Campus Connection

Nobel Prize winner to discuss history of the universe during UW-L lecture

Nobel Prize Winner in Physics John Mather will explain the history of the universe in a nutshell — from the Big Bang to now, and on to the future — during a public lecture at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, at UW-La Crosse.

UW-L McNair Scholars program continues with $1.3 million in funding

More than an adviser

Assistant to the Dean loves problem-solving for students

Carla Burkhardt remembers the help she received from the assistant to the dean when she transferred to UW-La Crosse in the mid-’80s. She never thought she would one day advise students in a similar role. “When I met with Lois Wirkus as a transfer student, I never dreamed I’d be working alongside of her 10 years later,” says Burkhardt.

Drawings featured in opening UW-L gallery exhibit

Complete University Gallery season unveiled

Drawings from artists across the U.S. and Mexico will fill the UW-La Crosse University Art Gallery during the season’s inaugural exhibit. “Why Drawing?” opens with a reception from 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 6.

Hypnotist Chris Jones to perform

Alum Chris Jones returns to campus to show off his hypnotic skills. As a UW-L resident assistant, Jones often used his magic to connect with residents.  

Writing Center opens Sept. 10

UW-L's Writing Center in Murphy Library opens Monday, Sept. 10.  Hours of operations are:  

• Mondays and Wednesdays: 9 a.m-1 p.m. and 3-8 p.m.
• Tuesdays and Thursdays: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-8 p.m.
• Fridays: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Sundays: 4-8 p.m.

Peer tutors offer writers help in preparing:

• essays and major papers for courses in any department
• research reports
• literature reviews
• abstracts
• important letters
• texts for speeches and presentations
• applications for grants and scholarships

at any stage in the composing process:

• understanding the assignment
• finding a topic
• identifying and analyzing audience, purpose, and occasion
• developing material
• planning and organizing
• writing a rough draft
• revising
• editing

Find out more at www.uwlax.edu/writingcenter/.

Discovery Channel 'Storm Chasers' vehicle on campus Sept. 11

The Tornado Intercept Vehicle (the TIV), star of the Omnitheater film "Tornado Alley" and the Discovery Channel show "Storm Chasers," is blowing into campus for a visit. Check out the vehicle, talk with the driver and film producer, win tickets and more. Brandon Ivey, storm chaser and meteorologist, and Mike Day, executive producer of the film, be at the Hoeschler Tower from 10:30 a.m.-noon Tuesday, Sept. 11, to talk about storm chasing, weather and film production.

LGBTIQQAA Welcome Social to be held Sept. 11

Talk on beautiful images of Bhutan set for Sept. 11

UW-L's Freshmen Seminar offers common events for fall 2012

UWL100, the university’s freshmen seminar course, will serve approximately 400 students in 15 different sections during the fall semester. Students in all sections will attend events and activities while exploring “What does it mean to be an educated person?” as well as six additional themes. The required events and activities include reading "Enrique’s Journey" and Sonia Nazario speaker event; attending Toland Theater’s play "Mirror of the Invisible World" and Involvement Fest; and understanding the Advisement Report, as well as diversity and global awareness. For more information contact UWL100 co-coordinators Jo Arney at jarney@uwlax.edu or 785.6641 or Sharie Brunk at sbrunk@uwlax.edu or  785.6950.

Tryouts for UW-L pom team set for Sept. 17, 18

Tryouts the UW-L pom team for the fall 2012 season are from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 17 and 18, in the Mitchell Dance Studio, 103B Mitchell. Watch for informational fliers around campus. For more information contact pom team captains Shannon Kenny kenny.shan@uwlax.edu or 414.807.5757 or Danielle Spahn at spahn.dani@uwlax.edu.

PT program to host exercise class for those with movement disorders

UW-L's Physical Therapy program is offering a new community exercise class for people with movement disorders, such as Parkinson's, post CVA and multiple sclerosis. The La Crosse Movement Disorders Exercise Program will be held begining Mondays and Wednesdays in September from 3:30-5:30 p.m. PT students will be paired with community participants to help develop and support an individualized exercise and functional activity program. For more information contact John Greany at 785.8461 or Erin Hussey at ehussey@uwlax.edu.

Women in Black peace vigils resume on campus

Women in Black will hold weekly peace vigils  from 12:30-1 p.m. Thursdays at the Hoeschler Tower through the end of semester classes. Everyone is welcome to join them. Women in Black was created in 1988 by Palestinian and Israeli women who sought to respond nonviolently to the violence in their society.  Women in Black has become an international network of women committed to peace with justice and actively opposed to war and other violence. Participants wear black to mourn victims of war and violence and to mourn the destruction of nature and the rending of the fabric of society. For more information contact Deborah Buffton at dbuffton@uwlax.edu or 785.8359.

Pink Floyd featured band at Sept. 14 Album Encounters

The Album Encounters multimedia light and laser show features Pink Floyd's "Meddle" at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, in 20 Cowley Hall. Admission is $4. To find out more, contact Bob Allen at allen.robe@uwlax.edu or 785.8669. Find out more about the Planetarium.

Provost Heidi Macpherson to talk about contemporary American women's writing Sept. 17

The lecture "Political Landscapes, Private Hauntings: Violence in Contemporary American Women’s Writing" will focus on how contemporary anxieties are played out in the pages of women’s fiction, as well as the ways in which women’s writing increasingly stages legal conflict or engages in representations of the aftermath of violence. Her primary focus will be on Lionel Shriver’s award-winning novel "We Need to Talk About Kevin," which recently was made into a film with Tilda Swinton, as well as other novels in which mothers come into conflict with the law and negotiate their  innocence or guilt in the face of both real and imagined courts of law. The talk is sponsored by the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department. For more information, contact: Mahruq Khan at mkhan@uwlax.edu or 785.8351.

Roundworms topic of Sept. 20 bioresearch forum

Jennifer A. Miskowski, Biology, will present From Roundworms to Man: The Role of NUD-1 in Development and Disease" from 12:15-1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, for the monthly La Crosse BioResearch Forum. Forums are held in the Overholt Auditorium, Gundersen Lutheran. The free forums are open to the public and are hosted by the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation. Those attending should park in the Green ramp (see map) or use valet parking. Use the entrances at the north end and northeast side of the medical center.

UW System has new air fare policy

UW System recently introduced policy 1201: Travel & Expense – Booking & Payment of Business Air Travel. To learn more about the policy and for guidelines on booking an airline ticket, visit: http://www.uwlax.edu/budgetandfinance/travel/How_To_Guides/AirlineTickets.pdf. For more information contact Beth Naas at 785.8612 or Jason Steiner at 785.8611.  

Jörg Vianden, Student Affairs Administration, published "The Critical Incident Technique in Student Affairs Research and Practice" in the September issue of the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice.   Welcome back, students, faculty and staff. This fall semester we’re excited to offer a new innovative dining services program for the entire university community. Stop by the newly renovated Whitney Dining Center, Cartwright Center, Centennial Hall and Murphy Library to see the new and exciting changes. For details on hours of operation, menus and more visit www.uwlaxdining.com.

