Featured Articles

Vanissa Murphy receives Schoenfeld award

$300,000 NIOSH grant to fund study of job burnout's effect on nurses' workplace safety

Meeting to seek input on Davies Center redevelopment project

Bridge Coalition meeting to feature results of survey assessing campus culture of drinking

Artists Series
presents Chinese choreographer/dancer Yu Wei Sept. 24

Telefund breaks record for employer matching gifts

Nursing students, middle-schoolers team up on health curriculum project

Service-learning resource profiles UW-Eau Claire

Coaching stipend fund memorializes Joe Merten

Campus experts to make community presentations

Grad works with reconstruction team in Afghanistan

United Way basket raffle sales continue

Vanissa Murphy receives Schoenfeld award

Murphy

Vanissa Murphy, UW-Eau Claire professor of music and theatre arts, is the 10th recipient of the Maxwell Schoenfeld Distinguished Professorship.

The award, created in honor of Maxwell Schoenfeld, a UW-Eau Claire history professor and scholar from 1964 until his death in 1996, recognizes a commitment to the university, achievement in scholarship and a commitment to student learning and life. Murphy will use the award funds to continue her research looking at the educational implications of the current body of knowledge regarding brain-based learning. Full story.

Halbesleben

$300,000 NIOSH grant to fund study of job burnout's effect
on nurses' workplace safety
Dr. Jonathon Halbesleben, UW-Eau Claire assistant professor of management and marketing, has received a three-year grant for $300,000 from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to research how job burnout and procedural shortcuts affect nurses' safety on the job.

The grant, offered by NIOSH, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is intended to attract researchers to investigate issues of worker safety, Halbesleben said.

Halbesleben will survey about 600 nurses at two different times at Veteran's Administration hospitals in the Upper Midwest. The first survey will look at the level of burnout the nurses' exhibit and the amount of workarounds — or deviations from normal procedures — used by them. In the second survey, Halbesleben will look at the number and severity of injuries that occurred from the time of the first survey to the second. He will use the data to determine the relationship, if any, between burnout, workarounds and work safety. Full story.

Meeting to seek input on Davies Center redevelopment project
As the planning process begins for the redevelopment of UW-Eau Claire's Davies Center, the  Redevelopment Steering Committee wishes to ensure that as much input and feedback as possible is garnered from the campus community.  The committee will host a university town meeting 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept, 24, in the Arrowhead Room of Davies Center. Steering committee members are Beth Hellwig, vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students, chair; Juan Carlos Chaves, senior lecturer, department of foreign languages; Terry Classen, director of facilities planning and management; Charles Farrell, director of University Centers;  and Tim Lauer, Student Senate president.

Bridge Coalition meeting to feature results
of survey assessing campus culture of drinking
The Bridge Campus Community Coalition will hold its 2008-09 opening meeting from 3-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, in the Tamarack Room of UW-Eau Claire's Davies Center. The coalition is a partnership between the Eau Claire community and UW-Eau Claire with a goal to reduce underage and high-risk drinking and associated negative experiences through education, enforcement and environmental strategies.

In April 2008, the Positive Response Team, a division of the Minnesota Institute of Public Health, chose UW-Eau Claire to participate in a comprehensive pilot study assessing the culture of drinking at universities around the country (see April 2008 news release). Positive Response surveyed the community within two miles of campus as well as faculty, students and local bar and restaurant managers. The team will present the survey results at Wednesday’s meeting, which will be followed by a group discussion about how to implement strategies to improve areas targeted in the findings. Guests and new members are welcome to attend this and future meetings.

Yu Wei

Artists Series presents Chinese choreographer/
dancer Yu Wei Sept. 24

Chinese choreographer and solo dancer Yu Wei will open the 2008-09 season of the Artists Series Sept. 24 at UW-Eau Claire.

The Yu Wei Chinese Dance Collection will be presented at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Fire Room of Davies Center. A question-and-answer session and reception will follow the performance.

"Yu Wei's dancing is all fluidity and grace," wrote the Philadelphia Inquirer. "There are strains of ballet, folk and modern dance throughout her program — she is adept at them all." Full story.

Telefund breaks record for employer matching gifts

UW-Eau Claire Telefund callers raised a record of nearly $150,00 in matching gift dollars from employers during the 2007-08 Telefund. (Photo by Bill Hoepner, LTS)

UW-Eau Claire student callers are gearing up for the start of the fall Telefund, a UW-Eau Claire Foundation fundraising effort that last year raised a record of nearly $150,000 in matching gift dollars from employers.

The Telefund — during which current students call alumni, parents of students and friends of the university to request donations — received more than $500,000 in gifts and pledges for fiscal year 2008.

Joe Romano, a 1975 UW-Eau Claire graduate, will again provide matching funds to help secure new donors. This will be the fifth year the alumnus has provided the matching funds. Full story.

Kirkhorn

Nursing students, middle-schoolers team up on health curriculum project
Nursing students at UW-Eau Claire will team with gifted and talented students from Eau Claire middle schools to develop health-related teaching projects, which they hope to eventually present to children at local elementary schools.

The 40 nursing students and 40 middle school students in the program will meet at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 25 in the Nursing Building. Plans are on the horizon to present projects that emerge from the planning session in some Eau Claire area elementary schools, said Lee-Ellen Kirkhorn, UW-Eau Claire associate professor of nursing. Organizers hope there is great interest and participation in the project among members of the local community, she said. Full story.

Service-learning resource profiles UW-Eau Claire
UW-Eau Claire is profiled in a new student guide available nationally this month for the first time.

The Guide to Service-Learning Colleges and Universities, 2008-09 Edition, is a one-stop resource for college bound students, parents and high school counselors who want to research schools that excel in offering experiential learning opportunities.

UW-Eau Claire's service-learning opportunities featured in the guide include Jumpstart-Eau Claire, a literacy program that pairs college students with young children to increase their reading experiences; Opera on Wheels, a touring outreach arm of the Opera Workshop ensemble that brings high-energy opera experiences to elementary school-age children throughout Wisconsin; a community leadership class that has students work with community organizations on semesterlong projects; and an information systems seminar that has senior IS students develop complete information systems for community clients such as the United Way, YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Epilepsy Foundation and more. Full story.

Coaching stipend fund memorializes Joe Merten

Joe Merten, who played basketball at UW-Eau Claire from 1977-81, died in March 2008. His widow, Susan Merten, has endowed a coaching stipend fund in his memory for the university’s department of athletics.

The widow of a Blugold Basketball Hall of Fame member has endowed a coaching stipend fund for the UW-Eau Claire department of athletics.

Susan Merten established the fund in memory of her husband, Joe Merten, who died in March 2008.

The Joe Merten Coaching Award will award $600 to a Blugold part-time assistant coach or graduate assistant coach who demonstrates a deep commitment to student athletes and embodies a passion for lifelong learning and love of the game. Full story.

Campus experts to make community presentations

Jol

Harry Jol to discuss "Biblical Archaeology":
Dr. Harry Jol, professor of geography, will present "Biblical Archaeology" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, at Acoustic Café in downtown Eau Claire. Jol's presentation is the first of UW-Eau Claire's 2008-09 "Ask a Scientist Series." Additional fall series presentations will be held Oct. 25 and Nov. 25 at the same time and location. A 30-minute discussion period will follow each presentation. Full story.

Bryant

Winnifred Bryant to present 'Let's Do Lunch' session: Dr. Winnifred Bryant, UW-Eau Claire assistant professor of biology, will explain during a lunch presentation Wednesday, Sept. 24, how synthetic and natural chemicals commonly found in the environment can mimic the actions of estrogen and the possible health consequences from exposure to them. Bryant will present "Environmental Estrogens: Pituitary Effects" from noon-1 p.m. Sept. 24 at Sweetwater's restaurant in Eau Claire. The presentation is part of the UW-Eau Claire Alumni Association's "Let's Do Lunch" series. Full story.

Herman

Daniel Herman to kick off biology seminar series: Dr. Daniel Herman, assistant professor of biology, will discuss "The Role of the Mbp 1 Protein in Regulating Morphogenesis in the Human Pathogen Candida albicans" during the first presentation of the Biological Sciences Seminar Series at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, in Room 319 of Phillips Science Hall. The series, newly funded by the Mayo Clinic, is free and open to students, faculty and staff, and members of the community. Full story.

Grad works with reconstruction team in Afghanistan

Hardinger

A UW-Eau Claire political science graduate and U.S. Army veteran is working with the United Kingdom provincial reconstruction team in Helmand, Afghanistan, helping civilians create a local government structure that will assist with restoring order to the region.

Foreign Service Officer Marlin Hardinger is the U.S. Department of State's representative on the provincial reconstruction team in Lashkar Gah, the capital city of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.

Hardinger — who served in the U.S. Army for 12 years before enrolling at UW-Eau Claire in 1996 — said his military experience and his education have contributed greatly to his ability to succeed in the Foreign Service.

With a major in political science and a minor in history, Hardinger said he studied world politics and history, which helped him with the Foreign Service entrance exams. And while a student, he was an intern with the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, serving as a liaison with state legislators. After graduating, he was an aide to a state legislator for two years. Full story.

United Way basket raffle sales continue
Tickets for drawing still on sale until Oct. 17

The "It's All About ME, ME, ME" basket (top photo), provided by the Student Affairs/Dean of Students office, and the "Road Trip" basket, provided by Advising and New Student Initiatives, are among the theme baskets donated to UW-Eau Claire employees' 2008 theme basket raffle to benefit the United Way of Greater Eau Claire. (Photos by Jodi Thesing-Ritter, Student Affairs/Dean of Students office)

UW-Eau Claire's Day of Caring event Sept. 15 launched UW-Eau Claire's 2008 theme basket raffle to benefit the United Way of Greater Eau Claire and its member agencies. Baskets created by UW-Eau Claire employees were displayed on the Central Campus Mall, and raffle tickets were sold for chances to win the baskets in a drawing to be held Oct. 17. Raffle tickets still can be purchased from the campus departments and offices sponsoring baskets, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 16 and 17 in the east lobby of Davies Center.

It's not too late for your department, office or unit to create a theme basket for the raffle. Find out how you and your co-workers can become involved. The following are the basket sponsors and themes so far:

• Activities and Programs: "That's Entertainment"
• Advising and New Student Initiatives: "Road Trip"
• Athletics: Blugold theme
• Business Services: "Wisconsin Favorites"
• Career Services: "Patriotic Theme"
• Children's Center: "Family Fun"
• Student Affairs/Dean of Students office: "It's All About ME, ME, ME"
• McIntyre Library: "It's a Mystery"
• Office of Multicultural Affairs: theme still undetermined
• University Communications: "Local Foods"
• University Recreation and Sport Facilities: theme still undetermined
• UW-Eau Claire Alumni Association and Foundation: "Bountiful Blugold Basket"

For more information and/or to volunteer, contact Jodi Thesing-Ritter (thesinjm@uwec.edu or 836-2325) or Jacqueline Bonneville (bonnevjk@uwec.edu or 836-3487).

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.