Notes from the Chancellor

About this issue

Your support of UW-Green Bay travels far!

That's a theme of this February 2004 edition of "Inside UW-Green Bay" magazine. With the annual Alumni Phone-a-thon under way, student callers are reaching out to UW-Green Bay graduates worldwide. These students are helping alumni reconnect to campus, thanking them for their support, and calling attention to the difference UW-Green Bay and its people are making here and around the globe, connecting learning to life.

Dean sees UW-Green Bay role in Pakistan

Fritz Erickson says the benefits will flow in two directions when educators from Pakistan visit Green Bay.

"It will be a truly eye-opening experience for the Pakistani educators and all of us who have an opportunity to interact with them," he says. "We expect to learn as much from them as they learn from us."

Erickson, dean of professional and graduate studies, is coordinating the eight-week program, which will bring 11 Pakistani educators to Green Bay in March and April. Most of the participants are school administrators.

The visitors will spend time in classrooms, "job shadow" school administrators, attend seminars and workshops, and meet with business and political leaders. They will stay at the Regency Suites Hotel downtown.

Erickson says the program is tailored to the specific educational needs of the visitors from Pakistan, a country with an alarmingly low rate of literacy.

"We too often go in with these canned, fixed programs," he says. "I am really committed to following the needs and desires of the Pakistani people themselves."

Erickson developed a sense of those needs during two trips to Pakistan, the most recent in fall 2003. The project participants are from the Baluchistan province in southwest Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.

UW-Green Bay is partnering with Eastern Washington University on the project, part of a larger program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Erickson acknowledges there will be a huge cultural gap between the Pakistanis and their American hosts. Only one of the visiting Pakistanis has traveled to the West before. To help narrow the gap, UW-Green Bay Student Ambassadors, education students and other volunteers will provide various kinds of support, including taking the visitors to movies, malls, farms and other community attractions.

"We want them to get as good a sense of life in the United States — at least life in Wisconsin — as possible," Erickson says.

Called home: New graduate ponders risky trek back to Himalayas

When Prem Lama was a boy living in Mount Everest country in Nepal, his greatest fear was being denied a formal education. Now the 28-year-old recent UW-Green Bay graduate lives in fear because of his education.

Back then, Lama traversed the rugged, two-hour trek from his home, down the mountainside to the school at the nearest village, Ichok, and two hours back, walking barefoot all the way.

"Shoes weren't practical in the rugged terrain of the mountains," he says. "Soon they'd be torn, and the money spent on them would be wasted. We didn't need shoes. People in the mountains develop thick callous-like pads on the bottom of our feet."

The oldest of four children, Lama was the man of the house when his father, a traveling tradesman, left for months at a time. Each morning he rose to take care of the cattle and feed his siblings breakfast, before scraping a few snacks into a cloth and heading out the door. As he neared the village, he sometimes had to run and hide in the brush to escape the bullies waiting to steal his meager lunch.

He survived those early years, and the five years that followed when he commuted to a secondary school four hours from home. Instead of walking the eight hours daily, he stayed with friends during the week and made the long walk home every weekend. His determination led him to the University of Colorado-Denver's two-year college in Kathmandu, and a Web search that brought him in touch with UW-Green Bay via Chad Goeden, adviser to the campus International Center.

"I e-mailed a lot of places, but Chad was very, very positive. I could feel it in the e-mail. Chad kept saying, 'we can do this, we'll work through this.'"

A scholarship presented to Lama by the University sealed the deal. While the families of most international students pay their way, occasionally with government or scholarship assistance from home, Lama had no such options. The financial award from the University's Founders Association philanthropic support group &3151; supported in part by the annual phone-a-thon — opened the door.

Fast-forward to present. After a jam-packed college experience which saw him involved in all kinds of Residence Life, Student Government and Student Life activities, and an internship with Wisconsin Public Service Corp., Lama graduated from UW-Green Bay in December 2003 with a degree in Environmental Policy and Planning.

Because of his formal education and the privilege of studying in the United States, he is the envy of many of his countrymen and the pride of his family. Yet he is torn by the decisions that lie ahead.

Nepal is in the thick of extreme political unrest and the chaos that comes with it. The country has lost 8,000 lives in a civil war that began in 1996. Militia members routinely question Lama's father about his son's whereabouts.

"Word back home is that if they knew I was in the U.S., they (the rebels) might ask my family for ransom," Lama says.

Fresh out of college, he questions whether he should go back to his beloved Nepal and face interrogation and perhaps physical harm at the hands of a suspicious monarchy government or the militia trying to overtake it. He wonders how his future decisions will impact the safety of his family. Would he best serve them by trying to extend his visa here or elsewhere, wait for things to stabilize, and send money home? Who would be willing to take the chance on him, knowing the red tape they would face in hiring someone not a U.S. citizen?

Lama's fashionable footwear has taken the place of the thick-skinned soles of his youth. His gentle voice and pleasant smile help mask his fears about the future. Yet the yoke he carries, balancing the call back to his beautiful homeland in the Himalayan Mountains, against the danger of being one of Nepal's educated citizens, weighs heavily on his slight shoulders.

