January 27, 2020  |  News & Events, Provost's Updates, Timely Announcements

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

Kudos

Nathaniel Stern (Art & Design and Mechanical Engineering) opened his exhibition, “The World After Us,” at the Museum of Wisconsin Art | Downtown last week. It has already received positive reviews in WIRED magazine, Fast Company, CNET, Milwaukee Magazine, and elsewhere. Congratulations, Nathaniel!

Suzanne Joneson (General Studies) published two papers last year, including one with an undergraduate researcher as lead author. Well done, Suzanne!

Alum Sam Rogers (Spring 2019, BA in Political Science and Law Studies) was selected as the Coalitions Director to lead Concerned Veterans for America – Wisconsin. He recently kicked off a $1.5M campaign to leverage non-partisan alliances of veterans, family members, and communities to bring the troops home from Afghanistan and End Endless Wars. Congratulations, Sam!

Milwaukee Athletics

Shea Hansen, the General Manager of Panther Sports Properties who joined the Milwaukee Athletics staff in May 2019, has been named the Learfield IMG College Central Region Rookie of the Year. Hansen learned of the honor earlier this month at the annual Learfield IMG College Awards in Dallas, TX.

Milwaukee placed 142 student-athletes on the 2019 Horizon League Fall Academic Honor Roll, the conference office announced last week. The Panthers’ total number of honorees topped the Horizon League for the second time in the past three semesters, well ahead of second-place Oakland (125). A total of 1,047 student-athletes earned the distinction league-wide.

Milwaukee student-athletes continue to score high marks in the classroom and posted a collective 3.31-grade point average during the Fall 2019 semester. That followed up the Spring 2019 term where Panther student-athletes notched a 3.23 GPA. This marks the 39th consecutive semester that Milwaukee student-athletes have recorded a GPA of 3.0 or better, as well as the 10th straight with a 3.20 GPA or higher!

January 31 Student Success Summit

This Friday, we will host a very important Student Success Summit that will be attended by the Department Chairs, Deans, Associate Deans, Assistant Deans, CEMAT Executive Committee, and Provost’s staff.  Our focus will be on cultivating campus engagement with student success efforts. Topics of discussion at the Summit will include the Outstanding Learning Environment, re-enrollment dashboard, and other data tracking and assessment, Quality Initiative: Supplemental Instruction, Navigate and Progress Reports, Best Practices and Student Communication Plans, and Experiential Learning.  Many thanks to Dave Clark for taking the lead in organizing this event.

Student Success Best Practices

Tomorrow, we launch Student Success Best Practices, a weekly email focused on how we can better serve students. Each email will provide an overview of key metrics (e.g., student retention, re-enrollment, success rates), along with one or two key success practices:

  • Success strategies. Small changes instructors can make to optimize their courses for our students.
  • Campus connections. Things to discuss with students, regardless of your role on campus.

We will be very interested in your feedback and in your ideas for future emails!

The Week

Monday

I start the week with my standing meeting with Robin Van Harpen, followed by a meeting with Rebecca Neumann on the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare Dean search, a Master of Data Science meeting with Purush Papatla and Marija Gajdardziska-Josifovska, and the Chancellor’s Executive and Expanded Cabinet meeting. Later, I have the Chancellor’s Committee for Hispanic Serving Initiatives meeting, my weekly staff meeting, and a joint workgroup with Finance and Administrative Affairs.

Tuesday

In the morning I have an interview with Office of Assessment and Institutional Research finalist Jonathan Hanes, a Connected Systems Institute Decision Points meeting, and my standing meeting with Jennifer Gonda. In the afternoon, I have my one-on-one with Mark Harris, and my weekly meeting with the Chancellor.

Wednesday
I start the day with the Deans Morning Meeting, followed by my one-on-one with Dave Clark, and a teleconference with Wayne State University Provost Keith Whitfield. Later, I have the monthly Integrated Support Services Executive Steering update, meetings with my direct reports, and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee meeting.

Thursday

Today I have a meeting with Tom Luljak, Kay Eilers, and Dave Clark, a Campus Budget Planning meeting, a Review of College of General Studies Central Support meeting, and also a meeting on an EAB proposal.

Friday

In the morning, I will attend the Student Success Summit and will make remarks at the School of Information Studies Enrollment and Retention meeting in the afternoon.

Announcements

Tuesday Mindfulness Meditation
Join faculty, staff, and students for 30 minutes of guided Mindfulness Meditation on select Tuesdays from 12:15-12:45 p.m. Contact Paul Dupont at pdupont@uwm.edu for more information, dates, and location.

Study Abroad Fair

The Center for International Education will host its Study Abroad Fair on Wednesday, January 29 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the UWM Union Ballroom. Visit studyabroad.uwm.edu for more information.

LACUSL Speakers Series

Please join us for the first LACUSL Speakers Series of 2020. Dr. Fernanda Barros dos Santos will be giving a lecture entitled, “State and Black Movements in Brazil: (1980-2010) Cooperation, Contestation, or Autonomy?” on Thursday, January 30 at 3 p.m. in the American Geographical Society Library.

MathCOUNTS Event

On Saturday, February 1, the Department of Mathematical Sciences is hosting the regional MathCOUNTS math competition in Bolton Hall. Approximately 300 middle school competitors from across SE Wisconsin are expected to attend.

Engineering Research Conference

The 2020 UW-Milwaukee Engineering Research Conference will take place February 27-28 at the UWM Student Union. Co-hosted by the College of Engineering & Applied Science and Lubar Entrepreneurship Center, the conference brings together industry, academia, and funding agencies around the theme of innovation and entrepreneurship. Registration required. UWM faculty members receive complimentary admission; contact Wendy Pero at pero@uwm.edu.

Other

Well done to England.

Take care,

Johannes

Johannes Britz
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs