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

2030 Feature of the Week
The Redesigning the Research Infrastructure-Research Group has finalized its report, which is available on the 2030 website.

Enrollment Management Feature of the Week
Systems and Data Analysis. Newly created in Enrollment Management, SDA’s purpose is to provide technical/functional support as it relates to our Student Information System (PAWS) and development, testing, setup, security, and software integrations. In addition, SDA will provide data and data analysis to the Division of Enrollment Management. Current projects include the Stellic degree audit tool integration with PAWS, the UW System Administrative Transformation Program and its impact on PAWS processes and data, implementing GT eForms forms and workflow in PAWS, coordinating the academic structure changes for the 2030 School/College realignment, and moving date reporting functions out of Hyperion and into PowerBI.

Kudos
Classical Guitar Master students Kevin Loh and Pheeraroj Phupaibul just won First and Third Prize at the Schubert Club Competition in St. Paul, Minnesota. Congratulations, Kevin and Pheeraroj!

At the invitation of the Vice-Rector (Provost) of Oguz Han Engineering and Technology University, Professor Steve Michael (Business) gave an online address, “How to Foster Innovation,” to the plenary session of the International Scientific Practical Conference on the UN Sustainable Development Goals held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Well done, Steve!

Kevin Beisser (Center for International Education) received the Hong Rost Memorial Leadership Award for Innovation in International Education Student Service from the Wisconsin Association of International Educators (WAIE) at its recent conference. The award is presented annually to an outstanding professional in the state of Wisconsin who embodies the dedication and passion many remember in Hong Rost. Kevin was recognized, as his nominator stated, “for an altruism in not just sharing his experience, but in the superb manner in how he shares his experience to ultimately assist international students anywhere.” Congratulations, Kevin!

Members of the PSOA Department of Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres community have been making waves in the film festival circuit with their latest works. Associate Professor Ben Balcom, Teaching Faculty Tate Bunker, and Lecturers Owen Klatte, Sally Lawton (MFA 2022), and Sarah Sowell (MFA 2022) will screen at the Wisconsin Film Festival in April. Current graduate students Sam Taffel and Sarah Ballard and undergraduate Jordan Blanco will be screening at the Onion City Film Festival in Chicago alongside alumni Natasha Woods (BFA 2018), Janelle VanderKelen (MFA 2016), and Saif Alsaegh (MFA 2019). And in New York City, Associate Professors Mike Gibisser and Ben Balcom will be screening at First Look Festival at the Museum of the Moving Image, where alumnus Josh Weissbach (MFA 2013) will also screen. Kudos to all!

Kudos to the Honors College Alternative Spring Break group, who just returned from New Orleans. During their seven-day trip, the group of 20 students and 2 faculty completed more than 500 hours of service work in the Desire neighborhood and the Lower Ninth Ward, with an impact of ~$18,000 in labor and construction work. This is the fourth time the Honors College has gone to New Orleans, and they look forward to continuing their service in Milwaukee.

In the News
Chris Yogerst (Arts & Humanities) published a column in The Hollywood Reporter, “What Studio Franchises Can Learn from the Rise, Fall and Rise of the Western,” exploring the longevity of Westerns and how studios can use history to inform their current business practices.

Maria Novotny (English) asked WPR’s WHYsconsin to investigate how educators teach curriculum about Wisconsin tribes and Indigenous people in the state. Novotny was interviewed about this inquiry and the published article shared critical insight into the pedagogical approaches teachers across the state take when introducing k-12 students to Native American history in Wisconsin.

Chris Lawson (Educational Psychology) was featured in a story on TMJ4 about Kenosha School District’s participation in the lawsuit against social media.

Milwaukee Athletics
The Milwaukee Athletic Department and its partners at Northwestern Mutual North Shore wrapped up the seventh annual “Elevator Pitch” competition, with Madison Hughes claiming the top honors.

Cody Bohl has been promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Development and Panthers Unite.

The Milwaukee men’s soccer program will host a TOPSoccer clinic during the month of April. The clinic is open to all participating TOPSoccer athletes who have a current TOPSoccer Wisconsin registration. There is no cost to attend for registered participants. The clinic will run on three consecutive Wednesdays, starting April 5, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Engelmann Stadium.

The Milwaukee men’s basketball team had a year to remember, totaling more than 20 wins for the 11^th time in its NCAA Division I history and advancing to the postseason for the first time since 2014. To continue the momentum of the team’s successful year and the exposure the season recently brought to UWM and the program, it is the goal of the Milwaukee Athletic Department to build upon this success. This is a broad-based, alumni, fan, and community effort – everyone is part of this team – and we ask for your commitment in assisting the pursuit of championships in years to come. Commit to making an impact on sustained success and show your Panther Pride today! United We Roar!