In the meantime, his message to his Western friends packs a punch:

"It is hard to explain how privileged and convenienced we are here and just how difficult it is in other places. There are no Ziplocs, no microwaves. I see a bus on campus and I still think, 'Wow, a bus!' I wasn't able to ride a bus until after I was out of school, back in Nepal. I still love cartoons because I'm living a childhood I never experienced. This culture is so evolved and individual. If you don't have something here, you go for it! "

'Coming of age' with the UWGB band program

John Dughie '73 shares a first-person account of early UW-Green Bay and one of its high-profile programs.

"The initial appearance at the Packers game was in many ways our 'coming of age.' Back in those days we did two shows a year — one at Lambeau Field, the other at County Stadium in Milwaukee.

"Profs. Robert Bauer and Lovell Ives are the real story. The band was one of the programs... that we understood was to give UWGB instant credibility. Prof. Bauer, hired from Marinette High School to be director of bands, recruited some of us from Marinette as his core. We were leaders who knew his style and what was expected of us, and we were able to follow his unique left-handed directing. Lovell Ives came from Medford, and was a very talented arranger. His tunes were mainstays of our marching band repertoire."

Other recollections:

Year 1, 1969-70:
"A hodge-podge...held together like duct tape and not particularly good."

Year 2, 1970-71:
"A talented group of freshman musicians enrolled. The 'warm bodies' that Prof. Bauer had enticed that first year were filtering away."

Year 3, 1971-72:
"The whole band was taking a more serious attitude. I recall preparing to march at the Packers game and Bauer telling the press, 'If the sun comes out, we'll shine'... referring to the snappy, classy white hats and dark green uniforms with white overlays. That Sunday was warm, with brilliant sunshine. Though technically not our best show, it must have been striking to see us come out of the south tunnel and line up for that pre-game parade."

Year 4, 1972-73:
"The payoff year. The basketball team made the NAIA tourney in Kansas City. To get there, we had to beat Eau Claire, a perennial power. Down by maybe 15 points, with a miracle season about to collapse, 'Dave C,' a percussionist, started to get a fire in his belly and urged us all on. He and a drummer started doing something like a war dance beat. The crowd at the old arena came alive. We blasted out the tunes as wild as we could. I recall an 'I'll let you do this one time' look from Prof. Bauer as I cracked the tone from my tuba on "Fever." In the arena, 5,000 pairs of hands were clapping on 2 and 4 beats. The lead was cut piece by piece. The point guard, I think his name was Leon Mitchell, was actually prancing to the beat as he brought the ball up the floor. We won that game. It was on to Kansas City. I recall Chancellor Weidner playing a cowbell with us whenever we did the beat thing... Back in those days, he would walk the campus and know many of us by name. I think he knew his fate hinged on us, every bit as ours hinged on him."

Squad set fans' spirits, Lambeau Field, aflame

By Sandra (Parmentier) Kolar's recollection, the first time the UW-Green Bay marching band performed at Lambeau Field was memorable, all right. Not because of precision maneuvers or exceptional rhythm, but because of a fire on the field tarp.

Kolar, a 1971 graduate, was a majorette when the band performed at halftime for the Packers-Bears game. As part of the performance, the majorettes were asked to do a fire-baton routine, requiring them to dip the ends of their batons into flammable liquid. As the majorettes and band made their halftime entrance, someone on the sidelines kicked over the fuel. It ignited, and started the Lambeau Field tarp on fire.

"I still remember someone on the PA system announcing to the crowd about our new University and its ecological mission, while these billows of black smoke were rising in the air," Kolar says. " We continued with the routine. I was just happy no one dropped the baton. I'm certain with all the practice and the leadership of Robert Bauer and Lovell Ives it was a great performance, but it was a bit overshadowed."

Kolar brought nine years experience as a Packers Golden Girl to UW-Green Bay, so helping to organize the first majorettes was more play than work.

"Prof. Bauer said he was going to have a band, and I told him he couldn't have a band without majorettes," Kolar recalled. "He was kind of a serious guy, and he asked what we were going to wear. I told him that I'd take care of that."

The white satin uniforms with red and green trim and matching knee-high, lace-up boots were custom made and paid for by the University.

Helping organize the majorettes was the first of many firsts for Kolar, who was also a member of the University's first forensics team and cheerleading squad. A caption in the Green Bay Press-Gazette story announcing the team said, "The Girls with the Go-Go Spirit Await School's Start." It was dated Aug. 22, 1969.

"I originally looked at going away for school, but when I didn't, I wanted to immerse myself in the school and the whole University environment," Kolar recalls. She also remembers taking the shuttle or hitchhiking to the Shorewood campus from the Deckner site. Another memory: If an instructor was late to class, her classmates' protocol was to wait only 10 minutes for a teacher with a master's degree but 20 minutes for one with a doctorate. "I'm not sure if it was a rule, but that's what we always did."

Music tradition marches forward at UW-Green Bay

The UW-Green Bay marching band was early, high-visibility evidence of music's role in connecting the University to its surrounding community.

Within a few years the marching would cease, having served its purpose. The music, however, played on. And still does.

"We've always been connected to the community, and it's hard to imagine a more visible manifestation of the academic quality and spirit of our institution," says Prof. Kevin Collins, director of bands.

Participation in UW-Green Bay ensembles, he says, continues at or near record numbers. Many students perform 50 nights a year — which doesn't even account for appearances at charitable events such as Big Event for Little Kids or Phuture Phoenix Day. The total audience exceeds 100,000 people per year with Phoenix fans cheering the pep bands. The music program also embraces the Wisconsin State Solo Ensemble, which brings 5,000 people to campus each May. An honors program puts 500 of Wisconsin's top high school musicians on UW-Green Bay stages. Summer camps bring another 1,000 young musicians, with parents, to campus.

That exposure, and "phenomenal" opportunities for students with master classes and performances by world-class musicians visiting the Weidner Center, set UW-Green Bay's program apart from those at other mid-size institutions.

Collins has witnessed the talent level of undergraduates continue to rise. That was demonstrated recently by UW-Green Bay students taking the top three places in the 2003 Northeastern Wisconsin Arts Council competition.

UW-Green Bay concert bands, jazz and choral groups all continue to attract talented musicians, but recruiting can be intense. Top performers are in demand, and they look for scholarship help because heavy rehearsal and performance schedules limit the hours available for part-time jobs.

"Even the lure of the Weidner Center and the exposure to the campus from an early age can't always compensate for thousands of dollars of aid they might be offered at competing campuses," Collins says. "It's very similar to the challenges facing athletics programs. Great faculty and wonderful facilities can do a lot, but you've got to have the scholarships as part of the package. We really appreciate getting help in that area."

Calling all music alumni:

Some alums have shown interest in creating an Alumni Band to perform at various events and help reconnect fellow former band members back to the University. If you're interested in becoming involved, contact Collins at (920) 465-2635.

Phuture Phoenix idea is flying high

Can Phuture Phoenix Day get any bigger and better? Organizers are hard at work this spring planning to expand what has in little more than a year become one of UW-Green Bay's signature community programs. More than 600 fifth-grade students from area schools visited the UW-Green Bay campus in October for the second Phuture Phoenix Day. The once-a-year open house is only one aspect of a program aimed at getting young students to consider education — especially higher education — a vital part of their futures. Phuture Phoenix also sends UW-Green Bay students into local schools to meet and mentor the same children they chaperone on tour day.

Newest 'named': Clampitt, Nair

Formally recognized at mid-year commencement were two outstanding faculty members. Prof. Phillip G. Clampitt, Information and Computing Sciences, received the Philip J. and Elizabeth B. Hendrickson Professorship for Business. Clampitt is an author and business communications consultant whose work on uncertainty management was the subject of a profile in "Sloan Management Review." Prof. Ganga Nair, Natural and Applied Sciences, was appointed Herbert Fisk Johnson Professor in Environmental Studies. It was only the latest honor for Nair, whose lifelong research in forest and plant pathology takes him next to Beijing, China, for an international conference. Named professorships are funded by private donations; they provide additional resources for faculty members to expand their research or work with students.

Word Association with Kim Nielsen

Associate Professor, Social Change and Development, chair of Women's Studies, and author of new Helen Keller biography

Helen Keller —
Radical. People remember Patty Duke and "The Miracle Worker" and think they know Helen Keller, but the truth is more interesting. She hated economic and social inequalities, loved dogs, knew five languages, sought justice everywhere, read everything, loved travel and adventure, drank scotch, and was incredibly smart.

Writing a biography —
I love biographies because they tell stories that have meaning. Being a historian is free license to be a snoop.

Social Change and Development —
Creates good citizens, strong thinkers, and interesting people. I was drawn to this program at UWGB because it's interdisciplinary, it brings analyses of the past and the present together, and it encourages critical thinking.

Women's Studies in the 21st century —
More exciting and more relevant than ever before. It's the study of women in all their diversity, and the frequently hidden ways by which ideas about gender permeate social structures.

Students at UW-Green Bay —
Seeking. Students are curious, interested, usually pleasant, sometimes scared, sometimes brilliant, and often say the unexpected. They're always seeking ways to be the adult person they want to be. Students keep me on my toes and are why I love my job!

More campus news

April's ethnic dance festival has campus ties

Ethnic dance — such as a Polynesian performance by students Stephanie Krivinchuk and Belinda Garza last year — is seen periodically on campus. Now, UW-Green Bay faculty and staff are among those organizing a community festival of dance for Saturday night, April 24, at the Meyer Theatre in downtown Green Bay. Likely to be represented are The Dance Company, UW-Green Bay's own Nia dance group (African tradition), the Whirlaways square dancers, the Shamrock Dance Group (Irish), Ballet Folklorico (Mexican), South Indian and South Pacific Sounds, and Hmong, Oneida and Sioux groups. Campus volunteers include Jeff Entwistle, Denise Carlson-Gardner, Juliet Cole, Sajida Shariff, Seth Harris, Sherry Lacenski and alumni Kristen Masarik and Dan Moore. A Website offers the latest at www.uwgb.edu/idf.

UW-Green Bay students get sparkling reviews in music, theatre

January was a gratifying month for faculty and students in UW-Green Bay Communication and the Arts programs, namely in music and theatre. The Phoenix Chorale was one of two Wisconsin choirs invited to sing at the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association state convention. The Phoenix Chorale is a select 30-member, mixed-voice group made up primarily of music majors. Prof. William Witwer is director. In theatre, UW-Green Bay's program advanced to the Midwest finals of the national college competition with its awards-nominated production of "A Christmas Schooner." Additionally, seven students were invited to take part in acting and technical competition at the regional gathering at Illinois State University. Director Laura Riddle noted "Schooner" was UW-Green Bay's second invited entry in three years.

Extended Degree honors Laatsch

UW-Green Bay's Extended Degree program — which helps returning adult students realize their college dreams through self-directed distance learning — plans to celebrate its 25th anniversary with one of the program's favorite faculty members. A reception planned for Saturday morning, April 3, in the University's primary classroom building, Mary Ann Cofrin Hall, will bring together Extended Degree students, alumni and campus and community friends. The hall's geography room will be renamed the William Laatsch Room in honor of the professor's distinguished and still-active career as a geographer with the Urban and Regional Studies faculty. Laatsch began as an instructor with the Green Bay and Fox Valley center campuses in 1966-67. Friends and former students donated nearly $15,000 to the University's education endowment to reserve the naming rights honor. Extended Degree alumni including Susan Frost '97, helped lead the effort.

International justice proves timely topic

The same December week that Saddam Hussein was captured in Iraq, UW-Green Bay and St. Norbert College teamed up to host a powerhouse two-day conference on international justice. Topics spanned diplomatic, foreign policy, human rights, legal and intelligence issues from the Cold War to today's war on terrorism. During a break in the proceedings, retired CIA officer and author Milt Bearden signed a book for Jim Weidner, grandson of founding Chancellor Edward Weidner. The conference was organized, in part, as a tribute to Jim's late father, attorney Gary Weidner.

Phoenix volleyball fans hope for encore in '04

The UW-Green Bay women's volleyball team played Cinderella in fall 2003, going 23-11 and earning a first-ever bid to the NCAA tournament. Without a winning record in 15 previous Division I seasons, the Phoenix surprised Loyola (for the first time in 25 tries) and upset perennial champion UW-Milwaukee to win the Horizon League tourney. The Phoenix then lost at Minnesota in the NCAA opening round. The future is bright. Minnesota's Miss Volleyball, Betty Slinger of Fairbault, has signed a letter of intent to play for UW-Green Bay in fall.

Can an internship work for your business? Try it

UW-Green Bay encourages alumni to consider whether their own organizations would benefit from internship energy powered by top students from their alma mater. In a tight job market, internships give students a leg up on the competition. The assignments can be paid or unpaid, but all have written learning contracts that spell out both student and employer responsibilities. Interested? If you have a specific academic area in mind, seek phone numbers or addresses at www.uwgb.edu. Another contact point is the Office of Career Services, (920) 465-2163.

Phoenix Phone-A-Thon Phacts

What: Call 11,000+ alumni

Who: Students and campus/community VIP's do the calling

When: 6 to 8:45 p.m., February 3 through March 11

Why: Update database, share information, generate revenue for student scholarships

Last year: Twenty student workers called nearly 11,000 alumni in a six-week span. More than $50,000 was pledged to the Founders Association unrestricted fund for scholarships.

Yes, call: The Alumni Phone-a-thon benefits a worthy non-profit cause. "No-call" restrictions enacted in Wisconsin and other states apply only to commercial telemarketing.

Calling on you

The alumni phone-a-thon helps UW-Green Bay stay current with information on employment and addresses. This information is helpful when trying to set up internships, alumni business receptions, regional receptions, regional chapters and mailings of special offers and benefits.

The phone-a-thon generates important financial resources. Each year, UW-Green Bay has areas of need that are not covered by tuition dollars or state funding. These areas, such as scholarships, visiting speaker series, diversity recruitment, and more, help provide the margin of excellence that makes a UW-Green Bay education special. The phone-a-thon is a vehicle that allows graduates to invest in their alma mater.

The phone-a-thon can be fun, too. All of the callers are undergraduate students, who often have questions for alumni who have graduated in their same area of interest. They also love to hear about the "good old days," and are happy to share information about your favorite hang out or faculty member. Just ask!

Calling the bluff

Most people being called are gracious and polite. Many are quite generous. A few are... well... let's give them credit for creativity. Student and alumni callers love to compare excuses that are so bad, they're good. Here are some favorites:

1. "I didn't actually graduate. They didn't give me a diploma because of a $1 library fine." (Not likely.)

2. "Hello? Yes, this is Jane Doe." Suddenly, with an attempt at a thick accent: "I don't speak English." Click.

3. "Mom, it's the University for you. OK... Mom says to tell you she's not home."

4. "I'll pledge if you can get a message to my ex-girlfriend."

5. "I just recently made a contribution to UW-Green Bay's football program."

6. "Is Prof. So-and-So still there? I won't give until he retires. He never liked me."

7. "Um, so sorry, John died unexpectedly, um, two days ago. In fact, you can take him off your call list. But keep sending him the mailings."

Mueller challenges alumni with $ for $ match

Craig Mueller '71 has offered a challenge. Now it's up to UW-Green Bay alumni to respond. Mueller will match, dollar-for-dollar, any financial contribution that comes to the University though the annual Alumni Phone-a-thon, Feb. 3 through March 11, up to $50,000.

Shane Kohl, UW-Green Bay's director of annual giving, says that Mueller's generosity is greatly appreciated.

"Craig Mueller's passion for his alma mater is unmatched, " Kohl says. "I'm hopeful that Craig's generosity will inspire alumni to either make a first-time gift to the Alumni Phone-a-thon or increase their 2003 gift from previous years."

Funds raised through the Phone-a-thon help to support student scholarships and academic initiatives that enhance classroom learning.

"It's no secret that private support often provides institutions of higher education with their 'margin of excellence,'" Kohl says.

Mueller and his inspiring story were featured in the February 2002 issue of Inside. Mueller was living the life of his dreams as a pilot, when an accident on an airport ramp cost him his leg, and nearly his life. The story of his recovery, and his attitude — filled with optimism, passion, generosity and gratitude — is worth reading again at www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/insidearchive/02feb.htm.

Mueller's visit back to campus in 2002, came with the announcement that he would leave a $1 million gift to the University in his will — and become the first individual alumnus to make a seven-figure pledge.

Alumni news

He promotes ecology, 'one yard at a time'

Douglas Owens-Pike '76 is on a mission to heal the earth while creating beautiful, self-sustaining landscapes.

His experiences as a UW-Green Bay undergraduate in the early 1970s, including a January interim in London studying environmental problems of Great Britain, fueled his interest in what would become his life's work. The environmental science and biology major went on to complete his master's degree in plant ecology at the University of Washington. He worked in public policy lobbying before founding his Minneapolis-based company, EnergyScapes Inc., in 1989.

"While we have been working with clients one yard at a time, I can also point to our success in making other designers more aware of the principles that we use to create environmentally appropriate landscapes," he says.

Owens-Pike has served as chairman of the environmental concerns committee of Minnesota's nursery and landscape professional association. The group hosts an education day each February. He will present three case studies. The focus for 2004 is "Creating Healthy Ecosystems on Suburban Lots."

"These landscapes require far less care than typical turf grass," Owens-Pike explains. "They combine the right plants and structure to create a setting that draws people in but is also desirable for birds and butterflies."

He favors native plants selected for their beauty and ability to thrive in local soil, climate conditions and increasingly erratic weather. The designs further reduce energy use by blocking winter winds, yet welcoming the heat of the low winter sun and shading out summer heat.

EnergyScapes Inc. is just one entry in the growing field of environmentally responsible landscaping. (Neil Diboll '78 and his Prairie Nursery of Westfield, Wis., have been receiving regional and national attention for years for promoting native plants and seeds.) Two Web sites to visit for more information are www.energyscapes.com and www.prairienursery.com.

Simple Tips for Spring Planting:

In plenty of time for spring planning and planting, Douglas Owens-Pike offers some simple, helpful hints:
1) Minimize turf grass. How much does your family use or need?
2) Reduce frequency of irrigation - watering less often encourages deeper, durable root systems - and mow high for healthy grass.
3) Fertilize turf only in fall, always with low or NO phosphorus (that is the middle number on fertilizer bags: N-P-K).
4) Naturalize non-turf areas with native species of flowers, grasses and ferns that will thrive with little care.
5) Replace non-native, pruned shrubs with native species that flower, produce fruit and grow to the height and shape you prefer, providing food and cover for birds and beauty with less care.
6) Add water for birds.
7) Plant evergreens in the northwest corner of your landscape to block winter winds and setting summer sun.
8) Prune large trees high on the south side of your home to heat rooms with the winter sun. When planting new trees, stay to the east or west of the south side.
9) Shade air conditioners from direct sun with vines or a small tree.

Movie night in Iraq

U.S. soldiers in Iraq have the benefit of an outdoor movie theater thanks to Army Reserves Major Michael Seering '89, and Camera Corner Connecting Point.

Seering, a salesperson for the Green Bay company in civilian life, was stationed at Camp Anaconda, a military base north of Baghdad. When his commanding officer wanted to do something to boost morale, Seering knew just the person to call — his boss, Camera Corner Connecting Point President Earl Neville.

Neville came up with the idea of creating a small outdoor theater using LCD projectors, a speaker system and a DVD player. The system is able to play any DVD, with little technical expertise or setup time needed.

Kim (Lepak) Seering '89, Michael's wife (and a systems analyst at American Medical Security back in Green Bay), says the technology is doing the trick. "It's one of the soldiers' few forms of recreation," she says. "DVDs, an Internet cafe and videos are the big thing."

Bob Seering '74, Michael's older brother, has also gotten into the spirit. With help from a friend at WLUK-TV, Family Video of Green Bay, and Fox Network of Los Angeles, dozens of movies and cartons of microwave popcorn were transported to the troops.

According to Kim, Michael hopes to be back at his old job in Green Bay by March. He has returned to Wisconsin and is stationed at Fort McCoy. He is in charge of the "advance party" which oversees medical exams and debriefing for members of his unit before they head home for good.

Michael was called to active duty with the Army Reserves in January of 2003. Prior to his deployment to Iraq, he was awarded the Bronze Star for his work as "mayor" or commander of Camp New Jersey, in Kuwait, and its 5,000 troops.

UWGB Downtown: Connecting for Lunch

Alumni who live or work close to Green Bay are invited to drop in on a brand-new series of community lunch-with-the-faculty programs taking place now through November.

Called "UWGB Downtown: Connecting for Lunch," the series aims to spotlight the University's faculty stars, encourage lifelong learning and make campus resources more visible. Four of UW-Green Bay's most dynamic teaching scholars will be featured speakers at separate weekday luncheons at the Regency Suites:

• March 25, "Health of the Great Lakes," Prof. Robert Howe
• June 17, "Celebrate Slovakia," Prof. Sarah Meredith
• Sept. 16, "Radical Lives: Helen Keller," Prof. Kim Nielsen
• Nov. 11, "Barn Again," Prof. William Laatsch

Each buffet luncheon will be available between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., with the program immediately following and ending by 1:10 p.m. It's $15 for a meal and a chance to connect or reconnect with the University and its most engaging professors. To register, call (920) 465-2641 or see www.uwgb.edu/outreach/events/downtownLunch.htm.

A sweetheart of a day for Phoenix fans

The Alumni Association and former Phoenix basketball players invite all alumni to share in Basketball Alumni Day on Saturday, Feb. 14. The schedule of events includes:

— Women's alumni game, noon at the Phoenix Sports Center, free
— Phoenix women vs. Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne, 3 p.m., at the Phoenix Sports Center. Tickets are $4 per person and can be purchased from the Alumni Office
— Men's alumni game, 4 p.m. at the Resch Center, free
— Phoenix men vs. Loyola, 7:05 p.m. at the Resch Center. Regular admission tickets can be purchased from Athletics at 920-465-2145, or sit with the Alumni in a group, $6 (end-zone seating)
— Post-game social at The Bar on Holmgren Way follows the Phoenix men's game.

2003 Women's Alumni Basketball Team: standing, left to right: Becky Knutson, Liz Reiman, Amy Strohmeyer Olson, Julie Glime Aubry, Kathy Mertz, Kelly Williams Connor, Lori Hansen Frerk, Tammy Springer, Cara Paulius Krebsbach, Stacy Krueger, Nancy Cieslewicz Strong. Kneeling, left to right: Sandra Baerwald, Alison Schultz, Mary Heilmann, Susie Klaubauf Bodilly, Sara Meyer Gard, Sue Geiser Steeno, Amanda Leonhard.

2003 Men's Alumni Basketball Team: standing, from left to right: Paul Kraft, Dean Vander Plas, Brian Boettcher, Tony Ciaravino, Mike Nabena, Kevin Olm, B.J. LaRue, Todd Hassenfelt, Roger Ripley, Dean Rondorf, Gary Grzesk, Chris Yates, Wayne Walker. Kneeling, left to right: Mike Karisny, Ryan Borowicz, Marquis Hines, DeVante Blanks, Ben Royten, Luke Kiss, Tom Diener, Dan Oberbrunner.

Alumni events: Pencil us in!

Alumni Basketball Games
Saturday, Feb. 14
• Women's Alumni Game, noon, Phoenix Sports Center
• Men's Alumni Game, 4 p.m., Resch Center

Alumni Awards Night
Saturday, March 20
Cornerstone Dinner - 5 p.m.; Alumni Awards - 6:30 p.m.
Phoenix Rooms, University Union

Connecting for Lunch: Prof. Robert Howe
Thursday, March 25
11:45 a.m., Regency Suites

Extended Degree 25th Anniversary Reception and Dedication of the William Laatsch Room
Saturday, April 3
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mary Ann Cofrin Hall

Bayfest, 2004
Thursday, June 10 through Sunday, June 13

Scholarship Golf Outing
Saturday, June 12
12:30 p.m., Shorewood Golf Course

For more information on alumni events or activities, contact Director of Alumni Relations Mark Brunette at (920) 465-2074.

Teammates

Business partners and 1991 UW-Green Bay graduates Joe Zack and Dean Vander Plas insist the name of their business, "The Phoenix Group," is more coincidence than anything... even though Vander Plas is a former star forward on the Phoenix men's basketball team, and Zack, a basketball fanatic, followed the Phoenix athletic program as though he had ownership rights.

Their insurance and investment business, previously named Holmes Insurance, was founded in 1958 by Sam Holmes, who also has a long history with the Phoenix athletics program as a booster, and as a close friend to former Phoenix Coach Dick Bennett. So it comes as little surprise that when the time came for Vander Plas and Zack to buy into partnership, at nearly the same time that Holmes was seeking a new name to reflect the business expansion, the hands-down favorite was "The Phoenix Group."

