Featured Articles

Dana Milbank to speak at ninth Devroy Forum

UW-Eau Claire greets its next chancellor

Talk by human rights activist to be broadcast today

Campus hosts Hmong studies discussion, lectures

Student's sculpture is placed at The Highground

Faculty, academic staff invited to discussion on goals of the baccalaureate degree

New staff members join campus community

Initiative encourages organized discussion on issues related to science and religion

CIE seeks hosts for international students

Outside activity policy prohibits conflicts of interest

Regents' action makes way for Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery

Dana Milbank to speak at ninth Devroy Forum

Dana Milbank

Dana Milbank, a national political reporter for The Washington Post, will be the featured speaker at the ninth annual Ann Devroy Memorial Forum April 25 at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The forum presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m. April 25 in Schofield Auditorium. The title of Milbank's presentation is "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Blog?" In addition to his work as a national political reporter for the Post, Milbank is the author of the Post's "Washington Sketch," an observational column about political theater in the capital; writes the weekly "Washington Week in Preview" for the online magazine Slate; and appears regularly on MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" and other news programs.

The Ann Devroy Memorial Forum and Devroy Memorial Fund were established to recognize the outstanding journalistic work of 1970 UW-Eau Claire graduate Ann Devroy, who died of cancer in 1997 at the age of 49. Devroy, a Green Bay native, was a White House correspondent for more than 15 years. She covered the Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton administrations. The Devroy Fund awards a scholarship and helps defray the cost of a three-week residency at The Washington Post for Devroy winners. Winners also have paid internships at Wisconsin daily newspapers. The Devroy winner is announced during the Forum presentation. Full story.

UW-Eau Claire greets its next chancellor
UW-Eau Claire faculty, staff and students welcomed Dr. Brian Levin-Stankevich, the university's chancellor designate, and his wife, Debi, at campus receptions April 3. The couple was in Eau Claire to purchase a home and to meet members of the university community. Dr. Levin-Stankevich will begin his duties as UW-Eau Claire chancellor June 1. Below are photos taken by Rick Mickelson, Learning and Technology Services, during the day's events:

Above left, Levin-Stankevich spoke to UW-Eau Claire faculty and staff members during a morning welcome reception in the Spruce-Tamarack Room, Davies Center. At right, he spoke to area media during a press conference before the reception.

At left, Levin-Stankevich greeted Bonnie Isaacson, student services coordinator in UW-Eau Claire's Financial Aid Office. To Isaacson's right is financial aid counselor Melissa Vogler. At right, Debi Levin-Stankevich talks with Steve Tallant, interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.

	Above left: Angie Foschi, left, and Amanda Zenner greet Levin-Stankevich during an afternoon reception with students in the Presidents Room, Davies Center. Below, Levin-Stankevich stands with Dr. Donald Mash, UW-Eau Claire chancellor emeritus, and Interim Chancellor Vicki Lord Larson. Mash, now executive vice president of the UW System, welcomed Levin-Stankevich on behalf of the system.

Talk by human rights activist to be broadcast today

Rigoberta Menchú Tum

UW-Eau Claire will broadcast a speech by leading human rights activist Rigoberta Menchú Tum, speaking from UW-Milwaukee at noon today, in Davies Theatre. Menchú Tum, of Quiché Maya heritage, has become widely known as a leading advocate of indigenous rights and ethno-cultural reconciliation. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992. The event is sponsored by Latin American Studies, American Indian Studies, Women's Studies and the Staff and Faculty for Peace and Justice. The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact Analisa DeGrave at (715) 836-4546 or degravae@uwec.edu.

Campus hosts Hmong studies discussion, lectures
UW-Eau Claire will host "An Introduction to Hmong Studies: A Panel Discussion and Lectures" Tuesday and Wednesday, April 11-12. The event will feature guest speaker Dr. Mark Pfeifer, director of the Hmong Resource Center at the Hmong Cultural Center in St. Paul, Minn. At the center, Pfeifer has created the largest centralized collection of Hmong-related materials in the United States.

A panel discussion, "Dialogue on Hmong Studies," will take place at 4 p.m. April 11 in the Ho-Chunk Room of Davies Center. A lecture, "Hmong Studies 101," will be presented at noon and then again at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12, in Davies Theatre. The discussion will feature Pfeifer and five UW-Eau Claire panelists, all of whom have worked closely with the Hmong community. They will introduce their research, teaching and service activities and discuss the rewards of being involved in Hmong studies for people of diverse cultural backgrounds. The lectures, presented by Pfeifer, will be an introduction to Hmong history and culture. Full story.

A stainless steel sculpture by UW-Eau Claire student Anne Jensen was installed Feb. 24 at The Highground in Neillsville. (Contributed photo)

A UW-Eau Claire student's artwork has been chosen as the feature piece in The Highground's Meditation Garden in Neillsville. Anne Jensen, a senior from Black River Falls, designed a stainless steel sculpture of six doves flying upward through a large sphere. The six birds were meant to represent World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, Korean War, Desert Storm and the Iraq conflict. Sponsoring the sculpture was the family of Sgt. Andrew Wallace, who was killed Sept. 26, 2005, while serving in Iraq. During the sculpture building process, welder David Marten consulted with Jensen and a seventh dove was added, thought by those involved in the project to be in honor of Wallace. On Feb. 24, the sculpture with seven doves was set upon its base at the entrance of the meditation garden by Wallace's family, Jensen and Marten. The official dedication ceremony will be Tuesday, July 4. Full story.

