Vol. 39, No. 67, February 7, 2008     /     Log Archive

Here's a late Thursday afternoon edition of the LOG newsletter for faculty, staff and friends of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. We'll also have a Friday edition. Here goes:

Students who wouldn't otherwise get acceptance letters to the state's flagship public university may soon have one more pathway to get to the University of Wisconsin-Madison — through a two-year stint at UW-Green Bay.

UW System President Kevin Reilly announced today that UW-Green Bay would be the first four-year campus to join the UW-Madison Connections Program.

Under the current program, students are guaranteed a place in Madison for their junior and senior years if they complete 54 credits of core courses and maintain a 2.0 grade-point average at a two-year campus or one of three technical colleges.

That's significantly lower than the grade-point average generally required to transfer to Madison from four-year campuses in the UW system.

Reilly proposed to the UW System Board of Regents that more of the system's four-year institutions should follow UW-Green Bay's lead to expand the UW-Madison Connections Program.

The proposal is an outgrowth of the system's strategic planning process and is aimed at capturing more students who might otherwise leave Wisconsin to get the more typical college-life experience. Reilly plans to convene a group of faculty across the system to help expand the program further.

Right now, participating two-year campuses include the thirteen two-year University of Wisconsin colleges, the College of the Menominee Nation, and the Liberal Arts Program at three Wisconsin Technical Colleges: Madison Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and Nicolet Area Technical College. Students who participate, while considered UW-Madison students, pay the lower tuition and fees of the two-year campuses while they attend them.

Changes on the UW-Green Bay campus? Not really
UW-Green Bay officials note that Thursday's news will signify few, if any, changes in policies or practice on this campus. Rather, the University is "plugging into" a new commitment that UW-Madison is willing to make. The new arrangement requires no change in Green Bay admissions policies, no new articulation agreements or curriculum changes. It is very likely, however, to be a welcome new option for New North students and could result in more highly qualified students applying for UW-Green Bay admission. It also reflects, arguably, the Green Bay institution's historic, founding ties to Madison. Chancellor Bruce Shepard credits Provost Sue K. Hammersmith for her work in exploring this partnership with UW-Madison. Look for more news in our next issue.

Give these colleagues a call! But first, print out their phone book pages
Here's the always-popular mid-year addendum with corrections and updates to our printed campus phone directory. Despite what these whippersnapper kids say nowadays, with their fancy SpaceBook and MyFace and YouTool, there's still nothing like an old-fashioned paper directory. Now, this ain't it, exactly — it's a PDF for your own printer and paper — but with budget cuts it's as close as we can git. Download at http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/0708addendum.pdf.

Tonight's guest of honor makes New York Times appearance
He'll be honored tonight (Thursday, Feb. 7) with tributes and presentations and proclamations, no doubt, at "Dick Bennett Night" at the Resch when Green Bay hosts Valpo at 7 p.m. Today's New York Times carries a lengthy article on the Bennett coaching family, with much mention of their UW-Green Bay years, at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/sports/ncaabasketball/07bennett.html.

Friends, 4E co-workers remember the late Scott Nichols
Watch the audio-accompanied slide-show recap of Scott Nichols' memorial service this week at the UW-Green Bay Ecumenical Center, and try to keep a dry eye. It is an absolutely terrific piece of work by the Green Bay Press-Gazette and photojournalist Corey Wilson. The link is http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/includes/newspaper/assets/soundslides/020708scottnichols/.

'Suicide of Marine veteran, student affects many at UWGB'
Scott Nichols, at age 32, was a Marine Corps veteran, a Fourth Estate editor, and a popular returning-adult student. Strong emotions accompanied his untimely death... emotions reflected in Wednesday's student-organized memorial service, and in Kelly McBride's exceedingly moving account of Nichols's life and death, on page A-1 of today's Press-Gazette. See http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080207/GPG0101/80207084/1207/GPGnews.

P-G also addresses timeliness of suicide-awareness message
Credit the newspaper, too, for picking up on the death of Scott Nichols and its relation to campuswide, nationwide efforts to promote mental health and suicide awareness. See http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080207/GPG0101/802070568&located=FLASH.

Contemporary Percussion Ensemble, Civic Symphony earn applause
The UW-Green Bay Contemporary Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Cheryl Grosso was featured at the Green Bay Civic Symphony concert last Friday (Feb. 2) at the Meyer Theatre. Prof. Grosso composed a new work for the occasion, which was written specifically for five of her students, Megan Resop, Steven Lambert, Brett Walter, Chris Dinse, and Miranda Freimuth. The students and Grosso also performed with the Civic Symphony on works by Bizet and Britten. The same performance was presented on Friday morning to an audience of school children. A review of the concert can be read at http://greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080202/GPG0505/80201186/1907.

Show your student employee that you value their work
Nominate him or her for Student Employee of the Year! Time is getting short! Becky Wendt (ext. 2556 or wendtb@uwgb.edu) informs us the deadline for applications is Feb. 11, and nominations will not be accepted after that date. Says Wendt: "Our hard working student employees perform valuable services for our university. This is a great way to recognize their contributions... Please nominate your exceptional employee(s) by submitting a nomination form and supporting letter detailing the characteristics and achievements of this individual." All UW-Green Bay nominees will be recognized and the top-rated employee will be honored at a ceremony on Thursday (April 12). Please take time to nominate your exceptional student employees for this important honor, at http://www.uwgb.edu/financialaid/employment/seoty/seoty_form.asp.

Call for Nominations for the 2008 Academic Staff Regents Award for Excellence
On behalf of the Board of Regents, the Academic Staff Nominations Committee is pleased to request nominees for the 2008 Academic Staff Regents Award of Excellence. Two $5,000 awards will be made to two non-instructional academic staff members in recognition of exceptional service to their university.

• Individual Award Nominations are based upon the following criteria; Excellence of Performance, Personal Interaction, Initiative and Creativity, and Outstanding Achievement. To nominate an individual, please submit a brief email including the nominee's name, title, and a narrative outlining how the individual meets the four criteria listed above.

• Program Award Nominations — to a non-instructional academic staff program in recognition of its exceptional service to their university — are based upon the following criteria; Excellence of Performance, Initiative and Creativity, and Outstanding Achievement. To nominate a program, please submit a brief email including the program name, and a narrative outlining how the program meets the three criteria listed above.

Nominations must be submitted to the Academic Staff Nominations Committee c/o hrivnakk@uwgb.edu by 4:30pm Tuesday, February 12, 2008.

Headline: 'UW wants to build rat and mouse building'
The Associated Press details how UW-Madison is proposing a 10,000-square-foot vivarium to hold rodents for scientific study. See http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WI_MOUSE_HOUSE_WIOL-?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT.

Reminder: Regent TV
The UW System Board of Regents will be webcast Friday (Feb. 8) from 9 a.m. to noon. at http://www.uwex.edu/ics/stream/regents/meetings.

It's here! Wisconsin Women in Higher Education Leadership Spring Workshop
UW-Green Bay will host this workshop on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. The registration site is now open by visiting WWHEL Website at http://www.wwhel.org/. Mary B. Whacker will present, "Building on the Best in People and Organizations: Appreciative Inquiry." There are five sites across the state hosting this workshop. For more information or to register for this workshop, please visit the WWHEL Website. The local contact for this workshop is Karen Hintz in the UW-Extension Eastern District Office. She can be reached at (920) 465-2147 or via email at karen.hintz@ces.uwex.edu.

Tributes pour in from students, alumni, friends for Anne Kok
Funeral services are Saturday in Sturgeon Bay for Prof. Anne Kok of the Social Work faculty. The LOG newsletter is maintaining a separate archive file for information related to Prof. Kok... if you haven't yet visited the "We Remember" page and its submitted, eloquent tributes, it is remarkably moving. Find it (along with other links) at http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/logarchive/logarchive39/2008feb56.htm.

You can submit material for inclusion to the Office of Marketing and University Communication at Log@uwgb.edu. Past issues are achived at http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/logarchive/logarch.htm.