The Week in Retrospect
I hope everyone enjoyed the Spring Break instructional recess. Throughout that week, I met with Academic Affairs team members and last Friday, I attended the quarterly joint meeting between UWM and Waukesha County Technical College, where there were updates on programs and possible collaborative 2+2 programs. I was away Monday and Tuesday of this week and traveled to UW-Stout on Wednesday for the Board of Regents meeting. On Thursday, the Regents approved new tuition rates, including increases in undergraduate resident tuition. I also was part of a panel at the Education Committee meeting discussing academic program planning in the UW System. I finished the meeting on Friday, with an added session regarding internationalization with a few Provosts from the UW System, Chancellor Gallo, and UWS Interim Senior Vice President Johannes Britz.

Announcements

• Institute for Systems Change and Peacebuilding Names New Professorship
  Marie Sandy, associate professor in the School of Education, has been named the new Wm. Collins Kohler Chair in Systems Change & Peacebuilding. The professorship, until recently held by Timothy Ehlinger, was made possible by a $3 million gift from the Wm. Collins Kohler Foundation in 2020. The goals of the Institute for Systems Change and Peacebuilding align perfectly with the focus of Sandy’s research, who has spent her career working with community-academic partnerships. Congratulations, Sandy!

• New General Manager Appointed at WUWM
  David Lee has been appointed the new General Manager of WUWM 89.7 FM – Milwaukee’s NPR, beginning March 27, 2023. Well known in Milwaukee’s non-profit world, David has most recently served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Ascension Wisconsin Foundation, where he led the philanthropic efforts for Milwaukee’s safety net hospital system. Prior to his role at Ascension, David was the inaugural Chief Executive Officer at Imagine MKE, where he helped harness the power of Milwaukee’s arts community and culture creators to advocate for a more thriving and vibrant region, and previous to that, Lee was the founding Executive Director of Feeding Wisconsin, where he helped grow Wisconsin’s statewide collaboration of regional food banks. WUWM’s General Manager provides leadership and vision for the public radio station, which reaches some 90,000 listeners, providing critical local and national news and cultural programming to southeastern Wisconsin. WUWM is listener-supported radio that is licensed to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents and operated by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Letters & Science.

• 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. The application deadline has been extended to April 3. More information and application.

• Meaning of Work
  Faculty and staff are invited to participate in a focus group study that is exploring the Meaning of Work. Previous UWM research suggested that meaningful work helped to reduce the stress of the pandemic and promote personal well-being. The Dean of Students Office would like to better understand this finding through focus group discussions, with the aim of informing policies, practices, and programs on campus and beyond. Please visit this website for more information and how to sign up to participate.

• 14-Day Writing Challenge
  Registration is currently open for the NCFDD’s next 14-day writing challenge, which runs from April 24 to May 7. This year, there have been more than 100 registrants from UWM-affiliated graduate students and faculty in the NCFDD 14-day writing challenges. These provide an opportunity for practice of daily writing and for accountability support with colleagues outside UWM. If you haven’t yet tried one, you are encouraged to! Information on how to activate your free NCFDD account (available to graduate students and faculty).

• 2023 Teaching Fellow Award
  The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) and the Graduate School are pleased to welcome submissions for the 2023 Teaching Fellowship Award. The application deadline is April 28 at 11:59 p.m. Additional information.

• Joanne Lazirko Award for the Innovative Use of Learning Technologies
  Please consider nominating, or self-nominating, an exceptional teacher for the Joanne Lazirko Award. In memory of Joanne Lazirko, Lecturer in the Lubar School of Business, this annual award recognizes innovation in the effective integration of learning technologies to promote student engagement and collaboration, active learning, and critical thinking. All full-time faculty and academic staff with at least three years of service at UWM who routinely use learning technologies in their teaching to accomplish these ends are eligible for consideration. More information.

• UWM IT
  New Outlook feature available for faculty and staff – Bookings with Me.

• Sad News
  Jim Tobin, a former senior library administrator who shaped collection development policy for many years, passed away on March 11 at the age of 85 in Sheboygan. Jim joined the Libraries in 1987, becoming acquisitions head in 1994 and then collection development librarian. Born in Newark in 1937, he earned a BA and MA in History from Fordham, and two more MAs and a PhD in Philosophy from UW-Madison. He taught at several universities before becoming assistant editor of the Philosopher’s Index Retrospective Indexing Project, which led to his library career. Outside of work, Jim was passionate about music, theatre, nature, travel, and photography. After his retirement in 2003, he frequently visited the library while completing his book, Neoclassical Music in America: Voices of Clarity and Restraint. He is fondly remembered for his gregariousness, curiosity, and kindness. For more about Jim, please see his obituary.

