Affairs.

Kudos

Kudos to the more than 2100 students who received their degrees at yesterday’s graduation ceremony!

The Institute of World Affairs hosted Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Dana Priest, who delivered the 2019 George F. Kennan Distinguished Lecture on “Disinformation and Democracy” to an overflow audience at the Hefter Center. Following the program, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editor George Stanley noted the significance of the event, adding, “To see so many people, in hallways and side rooms, to hear Dana and participate in that kind of conversation—it was democracy in action, the way America is supposed to be.” Congratulations!

Junjie Niu (Engineering and Applied Science) received the Best Presentation award and was nominated for the Best Poster award at the 2019 MRS Fall Meeting, December 1-6, in Boston. The meeting of the Materials Research Society is the world’s foremost international scientific gathering for materials research and showcases leading interdisciplinary research in both fundamental and applied areas presented by scientists from around the world. Excellent news, Junjie!

Two projects received funding in the second annual Future Water Leaders Fund, which will support student-led water-related projects or research efforts in Wisconsin. The 2019 Future Water Leaders Fund winners include Basil Hable and Andrew Thompson (Engineering and Applied Science students) for the project Low-Cost Fast-Data Particle Sensor for Harbor Monitoring, under the supervision of Dr. Marcia Silva and Tom Hansen, and Max Spehlmann (Freshwater Sciences student) for the project Linking Water Age to Bacterial Growth in a Tap Water Distribution System, under the supervision of Jim Waples and Ryan Newton. Congratulations!

The 2019 First-Year Seminar Symposium was a tremendous success!  Congratulations to the 165 presenters and the award recipients:

  • 1st Place: Thomas Herbst, Luke Schires, & Rory Pulz, “The Terroir of Vines and Rushes Winery, WI: Vineyard Soil Sampling” (Instructor: Barry Cameron)
  • 2nd Place (tie): Samantha Yacono, “Night Phone Use and Sleep” (Instructor: Hobey Davies)
  • 2nd Place (tie): Morgan Barthelme, “Reasons for Infant Bed-sharing” (Instructor: Hobey Davies)
  • 3rd Place (tie): Josie Carballido, “How Adverse Childhood Events Affect Sleep” (Instructor: Hobey Davies)
  • 3rd Place (tie): Ashley Kreutzinger, “The Emotional Reactions to Sleep Paralysis” (Instructor: Hobey Davies)

Milwaukee Athletics

Milwaukee is in first place in the race for the 2019-20 McCafferty Trophy, given to the all-sports champion of the Horizon League, after the fall season boosted by three League championship game appearances and one tournament title.

UWM Connected Systems Institute Executive Director Finalists on campus this week:

  • Mary Bunzel visits campus today. The Open Forum will be held at 10 a.m. in the CSI Classroom Space located in the East Wing of the Golda Meir Library.
  • Brian Fast will visit campus on Wednesday, December 18. The Open Forum will be held at 10 a.m. in the CSI Classroom Space located in the East Wing of the Golda Meir Library.

See the finalists page for more information. To submit feedback for the candidates, please use the feedback forms linked on the finalists page. There is a separate form for each candidate. The deadline to submit feedback is Monday, December 23 at 5 p.m.

In the News

Kevin Jahnke, Manager of Classroom Services for University IT Services, and Shannon Aylesworth, Adaptive Technology Specialist in the Accessibility Resource Center, were quoted in a University Business article about partnerships between disability services offices and campus technology administrators.

The Week

Monday

I start the week with my standing meeting with Robin Van Harpen, followed by the Academic Staff Committee meeting, the Chancellor’s Executive Cabinet meeting, and a lunch interview with CSI Executive Director Candidate Mary Bunzel. Later, I have standing meetings with Michael Doylen, Alan Shoho, and Mark Harris, and my weekly staff meeting. In the evening, I’ll join the Chancellor’s Cabinet for a study break in the library where we will serve coffee/tea/hot chocolate and snacks to our students. You are all welcome to join us at 9 pm.

Tuesday

In the morning, I have the Connected Systems Institute Core Team meeting, my monthly meeting with Tim Behrens, my weekly meeting with Tom Luljak, my monthly meeting with Val Klump and Tim Grundl, and the College of Engineering and Applied Science Department Chairs’ meeting. In the afternoon, I have my bi-monthly meeting with the University Committee and will attend a doctoral defense of a School of Information Studies PhD student. I have the Academic Leadership Council meeting where we’ll discuss enrollment management, which will be followed by a separate meeting on enrollments, and the Distinguished Professors Subcommittee meeting. In the evening, I’ll attend the Finance and Administrative Affairs Holiday Party.

Wednesday

I start the day with a breakfast interview with CSI Executive Director Candidate Brian Fast, followed by my standing meeting with Brian Thompson, and the 2030 Think Tank Co-Chairs meeting. Later, I have my monthly meetings with Trudy Turner and Scott Emmons, an M3 Update with Chancellor Mone, and my weekly meeting with the Chancellor. In the evening, I’ll attend the Indian Community School Board meeting.

Thursday

Today, I have the APBC meeting, a College of General Studies Leads meeting, I’ll attend a meeting with Regent Torrey Tiedeman, I have a Campus Budget Planning meeting, a Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute Core Team meeting, monthly meetings with Marija Gajdardziska-Josifovska and Simon Bronner, and an EAB teleconference with Vice President Tom Sugar.

Friday

In the morning, I have a Budget Advisory Team meeting, an Experiential Learning meeting, and my monthly meeting with Scott Gronert. In the afternoon, I have the monthly Data Systems Institute Budget meeting, my monthly meeting with Student Association Leadership, my one-on-one meeting with Dave Clark, another budget meeting with Drew Knab, and my monthly meeting with Kim Litwack.

Announcements

End-of-Semester Memo

My end-of-semester memo is online.

Teaching and Learning Symposium

Register for the 5th Annual UWM Teaching and Learning Symposium to be held on January 9.

New! Centralized Recycling at UW-Milwaukee

Contamination and the fall-out of global recycling markets nearly led to the collapse of recycling on campus. A new centralized collection program will help build resiliency to these outside markets, save money, and keep this fundamental environmentally-friendly practice in play.

Regents Academic Staff Excellence Awards

The Academic Staff Awards Committee is accepting nominations for the Regents Academic Staff Excellence Awards. The purpose of the award is to recognize the dedicated work, vital services, and outstanding contributions of the UW System’s non-instructional academic staff members. The award is presented in two categories: INDIVIDUAL non-instructional academic staff members and PROGRAMS that are primarily staffed by non-instructional academic staff. The guidelines and selection criteria for the Regents Academic Staff Excellence Awards are available online. Nomination materials are due by February 7.

Other

This is my last Monday Update for 2019, and I wish you a happy holiday season. Updates will resume on January 6.  If you are a fan of Sachin Tendulkar, read this story.

Take care,

Johannes

Johannes Britz
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs