Vol. 36, No. 67 / March 28, 2005

Cobane '90, Wochinske '74, Hanrahan '82 are Distinguished Alumni

With growth in UW-Green Bay's alumni base and the pool of potential honorees, the Alumni Association this year has expanded its award program to allow for multiple recipients of its Distinguished Alumni Awards. This year's honorees:

Craig Cobane '90, political science, is on leave from his job as an assistant professor of political science at Culver-Stockton College, in Canton, Mo., to serve the United States Department of Defense through a Defense Policy Fellowship in areas of peacekeeping and humanitarian aid.

Jim Wochinske '74, humanism and cultural change, took over ownership of Pomp's Tire Service in 1986 and grew the business from 12 stores and approximately 175 employees to 53 locations in eight states and nearly 1,000 employees. Through the years, he and his wife Kathy '74 have generously supported the community and the University and its efforts.

William Hanrahan '82, urban studies, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General, and an adjunct professor of criminal law at Marquette and Edgewood, was recently named "Leader in the Law" by the Wisconsin Law. Hanrahan is the director of the state's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

For more on the award winners, see http://www.uwgb.edu/alumni/@lumni/2005march.htm.

Join us at Alumni Awards Night

The Alumni Association sends this message: "Help us honor our 'distinguished' alumni and reconnect with your alma mater at Alumni Awards Night, Saturday, April 16. Contact Mark Brunette in the Alumni Relations Office at (920) 465-2586, or at alumni@uwgb.edu for additional information and registration. Cost is $15 per person. Reservation deadline is Friday, April 8."

Poupart, Fencl, Bauer-Dantoin, Jeffreys lead diversity Dialogues

The Office of Student Life scheduled three programs this week as part of the sixth annual Campus Dialogues series, a program designed to encourage small group discussion on issues of diversity across campus:

Monday, March 28
Prof. Lisa Poupart
"Teachings from the Medicine Wheel"
Noon in Alumni Rooms, University Union

Tuesday, March 29
Profs. Heidi Fencl and Angie Bauer-Dantoin
"Can Women Be Scientists? Women, Science & Scientific Careers"
11 a.m. in Phoenix C, University Union

Wednesday, March 30
Prof. Derek Jeffreys
"Are All Religions True? Dealing with Religious Diversity"
2 p.m. in Phoenix C, University Union

Regional TriBeta convention will come to UW-Green Bay

Students and faculty members from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan who belong to TriBeta, the national honorary society in the biological sciences, will gather at UW-Green Bay on April 23 for the society's regional convention. It's the first time the eight-year-old UW-Green Bay chapter has been host to a regional convention and it's an opportunity to "show off" the newly remodeled Laboratory Sciences Building and Mary Ann Cofrin Hall, in addition fostering scientific and social exchange among students and faculty in the region, says chapter adviser Prof. Brian Merkel. Students are encouraged to present papers and posters, and those judged best in both categories will be awarded prizes. The conference registration deadline is Thursday, March 31.

Distinguished researcher will speak on cloning

Attendees at the April 23 TriBeta convention will hear a keynote address by Robert G. McKinnell, former Morse/Alumni Distinguished Professor of Genetics and Cell Biology, and now Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota, who will speak on "Cloning at the Cutting Edge: Is it Ethical?" The biological basis for cancer and cloning are issues McKinnell has explored in his long-time research on frogs. McKinnell has received many awards, among them the Prince Hitachi Prize for Comparative Oncology given by the Japanese Cancer Institute. He has biographical listings in half a dozen different volumes of the Marquis "Who's Who" series, including "Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare," and "Who's Who in Science and Engineering." He is at work on a book on prevention of cancer.

UW System undergraduates to display research in Capitol Rotunda

UW System undergraduate research stars will showcase their achievements at the State Capitol next Thursday, April 7, in "Posters in the Rotunda: A Celebration of Undergraduate Research." The event will be held in conjunction with the April meeting of the Board of Regents. Watch for UW-Green Bay's list of exhibitors next week. For more on the event, see the System news release at http://www.wisconsin.edu/news/2005/r050328.htm.

Guest artists join Meredith in UW-Green Bay vocal recital

Soprano Kimberly Haynes, Ann Arbor, Mich., will join UW-Green Bay faculty member Sarah Meredith, a mezzo soprano, in recital at 7:30 p.m. Sunday (April 3) in the University Theater located in Theater Hall on the campus at 2420 Nicolet Dr. The event is free. Pianist Timothy Cheek of the University of Michigan will be the guest accompanist. The three will be assisted by Nancy Collins on flute, and tenor John Plier, both of UW-Green Bay. The recital features music of American, Czech and Slovak composers. Look for more in Thursday's LOG ONLine, or click http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/archive/2005mar.htm#recital.

UW-Green Bay seniors will exhibit art

Five seniors will show their artwork in an exhibit opening with a reception at 2 p.m. Sunday, (April 3) in the Lawton Gallery. Students and media are: Brian Besaw, New London, sculpture; Deborah Dalman, Gile, solar plate prints; Melissa McKenzie, Luxemburg, color photographs; Jodi Niemi, Green Bay, copper plate etchings; and Stacey Sabel, Fond du Lac, drawings and paintings.

Reminder: Women's luncheon and Riddles visit is Wednesday

Libby Riddles, the first female champion of the Iditarod sled-dog race, is the keynote speaker at the free Women's Recognition Luncheon at noon this Wednesday (March 30) in the University Union. She will also offer a public lecture. For details, see http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/archive/2005mar.htm#riddles.

La Crosse invites all to conference for program/admin assistants

"The Power of Professionalism" is being billed as a Systemwide conference for program assistants and administrative professionals to be hosted Thursday, June 2, 2005 by UW-La Crosse. The all-day conference features breakout sessions and two featured speakers. Tom Thibodeau will present The Power of Our Words and Presence, and Beth Erickson will present All for One or One for All? A vendor fair will be available during the conference enabling participants to see the latest in office supplies and technologies. For more information, visit the website http://www.uwlax.edu/PAPD/power_of_professionalism1.htm or watch for a brochure in the mail.

Bowl-a-thon this Tuesday for tsunami relief

The students of the Residence Hall and Apartment Association will hold a "Bowl-a-thon" this Tuesday (March 29) at 8:30 p.m. at nearby Riveria Lanes. $10 buys participants three games, pizza and soda, with proceeds to the Tsunami Relief Fund.

Former SNL anchor Colin Quinn comes to campus

Unlikely to be Moore attention-getting than Good Times Programming's fall headliner at the Weidner... but tickets should move well for comedian Colin Quinn's show at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20. The standup guy is a former Saturday Night Live "Update" anchor. Tickets ($12 for students, $17 for others) go on sale Friday for students and Saturday for others at the Weidner box office.

Basketball banquets set for Sunday, April 10

Both the men's and women's basketball banquets will be held off-campus, at the new Swan Club in De Pere, on Sunday, April 10. The women's banquet begins at 11:30 a.m. and the men's at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for either event and can be obtained by calling 465-2053.

Weidner Center goes public with long-term budget challenges

The Weidner Center for the Performing Arts will lay off staff, increase its reliance on private funds and fine-tune its programming mix in the face of a challenging fiscal environment. That was the message from Executive Director David Fleming and General Manager Joi Brown in interviews with local media last week. See Thursday's Green Bay Press-Gazette story on 'Fiscal drama' at http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/news/archive/local_20348390.shtml. A story from Sunday's paper, in Q&A format, is at http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/news/archive/opinion_20348399.shtml.

'Triple Espresso' guys do a blog

The coffeehouse comedy "Triple Espresso" playing the Weidner's Fort Howard Hall is entering the second month of its run, which extends through May 29. Rave reviews continue for both the wonderfully entertaining show, and the tasty desserts and coffee drinks served up in the KI Coffeehouse beforehand. New this week from the three guys in the cast (J.C., Rob and Patrick) is a highly caffeinated Weblog. See http://www.weidnernightlife.com/.

'Weidner Chandelier catching stars' eyes'

That was the headline over a Warren Gerds entertainment column in the Press-Gazette earlier this month. He noted that performers including Joan Rivers and Eileen Ivers of Fiddlers Three have commented on the sparkling Chihuly piece during their performances. See http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/news/archive/et_20085056.shtml.

UW-Green Bay alumnus gives talk on home in Himalayas

Prem Lama will make a slide presentation on the Himalayas and its people from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, at the Brown County Central Library. The program is free and open to the public. Loyal readers of Inside UW-Green Bay magazine will remember Lama, of Nepal, who was profiled last year at http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/insidearchive/04feb.htm#graduate.

Tennessee gets Pearl

That's the news out of Milwaukee today, where the men's basketball coach for UW-Milwaukee gained national attention with his team's success in the NCAA Tournament. Interesting reading, if only because of the eye-popping dollar figures involved, at http://www.jsonline.com/sports/coll/mar05/313367.asp.

Van Gruensven is new HR assistant director

Already announced on campus but repeated for the benefit of off-campus readers: Mary Fischer, the director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action Office, has announced that staff member Sheryl Van Gruensven has accepted the position of assistant director for administrative services. Van Gruensven will manage the personnel transaction processing, benefits, payroll, classification and compensation, labor and employment relations, contract administration, and FMLA and ADA compliance functions.

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