Campus Events

• Cultural Food Drive
  UWM’s Center for International Education, Inclusive Excellence Center, and Student Parent Success Program are organizing a Cultural Food Drive to benefit the UWM Food Center and Pantry through April 30. Donations should be non-perishable and sealed. More information.

• Pots and Pans Donation Drive
  The students in NUTR 305: Hunger at Home, are collaborating with the UWM Food Pantry and the MATC Food Pantry to host a Pots and Pans Donation drive during April. If you have gently used pots, pans, cooking utensils, can openers, or peelers – consider donating them to the Pots and Pans donation drive. These items will go directly to students utilizing the UWM Food Pantry and the MATC Downtown Campus Food Pantry. Drop off donations from April 1 – 30 in the UWM Union, Room E153 (UWM Community Engagement and Experiential Learning (CEEL) office, across from the Panther Shop). Questions? Email us at hungerathomeuwm@gmail.com.

• Wisconsin Spring Election
  The Wisconsin Spring Election is Tuesday, April 4. Polls are open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Make sure to bring a valid ID to vote. Not registered? Wisconsin offers same-day registration at your polling location, bring a proof of residency document. More information can be found at myvote.wi.gov.

• Employee Wellness Session: Science of Goal Setting
  Goal setting and willpower are conscious activities that can lead to healthier habits and achieving new levels of success. In the Science of Goal Setting session on Tuesday, April 4 at noon, participants will review the key components and self-reflection questions needed to reach your goals. Join this interactive session and examine how the brain works, create personalized road maps, and review the useful tools needed to stay motivated and create long term behavior changes. More information and Teams link.

• TIAA Counseling
  Learn more about your investments, savings, and retirement planning with an in-person consultation with a TIAA expert on Wednesday, April 5, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. in Union 191. Review your overall retirement savings portfolio, evaluate your investment choices and asset allocations, and discuss strategies to help protect your assets and future income. Register for the event.

• Staff Appreciation Days at the Panther Shop
  UWM faculty and staff receive 25% off their total purchase on April 6 and 7 at the Panther Shop!

• PSOA Chamber Music Milwaukee
  UWM violin faculty Bernard Zinck and French pianist Carole Chicha perform a violin piano recital on the PSOA Chamber Music Milwaukee concert series on Thursday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall. The program features Brahms Sonata No. 2 in A major, Karol Szymanowski Sonata Op. 9, and Ottorino Respighi Sonata in B minor. The recital is free and open to the public.

• Data Science and Physics: A Curious Case of the Ouroboros
  Join the Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute in welcoming Associate Dean P. Neel Guptasarma, researcher, professor of physics, and associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Dr. Guptasarma will present, “Data Science and Physics: A Curious Case of the Ouroboros,” on Friday, April 7 from 12-12:45 p.m. The event is online, free, and open to all. Information and registration.

• Makers! 23 Annual Juried + Sculpture 23 Student Exhibition
  Award-winning jewelry and metalwork, sculpture, and digital fabrication projects from rising student artists are on view at PSOA’s Kenilworth Square East Gallery (3^rd Floor Gallery) from April 7-21. An opening reception and awards ceremony will be held on Friday, April 7 from 6-8 p.m.

• NMDSI Symposium
  The Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute (NMDSI) will host its inaugural symposium, “Untapped AI – Next Frontiers,” on Thursday, April 13. This event is free and open to the public and will focus on AI research, ethics, emerging trends, and best practices. Attendees will hear from a variety of experts in the data science industry and academia and have the opportunity to network with industry peers. Information and registration. Contact Stephanie Van Wieringen with questions.

• 414 for UWM Giving Day
  Early giving has started in support of our third annual 414 for UWM Giving Day, held in honor of the university we love and the city we call home. This year, we will celebrate our 24-hour giving day from noon to noon on April 13-14. Sign up as an ambassador or make your gift today at uwm414day.org.

• The New UWM Career Communities Model
  Please join the Center for Student Experience and Talent (SET) in the Union Fireside Lounge on Monday, April 17 from 9-10 a.m. for a presentation about UWM’s new Career Communities model of career services, which will be launched in fall 2023. SET will host Rebekah Pare, the former Associate Dean/Executive Director of UW-Madison’s SuccessWorks Program. Rebekah will share insights on the power of the career community model, how stakeholders collaborate and engage with career communities, and data related to their impact on students on other campuses. Please register here if you plan to attend.