Faculty, academic staff invited to discussion
on goals of the baccalaureate degree
UW-Eau Claire faculty and academic staff are invited to an open discussion with Steven Tallant, interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, about the goals for the baccalaureate degree at UW-Eau Claire. The meeting will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, in the Menominee/Oneida rooms in Davies Center. The discussion will include consideration of replies from the University Senate Academic Policies Committee, the University General Education Committee, and all four college curriculum committees, which were asked to review the University Assessment Committee's Progress Report on the Assessment of Student Academic Achievement. See Dr. Tallant's meeting notice to faculty and academic staff.

New staff members join campus community

Diane Doudna

Foundation names new annual giving director: Diane Doudna has been named the director of annual giving and major gifts officer for the UW-Eau Claire Foundation. Doudna, a 1986 graduate of Lawrence University, began her new position April 3. She fills the position left by Heidi Fisher, who left to accept a position as executive director of Literacy Volunteers-Chippewa Valley. Doudna will develop short- and long-term plans to increase annual private support from alumni and friends of UW-Eau Claire. Full story.

Grant writer to serve UW-Eau Claire, Eau Claire schools: Mary Beth Kelley-Lowe has been appointed as a grant-writing specialist for UW-Eau Claire's College of Education and Human Sciences and the Eau Claire Area School District. Kelley-Lowe began the jointly funded position April 3. She will provide leadership for initiating, developing, securing and administering public and private external grants and be a resource to school district and university personnel seeking grants. Full story.

Initiative encourages organized discussion
on issues related to science and religion

Dr. Charlene Burns

Recent and anticipated advances in the sciences leave many students and community members struggling to make sense of how science fits with their faith-based beliefs, UW-Eau Claire science and religion faculty say. To help people better understand issues that relate to science and religion, several faculty and community members have established the Chippewa Valley Dialogue on Science and Religion, said Dr. Charlene Burns, associate professor of philosophy and religious studies. The initiative will encourage organized discussions, bring science and religion experts to campus, and help high school science teachers better address questions that touch on religion, she said.

The core members of CVDSR — which includes science and religion faculty, clergy and a local physician — have been meeting since fall 2005. This spring, the group will broaden the conversation by creating numerous study groups so people on or off campus can join the discussion. Full story.

Innah Park, a nursing major from Korea, prepares homemade pizza with her hosts, Jodi Baglien Sparkes, Publications Office, and Bill Sparkes. (Photo by Rick Mickelson, LTS)

CIE seeks hosts for international students
UW-Eau Claire's Center for International Education seeks new families and individuals to become hosts to international students in fall 2006. Hosts provide a three-four-day home stay for new international students when they arrive in Eau Claire for the semester and then stay in contact with their student once a month during their time in Eau Claire. The home stay dates for this fall are Aug. 25-28. There is no financial commitment for hosts, and the experience is a way for hosts and their families to learn about other cultures without leaving home. For more information contact Stephanie Pyykola at (715) 836-4075 or pyykolsk@uwec.edu.

Outside activity policy prohibits conflicts of interest
Employees of the university are reminded that, pursuant to the Wisconsin Administrative Code, ER-MRS 24, they must avoid conflicts of interest in the performance of their duties. In particular, employees should note ER-MRS 24.04 (2)(b), which states, "No employee may solicit or accept from any person or organization, directly or indirectly, money or anything of value if it could reasonably be expected to influence such employee's official actions or judgment, or could reasonably be considered as a reward for any official action or inaction on the part of such employee."

The UW System Board of Regents requires all system unclassified staff (faculty, academic staff and limited appointees) with half-time appointments or more to report annually (by April 30 of each year) on outside activities and interests related to their areas of professional responsibility and for which they receive remuneration as specified in guidelines. Each unclassified employee recently should have received a reporting form and instructions to satisfy this requirement.

While classified staff are not required to report on an annual basis, they are obligated to avoid conflicts of interest in compliance with Section ER-MRS 24 of the Administrative Code. For further information please contact Donna Weber (classified staff) at weberdj@uwec.edu or Jan Morse (unclassified staff) at morsejm@uwec.edu.

Regents' action makes way for Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery
UW-Madison will move forward to create the publicly funded Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery and the adjoining Morgridge Institute for Research, a private, not-for-profit research institute, following UW System Board of Regents action April 7. The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery will be funded by the largest gift in the university's history, a $50 million private gift from John and Tashia Morgridge, as well as a $50 million matching gift from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and $50 million provided by the state of Wisconsin. The regents approved a resolution granting authority for UW-Madison to exchange land with WARF, and to request a waiver that would allow WARF to construct the facilities.The Institutes for Discovery will help Wisconsin remain competitive by taking the “best of the public, and the best of the private” to create the Midwest's first world-class research center, said Carl Gulbrandsen, managing director of WARF. Read the Day 1 and Day 2 news summaries from the regents' April meeting, held at UW-Green Bay.

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 Julie Poquette at poquetjm@uwec.edu are encouraged. Faculty/staff news items are published on a space-available basis.