Vol. 37, No. 124, June 26, 2006     /     Log Archive

This is Monday, June 26, 2006, and the world of philanthropy is abuzz over investment/insurance guru Warren Buffett's decision to donate most of his $44 Billion fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It's as though the Rockefellers and Carnegies had teamed up for global relief. One possible complication: Now that Buffett would seem to have controlling interest (the Gateses, after all, have only $30 Billion in the endowment), will the Omaha Oracle insist on installing his handpicked choice, the Geico Gecko, as the face of the foundation? Stay tuned. In news today:

Watershed workshop offers tours of Spring Brook watershed, PCB site
Science teachers from seven area high schools will work with UW-Green Bay researchers, tour field sites and receive training in collecting and analyzing data at the Lower Fox River Watershed Monitoring Program's fourth annual teacher workshop this week. Today's tour of the Spring Brook watershed near Omro and a visit to the PCB remediation site at Little Lake Butte des Morts are among featured activities. Click http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/archive/2006june.htm#watershed.

'Samurai, Sumo, & Sushi'... and a snapshot
At the end of May, Clifton Ganyard, Assistant Professor of Humanistic Studies, and Kristy Aoki, Office of International Education, led ten students, faculty, and staff on a 19-day travel course to Japan. The group visited Tokyo, Nagano, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Osaka where they attended the national Sumo tournament and visited such landmarks as the Imperial Palace, the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, the Todaiji shrine in Nara — home of the largest cast bronze Buddha in the world — the Hiroshima Peace Park, Osaka Castle, and of course, the Iga Ninja Museum. In addition, students met many different people and learned about Japanese culture on a very personal level, from rolling sushi to participating in the tea ceremony to indulging in onsen (Japanese bath) to Japanese-style barbecue. Aoki and Ganyard are planning to lead another travel course to Japan in the summer of 2008. For a snapshot, click http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/page/photo.htm.

Student Information System (SIS) upgrade
The Student Information System (SIS) will be upgraded starting at 4 p.m. this Friday (June 30) until 8 a.m. Monday, July 10th. During this time, SIS will be unavailable to students, faculty and staff. For more information on the SIS Upgrade including information on training as well as office hours and services that will be available during the SIS Upgrade, check the SIS Upgrade Web site at http://sis.uwgb.edu/SISUpgrade. You might also contact Barb Holschbach at ext. 2978 or holschbb@uwgb.edu.

Motor Pool: Rates will change for vehicle use
Effective this Saturday (July 1, 2006), use rates will change for campus motor pool vehicles as follows:

Sedan... $ 15.00/ day + $0.31/per mile
Minivans... $ 15.00/day + $0.33/per mile

The above rates reflect a $0.05/per mile fuel surcharge, as approved by campus administration. Another change for the 2006-07 fiscal year is a $15.00 penalty fee when a vehicle reservation is cancelled with less than 24 hours notice. Please contact the Motor Pool Office (#2394) for reservations, questions or concerns.

Soccer championship has spillover at UW-Green Bay
We're not talking World Cup, but we are talking about a major soccer tournament nonetheless. With the U.S. Soccer Midwest Regional Championships for youth players taking place in the Fox Cities, with 12,000 visitors from more than a dozen Midwest states, UW-Green Bay is seeing some of the spillover. Three residence halls (Ed Thompson, John Robishaw & Richard Liebl halls) are occupied by soccer participants.

Camp report: It's Year 49 for Summer Art Studio
More than 100 students are on campus this week for Senior High Summer Art Studio, now in its 49th year as a Wisconsin institution. Among the courses: Advanced Photography, Guerilla Art Techniques, Extreme Car Art, Jewelry Design and much more. For a treat, you are invited to check out the always impressive closing art exhibit from 5 to 6:15 p.m. this Friday (June 30) in the SA B-103 band room, where proud campers show their stuff.

Camp report, part II: Listen for the jazz, gospel and choir music
The free closing concert for this camp takes place Friday (June 30) in the University Theatre from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Filled with jazz and contemporary music, it is typically highly entertaining. We're told guest conductor (musician/vocalist) Kenneth Daniel of Milwaukee is a student favorite known to "suck the air right out of the theatre" when he give his young pupils an acapella demonstration of how it's done.

Camp report, part III
Finally, Bellin College of Nursing is also on campus this week through Wednesday, with a couple dozen students per week enjoying on-campus living in the Residence Life complex.

State makes change in purchasing policy
The Department of Administration has reversed course and changed a policy to allow UW System and other state employees to purchase, among other things, routine hardware items without going through unnecessary red tape. AP coverage is at http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/states/wisconsin/14890136.htm.

Outreach connects with Botanical Garden on teacher-ed course
Worth noting here, after the fact, is a success story pairing the Green Bay Botanical Garden and the Office of Outreach and Extension. Their partnership led to the development and delivery of a new graduate course this summer for elementary school educators. Using the Outdoors to Enhance Curriculum, which wrapped up last week, was aimed at helping elementary school educators become more confident and capable in using the outdoors as a learning environment. Commented one participant: "I (now) feel competent to lead numerous lessons in nature. I have a great attitude about letting nature itself inspire and motivate kids to learn and be curious."

Bookstore's clearance: Sale continues
Books make great gifts, even gag gifts: The Ronald Reagan biography "Dutch" for a left-wing buddy. A Hillary Clinton book for your super-conservative brother. A senior citizen's guide to life for a friend turning fifty. Hardcover books are selling for a dollar-something apiece, and plenty of Phoenix apparel remains at the Phoenix Bookstore clearance sale through Tuesday (June 27). The store is closed for inventory Wednesday through Friday.

Recruit's clearance: 5 feet, 10 inches
New basketball recruit Tressa Beckel, an incoming freshman from Minnesota, has phenomenal hops. She won the girls high jump recently at a Nike nationals meet in North Carolina. She cleared 5-10 and three-quarters. She and twin sister Staci will play for the Phoenix next year. For a photo and more, click http://www.uwgb.edu/athletics/wbb/062306.asp.

Women's soccer volunteers win praise from Special Olympics
The Phoenix women's soccer team has earned the highest honor presented to Special Olympics volunteers in Northeastern Wisconsin. Read about the presentation of the 2006 Brian Ziegelbauer Memorial Youth Volunteer of the Year Award at http://www.uwgb.edu/athletics/wsoccer/062306.asp.

Harrill arrives in CL 810
Announced previously campuswide, but heretofore unannounced here: Becky Harrill joined the staff of the Chancellor's Office today (Monday, June 26). She has been on campus in various roles since 1995, most recently as a program assistant with the Office of the Dean of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

Crank the news, lose some tunes on Public Radio
There will be a little less music as Wisconsin Public Radio implements format changes after 10 months of consultations with the Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Click http://www.madison.com/tct/mad/topstories/index.php?ntid=88611&ntpid=0.

It's tech colleges' turn to face 'felons on campus' furor
AP is reporting that the Legislative Audit Bureau has found that 15 felons are employed by the 13,000-employee Wisconsin Technical College System. See http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/states/wisconsin/14881513.htm.

'Religion in residence'
The new private, faith-based residence hall at UW-Madison is described as part of a growing national trend of religious-inspired residence halls serving college students at public institutions. Click http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/06/23/dorm.

Reilly posts UW System positions
UW System President Kevin Reilly, hoping to rejuvenate communication and advancement efforts, has posted position announcements for the Executive Director of Communications & External Relations and the two Special Assistants for Communications & External Relations. If you're interested, go to http://www.uwsa.edu/hr/jobs.htm.

Wisconsin Campus Compact looks to make a hire
Our friends at Wisconsin Campus Compact are seeking to fill the position of M3C Fellows Program Coordinator. The coordinator will be involved with a program that supports up to 600 AmeriCorps positions at various campuses throughout the Midwest. For more than that, check the full posting at http://www.uwp.edu/departments/community.partnerships/wicampuscompact/.

Get the Scoop, for only a buck
Get the Scoop returns this Wednesday (June 28) from 12:30-1:45pm on the Nicolet Room Patio. Only $1 for a double scoop of ice cream! Rain site is the Common Grounds Coffeehouse. For a list of flavors, click http://www.uwgb.edu/union.

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