Featured Articles

Foundation raises goal as campaign gifts top $38 million

University administrators from China to learn from UW-Eau Claire administrators

UW-Eau Claire to host U.S. Senate debate Oct. 16

UW-Eau Claire launches transportation/parking awareness campaign

Civic engagement expert to speak
Oct. 18

Dual Choice enrollment period begins Oct. 11

United Way/SECC update

Regents to host listening session at
UW-Eau Claire

Registration for Winterim open for enrolled students

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UW-Eau Claire Foundation raises goal as campaign gifts top $38 million
The UW-Eau Claire Foundation has increased its fund-raising campaign goal to $50 million after surpassing its initial $35 million goal more than 15 months ahead of schedule, officials announced following the Foundation board of directors meeting Oct. 1.

"We've had a strong outpouring of support, and we're seeing a positive impact across the campus as a result of donors' generosity," said Carole Halberg, UW-Eau Claire Foundation president. "At the same time, we've discovered many needs that still are unmet, and we've just begun to connect with many of our alumni and friends about the campaign. We want to continue this effort until we've addressed as many needs as possible and until every constituent has heard our message."

The Foundation also will extend the Fulfilling the Promise of Excellence campaign's closing date from June 30, 2005, to Dec. 31, 2007. The university's first comprehensive fund-raising campaign has raised more than $38 million since it began July 1, 2000. Full story.

University administrators from China to learn from UW-Eau Claire administrators

About half the administrators from Jinan University in Guangzhou, China, are visiting UW-Eau Claire. The two universities have had an exchange relationship for more than 20 years. Karl Markgraf (far left), director of the Center for International Education, said a similar experience is planned for the other half of Jinan's administrative staff next year. (Photo by Rick Mickelson, TLTDC) View larger image.

A group of 25 administrators from Jinan University in Guangzhou, China, are visiting UW-Eau Claire for two weeks, Oct. 4-14, to learn how the administrative functions of higher education are handled in the United States.

The visitors - deans and directors led by their university's vice president - are attending two formal presentations each day and also spending one-on-one time with the UW-Eau Claire administrators who represent their professional counterparts. They are exploring almost every aspect of university administration, from human resource concerns and admissions practices to career services, technology instruction, scholarly activity and service-learning.

Dr. Karl Markgraf, director of the Center for International Education and one of the organizers of the visit, said most of the visitors do not speak English, so many translators, some of whom have traveled with the group from Jinan, are working to make the program a success. Several UW-Eau Claire faculty members also are acting as translators. Full story.

UW-Eau Claire to host U.S. Senate debate Oct. 16

Russ Feingold	Tim Michels

UW-Eau Claire will co-sponsor and host a U.S. Senate debate between Democrat Russ Feingold and Republican Tim Michels at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, in Zorn Arena.

The Western Wisconsin Press Club and WisPolitics.com will organize the debate. The UW-Eau Claire Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, a student organization, will sponsor the event on campus.

The debate is free and open to the public. No tickets are required. Full story.

UW-Eau Claire launches transportation/parking awareness campaign
UW-Eau Claire recently kicked off a campaign to encourage the use of alternate forms of transportation and raise awareness of parking issues on and around campus.

The campaign, utilizing ads in The Spectator, bus billboards on the city buses that serve the campus area, posters and table tents, delivers light-hearted retro-themed messages about alternate transportation and parking etiquette. The campaign is centered on three themes:
    • Parking spaces are available on campus, especially in the Water Street and Haas Fine Arts parking lots.
    • Walking, biking or taking the bus, which is free to all students and staff, are positive alternatives to driving.
    • When parking on the streets surrounding the university, obey all applicable ordinances. Full story.

Civic engagement expert to speak Oct. 18
If you're interested in learning how you can be an agent of change in your world and beyond, come hear Harry Boyte Monday, Oct. 18.

Boyte, founder and co-director of the Center for Democracy and Citizenship at the University of Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey Institute, will present "Higher Education and the Renewal of Democracy," from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Alumni Room of Davies Center. The lecture will include an opportunity for questions and answers and conclude with a reception.

He is the author of many books, including his new book, Everyday Politics: Reconnecting Citizens and Public Life (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004), and his commentaries on democracy have aired on National Public Radio and the CBS Evening News.

