March 3, 2023  |  News & Events, Provost's Updates, Timely Announcements

Good afternoon, colleagues. Here is this week’s update from Academic Affairs.
School of Freshwater Sciences Dean Finalists
We wrapped up campus interviews this morning with our first School of Freshwater Sciences Dean finalist, Rebecca Klaper. The remaining two finalists will be on campus next week:

  • Rachel Havrelock visits campus Monday-Tuesday (March 6-7). Open Forum: Monday, March 6 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at the School of Freshwater Sciences Rm. 3080 and on Teams.
  • Carol Stepien visits campus Thursday-Friday (March 9-10). Open Forum: Thursday, March 9 from 2:15-3:15 p.m. at the School of Freshwater Sciences Rm. 3080 and on Teams.

Candidate information, interview itineraries and links to open forum live streams and recordings are posted on the finalists’ page. I will request feedback on all three candidates at the conclusion of the finalists’ interviews next Friday and details on submitting feedback will also be provided on the finalists’ page.
2030 Feature of the Week
Using materials developed as part of the DEI Action Planning Institute, the DEI leads are hosting workshops specific to units that have requested their assistance. Key outcomes from the workshops will include a plan with actionable steps.
Enrollment Management Feature of the Week
Student Financial Services Center: Our students have long reported confusion about where and how to best get help with financial issues, and that’s fair: Students don’t necessarily know what a “bursar” is and don’t want to have to shuffle among office to get help. The recently opened and remodeled Student Financial Services Center (located in Mellencamp 162) provides one-stop services for prospective and current students and parents for all their billing and financial resource questions. We believe this will lead to a great improvement in the student experience. Please feel free to check our new space!
Kudos
Kevin Loh (PSOA alum), a graduate of the Classical Guitar Program, won First Prize at the Columbus Guitar Symposium. UWM Alum Leonela Alejandro won Second Prize. Congratulations, Kevin and Leonela!
Robert Schneider (Urban Planning) and Xiao Qin (Civil Engineering) received $1.67M ($335K annually for five years) from the United States Department of Transportation to contribute to the Center for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety, a Tier 1 University Transportation Center, as members of a team led by the University of New Mexico. Well done, Robert and Xiao!
Jesse McLean’s (Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres) new documentary, Light Needs, will have its world premiere in Copenhagen, Denmark as part of the CPH:DOX Festival, where it will play in the main competition. Of her film, the international documentary film festival says, “Light Needs is a generous and imaginative film about the inner life of houseplants, which takes other life forms seriously with creative and artistic originality. A film that expands our consciousness and opens up new paths of thought and action.” Congratulations, Jesse!
Milwaukee Athletics
The Milwaukee men’s basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the 2023 Barbasol Horizon League Tournament with an 87-70 victory over Wright State last night at the Klotsche Center. The Panthers will play in Indianapolis Monday evening, March 6, taking on third-seeded Cleveland State in the last game of the evening, set for 8:30 p.m. CST from Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
The Week in Retrospect
On Monday I attended an expanded cabinet meeting and heard an interesting presentation from Police Chief David Salazar on the innovative ways the UWM PD is supporting student and staff safety at UWM.  On Tuesday, I attended a Chancellor’s Enrollment Management Action Team meeting that focused on some of the new approaches that we are taking this year to build enrollment. I started Wednesday with a Strategic Partnerships meeting that provided updates on the many collaborations and connections that we have with government, community, and business partners. I began Thursday with our first Dean candidate for the School of Freshwater Sciences (SFS) and finished the day with the leads of the Academic Staff Committee. On Friday, I concluded the first SFS interview and discussed with the UW System office ways that we could share courses and revenues across System campuses.
Announcements

  • Submit Your Course Materials
    Summer 2023 book adoptions via FAST (eCampus website) can be placed now and Fall 2023 adoptions should be available in mid-March via the FAST website. Follow these instructions for adopting books via FAST (eCampus website). Professors will only be able to adopt course materials for classes they have been officially assigned to teach in UWM’s registration system. All courses listed with “staff” will need to have someone in the department add the course materials. In addition, some departments have one person “adopt” course materials on behalf of professors and they will need login credentials for their department courses. Joe Marletta from eCampus (UWMBookstoreTeam@ecampus.com) will be able to set up individuals on behalf of the departments.
  • Experiential Learning Teaching Fellowship
    The Center for Student Experience and Talent (SET) and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) are excited to announce the Experiential Learning Teaching Fellowship. The goal of the program is to impact the career readiness of undergraduate students by having selected faculty and instructional staff infuse career concepts into their existing curriculum. Applicants from all disciplines are encouraged to apply by March 31. More information and application.
  • Sport and Recreation
    Sport and Recreation is offering a wide variety of 7-week, one-credit classes for students beginning March 27. These classes are a great option for students looking to add another credit to their course load, and can greatly improve mental and physical well-being. Classes offered include Yoga, Introduction to Relaxation & Meditation, Mind Body Awareness, Resilience in College and Beyond, Cooking Healthy Foods, Hiking, Volleyball, Ballroom Dance, and more!

Campus Events

  • Spring Volunteer Opportunities
    The Panther Response Team will be volunteering at Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity and Feeding America on several dates this spring and welcome staff to participate as well. Sign up for events or contact zgarrity@uwm.edu.
  • Trauma-Informed Teaching Workshop
    CETL, Campus Cares, and C21 will host a Trauma-Informed Teaching workshop on Tuesday, March 7 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. that will provide some frameworks for practicing intentionality and care in the classroom. The workshop will take place in LEC 107 (the American Family Dream Studio next to the Atrium). More information. Zoom link.
  • All Night Strut
    The PSOA Theatre Department presents, “The All-Night Strut.” Hop aboard a toe-tapping musical journey filled with standards from the American songbook, including the Gershwins, Hoagy Carmichael, Duke Ellington, and more. The show is a high-energy revue weaving together popular, swing, jazz, blues, bebop hits from the 1930s and 40s. Performances run March 8-12.
  • Dobbs Decision
    A student-focused discussion on the Dobbs v. JWHO decision entitled, “After Dobbs: A Roundtable Discussion,” will take place on Friday, March 10 at noon in the Golda Meir Library Conference Center. Registration encouraged, with in-person and virtual options.
  • Faculty Mentoring Program
    A panel discussion entitled, “Mentoring Graduate Students with Compassion: A Path to Success for Mentors and Mentees Alike,” will be held on Thursday, March 16 at noon in Lubar S233 and on Teams. Panel members will discuss their experiences with mentoring graduate students with compassion and provide helpful hints for approaching this work based on their experience. While geared toward providing guidance for assistant professors, this panel is open to faculty at all stages.
  • Nourishing Trust
    How can the arts and humanities enhance the work of public health, particularly around food and land justice issues? Attend “On Public Health: Nourishing Trust,” to learn about the UWM Center for 21st Century Studies’ exploration of food and land justice on Thursday, March 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Zilber School of Public Health.
  • Mayer Series Lecture
    The Geography Department is very excited to invite you to the Mayer Lecture, “From Public Participation GIS to Citizen Science – Has Science Democratized?” featuring Muki Haklay (University College London) on Friday, March 17 at 2:30 p.m. via Teams.

Something Different
The sound of a 1,000 pound heart beating, very slowly.
Take care,
Scott

Scott Gronert
Interim Provost