According to Zack, Bob Seering '74, CEO of the Goltz-Seering Agency, Inc., presented a number of options to the group. But the symbol of the Phoenix and the slogan that Seering developed, "Rising Up to Meet Your Insurance and Investment Needs," was too good, and too close to their hearts, to choose anything but.

Since then, Vander Plas has taken over as president, and Zack, the vice president, continues on as a partner and agent. The business has expanded throughout east-central Wisconsin with locations in Appleton, Clintonville, Wautoma, Oconto Falls and the home office in Ripon.

Their wives, Mary (Banker) Vander Plas and Mary (Wickland) Zack, are also 1991 UW-Green Bay graduates, with Wickland having played volleyball here. Both families have continued their close relationship with the University and its athletics program as season ticket holders and Phoenix Fund members.

White, Larmouth top informal 'Tough Prof' poll

The Alumni News online newsletter polled its readers last fall on toughest professors — those who inspired or challenged their students. The top two vote-getters were Keith White (Natural and Applied Sciences) and Donald Larmouth (Communication and the Arts). A sampling of comments:

Prof. Keith White — "I tried to take every one of his classes. I had to tape the class and listen to each lecture two times. I got good grades but it took a lot of hard work. He was excellent."

Prof. White — "Energetic, enthusiastic and unpredictable. His energy and enthusiasm made him influential. His unpredictability when writing tests made him tough. You never knew what to expect on one of Dr. White's tests, so the only way to excel was to know the subject."

Prof. Donald Larmouth — "He was the most inspiring and challenging professor I had throughout my years at UWGB. He encouraged and supported me in my decision to major in Communication and the Arts even though my ultimate goal was to become a collegiate women's basketball coach. He told me the tools a collegiate coach needs — specifically, public speaking, writing, promoting and recruiting — were extremely compatible with a communications degree."

Prof. Larmouth — "He demanded precision and expected students to work to their maximum capacity. There were days when I thought I just wasn't smart enough to handle the class. However, Dr. Larmouth gave as much as he expected. One night after class about 15 students met in the Wood Hall cafeteria to work in study groups. We stopped Dr. Larmouth on his way out the door to ask a 'quick question.' He worked with us an additional two hours. He didn't leave until all of our questions were answered and each of us understood the material..."

Prof. Ron Starkey — "Biochem. Tough, but in a good way."

Prof. Nikitas Petrakopoulos — "I remember a calculus mid-term that most of us failed or did poorly on. Instead of berating us (or himself), he took ownership of the poor performance with us, proceeded to teach the material again, and gave the exam over."

Prof. Terence O'Grady — "Literature and Styles in Music classes were the most difficult ones we had to take. Five days a week, four semesters, and I don't think Doc ever misses a class!"

Prof. Cheryl Grosso — "She expected hard work from everyone in her classes and almost made you feel (guilty) if you hadn't prepared adequately."

Profs. Paul and Thea Sager — "In the late '70s and early '80s Paul Sager was one of the toughest there was; to get an "A" was a real accomplishment."

Prof. Joan Thron — "Had an eloquence and infectious love for children's literature that she passed on to all her students at each meeting..."

Prof. Michael Kraft — "He took time to give me hints that were not only valuable in his courses, but in my entire academic life."

Prof. Ganga Nair — "A truly challenging and inspiring man. (He would tell stories) of being a United Nations council member and a delegate on environmental issues to kings and queens... When he cranked out those slide shows,(it really sunk in) that this man not only talked about environmental responsibility, but walked it as well."

'Return to Wisconsin' gives tuition break to out-of-state 'legacies'

UW-Green Bay alumni living out of state can have their children and grandchildren "Return to Wisconsin" under a new tuition plan created by the UW System.

The program offers a 25 percent discount on the out-of-state tuition rate. For the current year, a full-time student from Wisconsin pays $4,654 in tuition and fees, a non-resident, $14,701. If the legacy program were in effect this year, tuition and fees for out-of-state students with alumni ties would have been $11,315.

Even with the legacy discount, participating nonresident students will still pay more than the actual cost it takes to educate them. Campuses can then use the revenue to provide more financial aid or otherwise help subsidize resident students.

The idea is to entice students with Wisconsin roots to come back for college and stay to pursue their careers here. UW System officials emphasize that any new students attracted by these programs would not take spaces away from residents. They would be added on top of the enrollment targets of participating campuses.

Where there's a will, there's a way...

A way to help your alma mater, that is.

Making a bequest in your will can be a difference-maker for UW-Green Bay, its students and the greater good of the community. Cash, securities, real estate or personal property can be conveyed to UW-Green Bay through a simple and inexpensive amendment to your will.

"Far and away, wills remain the No. 1 method for most people to make deferred gifts to their favorite charity," says attorney Dan Spielmann, a planned giving specialist with the University Advancement Office.

"It's a relatively easy process, and the tax incentives magnify your ability to make a significant contribution while still providing for your family's future," he adds.

