SUMMER 2026
A Message from University Staff Senate New Chair Anna Dempsey-Fischer
As we begin the new Senate term, I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself, share a little about my background at UWM, and talk about what I hope to accomplish in the coming year.
My name is Anna Dempsey-Fischer, and I currently serve as Chair of the University Staff Senate. I stepped into the role in January following Gail Dukes’ retirement and was recently re-elected to continue serving as Chair for the coming year.
I’ve been at UWM since 2017 and work as the Executive Administrative Assistant to UWM’s Chief Information Officer in University Information Technology Services (UITS). Before coming to UWM, I worked in the arts, including at the Milwaukee Art Museum. If you had told me then that I would one day be working in IT, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. Over the years, though, I’ve learned a tremendous amount about the university and the many people whose work keeps it running.
I’ve also been involved with University Staff Senate since 2020. One of the things I value most about governance is the opportunity to work with colleagues from across campus and help ensure that University Staff perspectives are part of important university conversations and decisions.
I was reminded of that at our annual in-person Senate meeting on June 16. It was wonderful to welcome new senators, thank those whose terms have ended, and spend time with colleagues from across the university. One of the best parts of governance is learning more about the work happening outside your own department.
As I look ahead to this year, one thing I’d really like to do is hear from more University Staff. What is working well? What concerns do you have? What questions would you like Senate to be discussing? Those conversations help us better represent University Staff and advocate for the issues that matter most to our colleagues.
One thing many people don’t realize is that University Staff Senate meetings are open to everyone. You do not need to be a senator to attend. We meet virtually on the third Tuesday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to noon, and Louisa has included this year’s meeting schedule elsewhere in the newsletter.
At our July meeting, we’ll spend some time talking about University Staff governance and how it works. If you’ve ever been curious about Senate, the committees, or ways to get involved, I encourage you to join us.
If you have questions, ideas, concerns, or feedback, I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at aefisch@uwm.edu.
I look forward to getting to know more of you in the coming year.
Anna Dempsey-Fischer
Chair, University Staff Senate
Campus Updates
New Leadership at UWM
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Tina Freiburger named Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Dean of the College of Community Engagement & Professions and Professor of Criminal Justice & Criminology Tina L. Freiburger has agreed to serve as Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, effective May 1, 2026. Dr. Freiburger will lead UWM’s Division of Academic Affairs, following current Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Andrew Daire being named Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
College of Community Engagement and Professions
Dr. Lisa Berger will serve as Interim Dean of the College of Community Engagement and Professions at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (effective May 1, 2026), providing leadership for the college’s academic programs, faculty, and community partnerships. Before her appointment as Interim Dean, Dr. Berger served as Associate Dean of the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
College of Letters & Science changes announced
Scott Gronert retired as Dean of Letters & Science in May of 2026.
It was also announced that Larry Kuiper will be serving as the Interim Associate Dean for the Humanities while Jason Puskar is serving as Interim Dean. Larry is currently the Chair of World Languages and Cultures Department and has done an outstanding job in the continuing development of that new unit. Larry has been at UWM since 1998 and has held several other administrative roles in L&S.
Searches for Dean and Associate Dean are anticipated to start in Fall of 2026.
Excellence Awards and Recognitions
UWM Excellence Awards will be announced in Fall of 2026. An amazing group of nominees were submitted this past year. The Awards Committee are proud to work with the Chancellor on the winning candidates.
New this Fall will be Roar Recognitions! The University Staff will be giving shout outs to those nominated by their colleagues. You can nominate your University Staff Colleagues for a shout out called a Roar Recognition. Roar Out with our Panther Pride! Be sure to nominate someone starting in September of 2026. There will be a link sent and it will be on the University Staff page! Roars will be featured in upcoming newsletters too!
UWM IT News
| New UWM Guest WiFi network now available |
| Today, a new WiFi network for guests — UWM Guest — launched, and the previous network, UWM Visitor, was retired. The new network is for short-term use on personal devices by those who are visiting the university. To learn how guests will connect to the new network, see the instructions for Guest WiFi. Faculty, staff and students should check their personal devices to ensure they are connected to UWMWiFi or eduroam, not UWMGuest. UWM-managed devices should require no change. For more information on all the WiFi networks at UWM, please visit our webpage: uwm.edu/wifi. If you have questions about connecting to WiFi, please contact the UWM Help Desk. |
Human Resources Updates
| Renew Flexible Work Arrangements beginning July 1 UW Policy 1228: Telecommuting (Remote Work) requires that Flexible Work Arrangements be reviewed at the start of each Fiscal Year. Accordingly, any existing Flexible Work Arrangements will expire on June 30, 2026, and a renewal must be launched July 1 or later. Flexible Work Arrangement requests must be finalized by September 30, 2026. No remote work is allowed without an approved Flexible Work Arrangement on file. Employees with an existing flexible work arrangement should monitor their emails for communication from UW Shared Services with instructions to resubmit. For additional information and resources, please visit the following link: https://uwm.edu/hr/policies/telecommuting-guideline/. Annual Performance Evaluation for University Staff, Non-Instructional Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees On July 1, 2026, the annual performance evaluation process will be launched for University Staff, Non-Instructional Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees. Managers will receive a task to begin the evaluation process by updating responsibilities and evaluating last year’s assigned goals. Evaluations will be due September 30, 2026. Please monitor email for further information ahead of the launch. The following resources are available to assist in completing annual evaluations: UWM Performance Management Guidelines Performance Evaluations in Workday In addition, we are providing professional development opportunities this summer and fall to support managers and employees during the performance evaluation process. Employee Sessions: Career Transitions (July 15) Managing Up: Building Effective Partnerships with Your Manager (August 5) How to Take the Edge Off Giving Feedback (August 12) Pay plan increase is effective June 28 As part of the 2025-27 Wisconsin budget, the pay plan was approved to include a 2% wage increase for Universities of Wisconsin employees, effective June 28, 2026. For eligible 12-month and hourly employees, the base adjustment will be implemented on June 28, 2026, and payments will appear on the July 23, 2026, paycheck. For 9-month (academic year) employees, the adjustment will be implemented on Aug. 24, 2026, and will appear on the Sept. 17, 2026, paycheck. Human Resources Events Calendar For events around campus that you can participate in check out the Human Resources events calendar. A variety of health and wellness offerings are available to Staff. Go to https://uwm.edu/hr/events/ |
UNIVERSITY STAFF SENATE
University Staff Senate Upcoming Meetings
Want to know what is going on at the University Staff Senate? Come to a meeting! Meetings are open to all!
Full 2026-2027 Meeting Schedule
| Month | Day | Time | Location |
| July | 21 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| August | 18 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| September | 15 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| October | 20 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| November | 17 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| December | 15 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| January | 19 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| February | 16 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| March | 16 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| April | 20 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| May | 18 | 10 a.m. | On Teams |
| June | 15 | 10 a.m. | On Teams and In person in- Lubar Hall S250 |
Join on your computer or mobile app or come in person in June!
Teams information will be on final agenda on the website See website for final agenda https://uwm.edu/secu/us/university-staff-senate/
Contact Secretary of the University’s office at secofunv@uwm.edu for more information or if you need any accommodations.
Newsletter writers wanted!
Would you like to write a piece for the newsletter? Have an interesting story to tell about your area of campus? Submit it to secofunv@uwm.edu. We would love to have you share your insights.