Dr. Boyte's visit to UW-Eau Claire is part of a nationwide tour of several American Democracy Project campuses. The presentation, sponsored by the Network for Excellence in Teaching, the Center for Service-Learning, TLTDC and the Office of Provost and Vice Chancellor, is open to the university community. For more information, contact Don Mowry at 836-4649 and to RSVP, send
e-mail to tltdc.net@uwec.edu.

Dual Choice enrollment period begins Oct. 11
Each year employees enrolled in one of the state group health insurance plans have the opportunity to change from one insurance carrier to another or to add eligible family members who are not presently covered. This year's Dual Choice enrollment period is Oct. 11-29. A Benefits Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 18 in the Council Fire Room of Davies Center.

A complete list of notable plan and program changes can be found online. Also, watch the University Bulletin for more information and important dates.

United Way/SECC update
Now's your time to be a SUPERHERO in your community
All UW-Eau Claire faculty and staff should have received a United Way/SECC Campaign packet last week. Please consider supporting this year's campaign. The pledge cards offer the option to give a general gift, designate your gift to a particular agency(s) or make a negative designation so that your gift is withheld from a particular agency(s).

If you have questions about the pledge cards, the campaign or any of the procedures, e-mail or call Barb Bowers at 836-3871.

"Day of Caring" activities a success
UW-Eau Claire's United Way "Day of Caring" activities raised $1,320 to benefit United Way of Greater Eau Claire. The Sept. 10 festivities included a dunk tank, marshmallow golf, ice cream cones and a theme basket raffle. The raffle, which brought in more than $1,000, concluded Oct. 1, and the winners are:
    • Blugold basket — DeAnne Swenson, News Bureau
    • Comfort Food basket — Bonnie Clark, Academic Affairs
    • Down and Dirty/Gardening, No More Excuses/Healthy Habits and Recreation and Relaxation baskets — Linda Lee, student (Yes, she won three!)
    • Family Fun basket — Diane Walkoff, News Bureau
    • It's a Dog's Life basket — Judy Berthiaume, News Bureau
    • It's Show Time/Movie basket — Pam Taylor, student
    • Leisure Time Activities basket — Damian O'Brien, Admissions
    • Let Us Entertain You basket — Scott Ritter (spouse of Jodi Thesing-Ritter, Student Development and Diversity)
    • Let Us Grill You/Grilling basket — Chad Wade, student
    • Sweet Tooth basket — Sara Julson, Printing Services

A big thank you to everyone who donated items to create the theme baskets, purchased raffle tickets and/or volunteered at the "Day of Caring" and raffle display.

Regents to host listening session at
UW-Eau Claire
Members of the UW System Board of Regents will host a listening session Oct. 18 at UW-Eau Claire to hear ideas from the public about college affordability, recruiting and retaining quality faculty and staff, and economic development.

The listening session is slated for 4 to 6 p.m. in the Tamarack Room of Davies Center. During the session, UW System Board of Regents President Toby Marcovich, Vice President David Walsh, Mark Bradley and possibly Roger Axtell will meet with members of the general public. Members of the university community also are invited to attend.

The session at UW-Eau Claire is the first of two sessions the regents will host this month. The second session will be held at UW-Oshkosh Oct. 25.

New play, 'The Holmes-Pitezel Case,' to premiere at UW-Eau Claire Oct. 14
UW-Eau Claire's University Theatre production of "The Holmes-Pitezel Case," a new play written and directed by Terry Allen, professor of theatre arts, will premiere at 7:30 p.m. , Thursday, Oct. 14, in the Riverside Theatre. Additional performances will take place at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 15, 16 and 18-23, and at 1:30 p.m., Oct. 24.

Based on a true story, the play concerns Detective Frank P. Geyer's investigation of a suspicious death following the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. As the detective searches for evidence to the mysterious case, he eventually uncovers one of the most tragic crimes in American history.

Registration for Winterim open for enrolled students
The 2005 Winterim session offers 65 classroom courses and five online courses during a three-week session that runs Jan. 3-21, 2005.

UW-Eau Claire faculty and staff are encouraged to remind students of the many benefits of Winterim (things like, up to three credits in three weeks, smaller classes, a chance to catch up or move ahead with their degree).

Winterim Class Bulletins are available on the Web and outside the Registrar's Office.
 

Winterim has been a part of the academic calendar at UW-Eau Claire since 1996, when only 13 courses were offered.

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.