• Indigenous Identity in Higher Education
  In collaboration with the Electa Quinney Institute and the American Indian Student Center, the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion presents a panel discussion about the complexity of “Indigenous Identity in Higher Education.” This discussion will provide a foundation for faculty, staff, and students to be able to further knowledge of indigenous peoples. Participants will learn about the kinship and responsibility in Indigenous communities and how that knowledge can help them improve their own relationships with Indigenous lands and peoples here at UWM. This in-person panel will be held on Monday, April 17 at 2 p.m. in the Union Fireside Lounge. Please register by April 14.

• Career Outcomes Presentation
  Join the Center for Student Experience and Talent (SET) on Thursday, April 20 from 12-1:15 p.m. for a virtual presentation on the career outcomes of recent alumni, as well as where graduates are at the 5-year and 10-year marks. Results from the First Destination Survey (FDS), as well as from the National Alumni Career Mobility (NACM) Survey will also be presented. A representative from the Career Collective, the company contracted to administer these surveys at UWM, will share data and insights. Register for Zoom link.

• WWHEL-Sponsored Panel Discussion
  You are invited to attend a WWHEL-sponsored event, Women at UWM: Decades of Activism, Fragile Gains, on Thursday, April 20 from 12-1:15 p.m. Gwynne Kennedy and Merry Wiesner-Hanks, authors of “Women at UWM: Decades of Activism, Fragile Gains,” a chapter in UWM’s latest history book, “Telling Our Stories,” will share with us the context and history of women’s achievements at UWM. They will be joined by Pat Kissinger, past president of UWM’s Association of Women in Education, and Nataley Neuman, past president of Panthers Against Sexual Assault, to share their experiences and accomplishments organizing women for action. Zoom registration link.

• SET Community-Based Learning Workshop: Reflection 101
  On Friday, April 21, from 9-11 a.m., the Center for Student Experience and Talent (SET) – Community Engagement and Experiential Learning is offering a community-based learning (CBL) workshop, intended to support faculty and staff who are interested in incorporating CBL into their teaching or looking for a refresher on best practices. The in-person workshop, facilitated by SET staff, is two hours and offers practical tools for staff and faculty to use as they develop work related to CBL. Attendees can have an existing course they’d like to enhance, or the workshop can serve as a starting point for individuals wishing to incorporate CBL into a new course. All are welcome! Please RSVP.

• Make a Difference Day
  Members of the UWM Community are invited to take part in the citywide Spring Make a Difference Day on Saturday, April 22. Make a Difference Day is a citywide volunteer event where volunteers across Milwaukee help with neighborhood clean-ups and help older adults with cleaning patios, raking leaves, and cleaning garden beds. You can sign up individually or with a team. Sign up.

• Branded Merchandise Day
  Branded Merchandise Day is back again this spring! The event will take place on Wednesday, April 26 from 11 a.m.-1 :30 p.m. in the Union Ballroom. Register in advance for this event, which includes lunch and an opportunity to meet local vendors that can help fulfill all of your department’s promotional product needs.

• Hack for Health
  Participate in a hackathon to solve, “Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Its Impact on Cancer.” The event will take place April 26-28 at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Information and registration. Register by April 19.

• Earth Month Webinar
  The Center for Water Policy will host a virtual Earth Month event on Thursday, April 27 at 12 p.m., featuring 2022-2023 Water Policy Scholar Dr. Laura Suppes, who will be speaking on assessing illness risk from PFAS drinking water exposures in Wisconsin. More information.

• NCFDD Webinar Discussion
  The Faculty Mentoring Program, Multicultural Scholars Collaborative, and Mosaic Networking present an opportunity to discuss, “Chapter 2: Creating Micro Goals to Maximize your 30-Minute Writing Sessions,” from NCFDD’s new resource, “The Hidden Handbook,” on Thursday, April 27 at 12 p.m. Both Zoom and in-person options are available. Information and RSVP for in-person participants.

• Support U Workshops
  The Dean of Students Office invites all faculty and staff to attend the workshop, “Support U: Fostering a Culture of Support at UWM.” The 90-minute workshops will be held in person in the Lubar Entrepreneurial Center (LEC) Instructional Space. Information and registration.

Something Different
Watch out tomorrow for the pranksters.

Take care,

Scott

Scott Gronert
Interim Provost
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee