I just came back from the fourth Plan-It Purple morning session. I was delighted to see our incoming group of freshmen and their families. I am excited about the possibilities that these new students represent. The campus, despite the construction, looks beautiful and is filled with possibilities.
I also received a message from Denise Ehlen, Director of Research and Sponsored Programs, with an announcement about the June 2008 National Endowment for the Humanities awards. In the state of Wisconsin, three awards were made - two to UW-Whitewater faculty. Congratulations to David Cartwright, Philosophy and Religious Studies, and Jo Ellen Burkholder, Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, and their colleagues for these awards!
Congratulations graduates! This is a delightful time of the year. On Saturday, May 17th, we will recognize 1,146 individuals receiving bachelor’s degrees and 199 receiving master’s degrees or educational specialist’s degrees. I am proud of your accomplishments and I know the faculty and staff share my pride.
Not only have you earned your diplomas, you have done so in impressive style, with more than 335 of of you earning university honors. You have presented research papers at professional conferences, won national recognition for yourselves and your student organizations, won league championships, appeared in and won national championships, contributed countless hours of community service, and enriched the lives of all of us associated with UW-Whitewater.
Again, congratulations!
Thanks to members of the campus community for their support in the chancellor’s search process. I am truly honored to be chosen. UW-Whitewater is an outstanding university that makes a difference every day in students’ lives. I look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students to further enhance our programs and become even more involved in serving the region, state, and nation. I thank you.
I would like to express my thanks to all members of the campus community for their efforts and cooperation during the aftermath of the boiler explosion on the 16th. The efforts of the University Police, Facilities Planning and Management, Residence Life, Chartwells/University Dining Services, the University Center, Recreation Sports and Facilities, and others are appreciated. We also appreciate the efforts of all of those from off campus who helped to contain the problem and work to restore full services to campus.
I am pleased with the way students, faculty, and staff on campus responded. While there clearly were inconveniences, I heard many examples where individuals were able to work together to make the situation better and to keep a positive perspective. The decision by Whitewater Student Government (WSG), Residence Hall Association (RHA, and the Student Entertainment and Awareness League (SEAL) to turn this inconvenience into an opportunity for awareness of water needs in the world by supporting the Rotary India Water Trust is gratifying.
Thanks again, UW-Whitewater.
On Wednesday, April 23rd, the Quick-Reference Guide for Emergency Procedures for the UW-Whitewater Campus was posted. It can be found at http://www.uww.edu/news/emergency/, or by looking at the Quick Links area in left hand column of the Students page or the Faculty/Staff page. The heading is Emergency Procedures.
When you click on Emergency Procedures, the front page of the guide is displayed in the center of the page. The Table of Contents for the Quick-Reference Guide is on the left side of the page. You can then go directly to any specific emergency topic.
I urge you all to locate the Quick-Reference Guide for Emergency Procedures and to familiarize yourself with the first page, the Responsibilities section, and the organization of the guide. Thanks for your help with this.
On Monday evening, UW-Whitewater celebrated the 3rd Annual Chancellor’s Regional Literary Award, and honored Wisconsin author and humorist Michael Perry for his body of work including “Truck” and “Population: 485.” Dinner guests were delighted to have the opportunity to speak with Mike Perry as he made time to visit each table. After dinner, Perry held an amusing, thought-provoking reading in the new Summers Auditorium, and later signed books. I really enjoyed the entire evening, and hope you had the opportunity to attend.
Please watch for the campus announcement of our next literary award recipient, who will be honored this fall!
I just came from Undergraduate Research Day in the Old Main Ballroom. The opening ceremony was attended by over 120 individuals and the awards ceremony by nearly as many. I was truly impressed by the quality and variety of the undergraduate research that was presented. The performances and visual art works were exciting and thought provoking. The posters were visually appealing and well explained by the researchers. Congratulations to the researchers and their faculty and staff mentors! I am proud of the work that is being done.
A reception honoring the contributions of UW-Whitewater women in leadership positions will be held to day at the Fern Young Terrace, from 1:00 to 2:15. Please come to the event to show your appreciation for the honorees.
On Tuesday, Madison’s poet laureate presented several works including her monologue about the lynching of Mary Turner at the Works in Progress Café in the Fern Young Terrace. We also hear two works by Erica Meier, UWW senior.
Yesterday, there was an opening event at the Fiskum Gallery in the UC, featuring art by Phenomenal Women. We were also treated to music, poetry, and readings.
Peter Pan will be presented this weekend. Since we will be out-of-town at an alumni event, we will be unable to attend the performance. Fortunately, we will have the opportunity to see the production at a dress rehearsal this evening.
Last night I had the opportunity to attend the 10th annual UW-Whitewater Darwin Day event. I missed the “World’s Largest Edible Tree of Life,” because I had earlier been in Elkhorn for the Walworth County Board’s recognition of the UW-Whitewater football team’s national championship. I’m told the tree was delicious!
We had a full house at the Hamilton Center for a lecture by Michael Novacek, senior vice president, provost, and curator of the American Museum of Natural History. Dr. Novacek traced 100-million years in our history, identifying 5 major extinction events and discussed patterns of extinction and threats to the ecosystem. In addition to UW-Whitewater students and faculty, there were students and faculty from UW-Parkside and Beloit College and from many high schools in the region. This event was part of a coordinated Wisconsin Darwin Day outreach program along with events at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee.
Darwin Day 2009 will celebrate his 200th birthday.
