April 25, 2024
UWM is providing regular updates as it works toward closing the Washington County and Waukesha campuses. These will be provided every two weeks to CGS faculty and staff and have a dedicated section in the biweekly Faculty & Staff Updates newsletter. Other updates may also be sent, as necessary, in addition to this biweekly email.
Here are the updates from the four operational areas.
Issue 1: HLC Accreditation Issues
UWM and WCTC are close to signing an articulation agreement that will ease the transfer of UWM’s associate degree students to a WCTC associate degree program, if they choose to do so in the next year or two. Once that is signed, UWM will notify CGS students of this option and repeat some of their other options, such as completing their AAS degree online, via a teach-out plan on UWM’s main campus (taking largely L&S classes but at the associate degree tuition rate) or switching to the Flex AAS program.
For Higher Learning Commission approval of the UWM University Center at WCTC, a space agreement memorandum of understanding (MOU) is being developed. Staff members of the Provost’s Office met counterparts at WCTC on April 12 to view the prospective facilities and location, and began working together on the additional location application. This includes information on facilities, potential degree offerings, and how those programs and classes will be managed and scheduled.
UWM is still in conversation with Moraine Park Technical College about a UWM University Center at MPTC in West Bend, while collaborating this year on a Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) grant-funded project to develop program-to-program articulation agreements.
Issue 2: Programming and Personnel
WCTC updated its job landing page to allow impacted employees to access internal postings. WCTC also included a checkbox on job applications for UWM at Waukesha employees. Check out this guide to applying for WCTC jobs and the WCTC benefits guide.
UWM Human Resources benefits specialists will visit UWM at Waukesha on Thursday, May 2, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For questions or to schedule private benefits consultations, email benefits@uwm.edu.
Forward Careers and the Waukesha-Ozaukee-Washington (WOW) Workforce Development Board will host a virtual Rapid Response Session Workshop on Tuesday, May 7, at noon. It will cover information on filing for unemployment, job search skills, resume trends, interview techniques and more. Here is the link to attend the CGS Rapid Response Session on Teams. More information can be found on the Forward Careers Rapid Response webpage and flyer.
Employees are encouraged to use the services of UWM’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), through Acentra Health, which is available to all UWM employees and their family members. Acentra Health is free, confidential and available 24/7. Please contact Acentra Health at 833-539-7285 or online at sowi.mylifeexpert.com. Sign in using UWM’s password: SOWI.
- Review the Employee FAQs for updated information.
- For all other general HR questions, please reach out to your Human Resources Business Partner.
- Questions regarding your specific tax, financial or legal questions should be directed to your personal tax and financial advisors, attorney, or another advisor.
Issue 3: Washington County Closure, followed by Waukesha Closure
An online portal through SnapTracker went live on April 24 with surplus inventory provided by Washington County faculty and staff. The portal will be live for UWM units from April 24 to May 6.
The UWM Office of Safety and Assurances is working with Washington County units on the disposal of hazardous materials.
Issue 4: UWM University Center at WCTC (and Washington County programming at MPTC)
Conversations are continuing on programs that would be offered at WCTC as part of the UWM University Center.
For potential future programming at MPTC, refer to Issue 1 above.
These written updates to CGS employees will continue through the end of the Spring 2025 semester. This CGS webpage will remain the source of updated information, including frequently asked questions, upcoming meeting dates and postings of previous emails.