Deferred gifts ensure a stable future for UW-Green Bay and tomorrow's students. Donors can earmark their gift for a specific purpose (this is known as a "restricted" gift), such as a designated scholarship or program, or make an unrestricted gift for more general support of academic excellence. The scope of the gift can be described by either a fixed dollar amount or as a percentage of the estate. (See examples.)

Example A: Percentage of Estate, Unrestricted Purpose
"I hereby give, devise and bequeath to the University of Wisconsin Foundation, for the benefit of UW-Green Bay, --- percent of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate as an unrestricted gift to be used in the area of greatest need at the time the gift is received."

Example B: Specific Amount, Specific Purpose
"I hereby give, devise and bequeath to the University of Wisconsin Foundation, for the benefit of UW-Green Bay, the sum of $--- to be used for -----. It is understood and agreed that should the purpose for which this bequest is instituted cease to exist, then the University may devote said bequest for such other uses and purposes as it determines to be in accordance with my original intent in making this gift."

Source: "Ideas for the Gift of a Lifetime" booklet, University Advancement

The Advancement Office at UW-Green Bay can offer additional assistance at (920) 465-2074 or www.uwgb.edu/advancement/.

Alumni travel program debuts with London, the Swiss Alps, Italy

Interested in making plans to travel this summer or fall with fellow UW-Green Bay alumni and friends of the University? The UW-Green Bay Alumni Association has partnered to offer a new and exciting alumni travel benefit with popular packages at reasonable rates. Trips this first year will be offered to:

London, July 23-31, $1,449 per person
Accommodations at the four-star Holiday Inn Kensington Forum Hotel located in the heart of the Chelsea and Kensington district. Optional excursions include trips to Bath and Stonehenge, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick Castle, Windsor Castle, a dinner theater evening as well as the city of London including Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Switzerland and Italy, Sept. 10-18, $1,499 per person
The best of the Swiss Alps and Italy's magnificent Lake Garda are combined in this travel package. Travelers will stay in Engelberg, Switzerland, a picture-postcard resort city nestled in an unforgettable mountain landscape with shops, hiking and walking trails, and panoramic views. The second leg of the trip brings you to the shimmering blue waters of Italy's largest lake, located in the foothills of the Dolomites, with a Mediterranean climate and orchards and vineyards nearby.

Color brochures describing these travel packages are available from the UW-Green Bay Alumni Office at (920) 465-ALUM, or by e-mailing alumni@uwgb.edu.

Alumni notes

An archive of alumni notes is available online at www.uwgb.edu/alumni/outreach/classnotes.htm. Check the Website often for the latest news on your fellow graduates.

A political scientist's
view of the race:
Enjoy, but our real test
is yet to come

I grew up watching politics and, some would say, never outgrew it, becoming a professor of political science. I have deep appreciation for our system but, like many, I also find amusement in the way we select our leaders. Those who use the language of horseracing to handicap the presidential derby aren't far off: Both involve high stakes, high-strung contenders, flying mud and down-to-the-wire finishes.

A part of me is delighted that Wisconsin pushed its primary election ahead from early April to February 17. Wisconsin was once a kingmaker — a win here boosted JFK to the nomination in 1960 — but more recent races were long since decided by the time this state had its say.

Now, we're back in action as an early swing state. Students and community filled our Phoenix Room in November for a meeting with Gen. Wesley Clark. A Green Bay speech by former Gov. Howard Dean drew another big crowd. More presidential campaign stops are possible before the general election.

The national exposure is exciting, in some respects, and less satisfying in others. The flash and dash of modern presidential campaigns do little to illuminate nuanced issues or inform good public policy. The real action, I'll argue, remains at the state and local levels. Here, priorities have emerged that directly affect our University and region. Priorities that have combined, for example, to:

• bring a $250 million cut in state funding for the UW while spending on prisons increased;
• require tuition increases at UW-Green Bay exceeding 15% both this year and next;
• place Wisconsin in the company of five others, among the 50 states, as having most dramatically disinvested in higher education.

Some blame state lawmakers. Others cut them slack (because tough times require tough decisions). In my view, the root culprit is the wider electorate's inattention to what is clearly becoming a monumental shift. Increasingly, public higher education is regarded less as a public good, and more as a private benefit accruing to the individual. Taxpayer support dwindles, tuition climbs. It happens incrementally, year by year, and alarm bells never sound.

Until now. Legislators and our fellow voters need to hear from parents, nurses, artists, lawyers, retailers, engineers, teachers, employers and employees — the people who pay taxes, create jobs and invest in Wisconsin's future. We need an open discussion of where the UW System is heading. If we truly want to step away from our historic commitment, let's be clear about what we're doing, and why.

In 2004, as never before, we intend to engage UW-Green Bay alumni as informed citizens and energetic advocates. Many of you will participate in this effort. Let's bottle some of this primary excitement and uncork it for public forums and state and local races, in April and September and November, with the intent of raising the right issues at the right time, and making a difference for future alumni and future citizens. Your involvement matters.

Connecting learning to life,




Bruce Shepard