Good morning, colleagues. Happy New Year and welcome to 2022! Here is this week’s update from Academic Affairs.
New Accessibility Resource Center Director
I’m pleased to announce that Shannon Aylesworth, Adaptive Technology Specialist in the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC), has accepted the position of ARC Director and will begin her new role on January 16. Shannon earned a BA in Communication Management and Technology from Alverno College and is currently working on her MS in Exceptional Education at UWM with plans to graduate in May. Shannon has been with UWM since 2001 in various roles, including Student and Speech-to-Text Services Specialist, ARC Student Services Coordinator, Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program Manager, and Adaptive Technology Specialist.
I’d like to thank Diane Reddy, James Moyer, and Tima Guled for their excellent work on the screening committee; and special thanks to Jon Broskowski for his service as Interim Director for the past two years.
Update: Spring Semester
University Relations and Communications shared with campus last week that the WinteriM period is giving UWM a chance to carefully review the changing COVID-19 landscape. UWM’s leadership is evaluating the safe return to campus on January 24, with a primary consideration for the health of students, faculty, and staff, and a goal of delivering in-person as well as online instruction. We will continue to monitor the situation; there are a number of planning meetings this week, and we will send follow-up communication to campus on what the start of the spring semester will look like.
Kudos
David Pate (Social Work) was named one of Wisconsin’s most influential black leaders by Madison365. David has also been elected Director at Large of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), a non-profit, professional membership society for social work researchers. His term begins February 1. Bravo, David!
Lisa Silverman (History; Jewish Studies) will serve as the Michael Hauck Visiting Professor for Interdisciplinary Holocaust Research at the Fritz Bauer Institute for the History and Impact of the Holocaust at the Goethe-University in Frankfurt for the summer semester in 2022. Well done, Lisa!
Joel Berkowitz (English; Jewish Studies) was elected to a two-year term as Vice President for Publications of the Association for Jewish Studies. Congratulations, Joel!
This video by Dusan Harminc of StumpTown Media was created by Lisa Moline (Art) and Lane Hall (English) with friends of the Overpass Light Brigade, supported by students attending a National Institutes for Health funded STEM summer camp for students run by the Electa Quinney Institute, and inspired by the Indigenous Nations Poets (InNaPo) organization founded by Kimberly Blaeser (English; American Indian Studies). It includes all of the Indigenous languages Milwaukee students can currently study for credit at UWM. Words contained in the video can be found on Ojibwe.net, which is supported in part by grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Well done, Lisa, Lane, and Kimberly!
Adam Jussel (Dean of Students) was a featured author in the Winter 2022 issue of Leadership Exchange, published by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). Adam’s piece was titled, “Higher Education Law and Its Impact on Student Affairs.” Congratulations, Adam!
In the News
Ted Lentz (Criminal Justice) is quoted in this article about gun violence in Milwaukee.
Sandra McLellan (Freshwater Sciences) was featured on CBS58 News, to discuss her lab’s COVID-19 monitoring in wastewater systems and the current spike her team is seeing.
Rebecca Klaper (Freshwater Sciences) talked about freshwater challenges and research efforts in a new episode of the waterloop podcast, which highlights water solutions.
Milwaukee Athletics
New York City FC won the 2021 Major League Soccer Cup in mid-December, claiming a 4-2 penalty-kick shootout victory in the MLS Championship following a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers. That made an MLS champion out of former Milwaukee men’s soccer player Vuk Latinovich, who spent the 2021 season on the active roster and made his professional debut in a 2-0 victory over Philadelphia Union in May.
Catch up on all the exciting things happening in Milwaukee Athletics by reading the latest issue of The Roar Report. This winter issue is highlighted with a feature story on Sydney Staver, McKaela Schmelzer, and Miquela Santoro – the trio of Milwaukee women’s basketball players who chose to come back for a final year of eligibility following a season in which the COVID-19 pandemic allowed them the option.
The Week
Monday
I start the week with my standing meeting with Robin Van Harpen, followed by a planning meeting with Robin Van Harpen, Chia Vang, and Sue Weslow, and my weekly staff meeting.
Tuesday
In the morning, I have the Coronavirus Management Team (CMT) Leadership meeting, an audit meeting, my weekly check-in with Dave Clark and Kay Eilers, the biweekly CEMAT Leads meeting, and my standing meeting with Phyllis King. In the afternoon, I have my one-on-one with Brett Peters, my biweekly meeting with Paul Klajbor, and I’ll provide an Academic Affairs update for the Academic Staff Senate.
Wednesday
I start the day with the Deans morning meeting, followed by my monthly meeting with Jonathan Hanes, and my one-on-one with Kevin Hartman. Then, I’ll provide remarks at the Library Moebius Outstanding Staff Award Ceremony, I have my one-on-one with Scott Gronert, and my standing meeting with Mark Harris and Dietmar Wolfram.
Thursday
In the morning, I have another CMT Leadership meeting, I’ll make opening remarks at the UWM Teaching and Learning Symposium, I have my monthly meeting with Nicole Oswald and Mike Priem, and my standing meeting with Michael Doylen. In the afternoon, I have my one-on-one with Purush Papatla, a Campus Budget Planning meeting, my one-on-one with Kaushal Chari, and I’ll meet with Margaret Noodin and Chia Vang to discuss the Electa Quinney Institute and support for Native students.
Friday
Today, I have the FY22 Session of the Enterprise Directions Council, I’ll meet with direct reports, and attend to administrative matters.
Announcements
PAID Summer Internships
The 2022 State of Wisconsin Student Diversity Internship Program is accepting applications through January 21 for PAID summer internships with state government agencies. Students can apply for up to five intern positions with their single application. See position catalog.
New Wi-Fi Password
On Tuesday, January 11, the password for the UWM Visitor Wi-Fi network will be updated.
Preparing Your File for Indefinite Status
A workshop for Instructional and Research Academic Staff will be held on Wednesday, January 19 at 10 a.m. The workshop will cover the ins and outs of preparing for indefinite status.
Other
Well done to Australia who retained the Ashes and a record for Devon Conway.
Take care,
Johannes