Featured Articles

A letter from UW System President Katharine Lyall

Marketing research team finds Super Bowl ads pay off for Hollywood

Campus physical development master plan open forums set for Nov. 17-18

Tune in to The West Side Nov. 17

UW-Eau Claire custodian retires after 30 years without using any sick leave

Jocelynn Ellertson to attend Leadership Conference in Czech Republic

Human Diversity Expo set for Nov. 20

UW-Eau Claire alumnus wins prestigious Milken Educator Award

Gift to fund new equipment for athletic training facility

Art students work with visiting sculptor to create drawing from willow sticks

Faculty/staff invited to join Alumni Association on trip to Rome

A letter from UW System President Katharine Lyall
Katharine Lyall, president of the UW System, addressed faculty and staff in the following letter about current issues facing the UW System.

Dear UW System Colleague:

My sincere thanks and appreciation for your steadfast support of the University of Wisconsin System and for all that you do to provide the best possible education for our students, on and off campus. Your commitment to quality and excellence has enabled us to educate more than 700,000 graduates since the UW System was created in 1971 and to become one of the nation’s preeminent systems of higher education.

Read the complete letter from Katharine Lyall.

Marketing research team finds Super Bowl ads pay off for Hollywood

Researchers Charles "Chuck" Tomkovick and Rama Yelkur, management and marketing, along with marketing student Patty Traczyk, a May 2002 graduate, recently completed work on a Super Bowl advertising effectiveness study. (UW-Eau Claire photo by Rick Mickelson)

Super Bowl advertising has become almost as important as the game itself, in part because of the huge TV audience the annual event attracts. Since 2000, advertisers have spent an average of over $2 million for 30-second ads in these games. The question is often asked: “Are these ads worth it?

Marketing researchers at the UW-Eau Claire have determined that Super Bowl ads do pay off, at least from the Hollywood movie industry’s perspective. The team of faculty and student researchers recently completed work on what is the first known Super Bowl advertising effectiveness study of its kind. Their work will be published in the Journal of Advertising Research in the coming year.

“All else being equal, we know from this study that spending $2 million for a movie ad in the Super Bowl will pay off,” says Chuck Tomkovick, management and marketing, who studied the topic with Rama Yelkur, management and marketing, and marketing student Patty Traczyk, a May 2002 graduate. Full story.

Campus physical development master plan open forums set for Nov. 17-18
See Calendar, for more information.

Tune in to The West Side Nov. 17
Chancellor Mash to discuss impact of budget cuts; importance of university to state's economy
Chancellor Donald Mash will be a guest, along with Rep. Rob Kreibich, during Wisconsin Public Radio's "The West Side" program next week.

The UW System state of affairs following the budget cuts and the importance of the System in helping to grow Wisconsin's economy will be among the topics of conversation during the program that will air at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, on 88.3 WHWC. The call-in program is hosted by Mary Jo Wagner.

UW-Eau Claire faculty and staff are encouraged to tune in. Callers wishing to ask questions or make comments during the show can do so by calling (800) 228-5615.

UW-Eau Claire custodian retires after 30 years without using any sick leave
UW-Eau Claire custodian Jim Page retired Oct. 31 with a remarkable attendance record. Page worked 30 years, mostly in McIntyre Library, and never used a day of sick leave. Nor did he miss work during the eight years he was at Peters Meats before coming to the university, and he doesn’t remember ever staying home from school because of illness when he was growing up.

“I can’t remember a time when I took a sick day. Sure, I’ve had colds, a little flu, maybe a headache, but not enough to stay home for. I’ve been fortunate, and I can only attribute it to the good Lord,” Page said. “Like I told my son, your dad never set any records but I’ve got one now. It probably doesn’t mean much to anyone else but in the back of my mind it’s there.” Full story.

Jocelynn Ellertson to attend Leadership Conference in Czech Republic
Jocelynn Ellertson, a junior at the UW-Eau Claire, has been accepted to participate in the International Youth Leadership Conference in Prague, Czech Republic, in January 2004.

Ellertson, a social studies education major from Albert Lea, Minn., will be among 160 students from around the world to take part in the weeklong forum on world politics, law and international relations Jan. 4-9, 2004.

Ellertson was selected on the basis of her grade point average and other university credentials as well as two essays she submitted on leadership.

“I’m very honored to be chosen for this unique experience,” Ellertson said, noting that she is the first student from UW-Eau Claire to attend the conference, which is in its sixth year. Full story.

Human Diversity Expo set for Nov. 20
Education and social work students at UW-Eau Claire will share the results of their diversity research projects during the Human Diversity Expo Nov. 20.

The Expo, which will run from 4 to 5:15 p.m. in the Council Fire Room of Davies Center, will feature projects designed by 150 students currently enrolled in FED 385: Social Foundations of Human Relations and SW 305: Ethnic-sensitive Social Work Practice. The event has been held each semester since the fall of 1998.

Examples of research projects to be displayed include:

• The Muslim Community in Eau Claire
• Civility on Campus
• Food Choices and Socio-Economic Levels
• The Elderly and Middle Schoolers: What do they know about each other?
• Hmong Customs
• Anishinabe
• African American Family Strengths
• The Changing Role of Hmong Women
• Mexican -American Women
• Somalian Culture
• Body Image in 7th and 8th Graders
• Study of Rural and City School Lunchroom Behavior

The event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Cynthia Gray-Mash at 836-5587 or send her e-mail at gray@uwec.edu.

UW-Eau Claire alumnus wins prestigious Milken Educator Award
James Doucette, a 1987 UW-Eau Claire education graduate who teaches history and law at Franklin High School, received the 2003 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award in a surprise assembly Oct. 13 at his school. Each of the nation’s 47 Milken educators receive a $25,000 award that they can use in any way they choose. On hand to present Doucette with his award were Elizabeth Burmaster, Wisconsin's state superintendent of public instruction; Wisconsin first lady Jessica Doyle; and Lowell Milken, Milken Family Foundation chairman. Read more about Doucette and the Milken Educator award on the Wisconsin Education Association Council and Milken Family Foundation Web sites.

Gift to fund new equipment for athletic training facility
Chippewa Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and the OakLeaf Surgical Hospital have made a gift of $50,000 through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation for the purchase of treatment and rehabilitation equipment to be used in UW-Eau Claire’s newly renovated athletic training facility. Full story.

Art students work with visiting sculptor to create drawing from willow sticks
Six UW-Eau Claire art students recently worked with internationally recognized fiber sculptor John McQueen on a drawing constructed entirely from willow sticks.

The installation piece is located across from the Foster Gallery in the Haas Fine Arts Center.

McQueen's sculptures and Robert Stackhouse's drawings and paintings can be seen at the Foster Gallery through Nov. 26.

Faculty/staff invited to join Alumni Association on trip to Rome
Plan now to join the UW-Eau Claire Alumni Association’s trip to Rome from Feb. 20-28, 2004. Departures to “The Eternal City” are available from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and additional cities. The cost of the trip ($1,299 per person, double occupancy, or $1,599 single occupancy) includes round-trip airfare, first-class hotel accommodations in Rome, daily buffet breakfast and more. For best availability, those interested are encouraged to make reservations by Dec. 1. Find details online, or call (800) 842-9023 for additional information.

University Bulletin
Published weekly during the fall and spring semesters by the UW-Eau Claire News Bureau. News items and notices should be sent to the News Bureau, Schofield 201, by 10 a.m. Monday for publication in the following week’s issue. E-mail submissions to Liz Wolf Green at greenew@uwec.edu are encouraged. Faculty/staff news items are published on a space-available basis.