New employees

Aug. 10

• Sheena Cook-Fuglsang, Research Intern, Exercise & Sport Science

Aug. 17

• Rick Stewart, Associate Instructional Specialist, Office of Field Experience

Aug. 27

• Naoka Aminaka, Assistant Professor, Exercise & Sport Science
• Benjamin Anderson, Lecturer, Mathematics
• Sara Anderson, Associate Lecturer, English
• Sheida Babakhani Teimouri, Lecturer, Economics
• John Barnshaw, Lecturer, Sociology & Archaeology
• Scott Bean, Lecturer, Music
• Ariel Beaujot, Assistant Professor , History
• Krista Belanger, Lecturer, Communication Studies
• Richard Breaux Jr., Assistant Professor, Ethnic & Racial Studies
• Joan Bunbury, Assistant Professor, Geography and Earth Science
• Clayton Camic, Assistant Professor, Exercise & Sport Science
• Gargi Chaudhuri, Assistant Professor, Geography and Earth Science
• Yan Chen, Visiting Assistant Professor, Information Systems
• Kasey Crawford, Research Intern, Exercise & Sport Science
• Elisabeth Crosby, Lecturer, Marketing
• Timothy Dale, Assistant Professor, Political Science and Public Administration
• Sarah Downing, Associate Lecturer, Psychology
• Eric Eager, Assistant Professor, Mathematics
• Hope Eike, Lecturer, Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation
• Samantha Foley, Assistant Professor, Computer Science
• Anna George, Assistant Professor, Chemistry
• Lillian Hallock, Lecturer, Exercise & Sport Science
• Laurlyn Harmon, Assistant Professor, Recreation Management & Therapeutic Recreation
• Taviare Hawkins, Assistant Professor, Physics
• Shelley Hay, Assistant Professor, Modern Languages
• Eddward Herron, Lecturer, Accountancy
• Adam Hoffer, Assistant Professor, Economics
• Anthony Drake Hokanson, Lecturer, Art
• Joshua Hursey, Assistant Professor, Computer Science
• Jooyeon Jin, Assistant Professor, Exercise & Sport Science
• Lema Kabashi, Lecturer, Educational Studies
• Christa Kiersch, Assistant Professor, Management
• Charles King, Lecturer, Exercise & Sport Science; Coach, Intercollegiate Athletics
• Jennifer Klein, Assistant Professor, Biology
• Barrett Klein, Assistant Professor, Biology
• Attila Kovacs, Assistant Professor, Exercise & Sport Science
• John Kovari, Assistant Professor, Political Science & Public Administration
• Barbara Larsen, Associate Lecturer, Marketing
• Lynn Letukas, Assistant Professor, Sociology & Archaeology
• Terry Lilley, Assistant Professor, Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies
• Megan Litster, Assistant Professor, Biology
• Deborah-Eve Lombard, Associate Lecturer, Art and English
• Allan Macpherson, Associate Professor, Management
• Pamela Morris, Assistant Professor, Communication Studies
• Kate Parker, Assistant Professor, English
• Adriana Perez Candia, Associate Lecturer, Modern Languages
• Tania Perez-Cano, Lecturer, Modern Languages
• Henry Petersen, Assistant Professor, Management
• Dawn Rouse, Lecturer, Educational Studies
• Derek Salter, Associate Lecturer, Chemistry
• Lisa Savarese, Lecturer, Recreation Management & Therapeutic Recreation
• Jacob Sciammas, Lecturer, Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation
• Derek Stanley, Coach and Assistant Coach, Intercollegiate Athletics
• Rick Stewart, Associate Lecturer, Educational Studies
• William Stobb, Assistant Professor, English
• Steven Thornburg, Assistant Professor, Accountancy
• Tiffany Trimmer, Assistant Professor, History
• Yevgeniya Turov, Associate Lecturer, Chemistry
• Jennifer Wang, Assistant Professor, Psychology
• Jennifer Weber, Associate Student Services Coordinator, Financial Aid Office
• Rebecca Werren, Lecturer, Biology
• Hongying Xu, Lecturer, Modern Languages
• Masahiro Yamamoto, Assistant Professor, Communication Studies
• Ann Yehle, Assistant Professor, Educational Studies

Sept. 1

• Jacquelyn Briggs, Assistant Director, Admissions, Admissions Office

Transfers

• Debra Hoeth, University Services Associate 2, English/Educational Studies
• Kathryn Oganowski, Assistant Director, Educational Student Support Services, Upward Bound Program*

*Transfer to new position

Resignations

Aug.  21

• Amber Hackman, Associate Lecturer, Modern Languages

Aug. 31

• Enrika Hlavacek, Research Intern, River Studies Center

  A summary of some of the stories about UW-La Crosse spotted in the news. "UW wants to raise faculty/staff pay," Wisconsin Public Radio, Aug. 30. The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents president says increasing faculty and staff pay is one of the greatest priorities and challenges for the year. President Brent Smith says he gets emails from System chancellors regularly, saying they lose employees to other universities that offer better pay. He says the UW System has to develop more competitive compensation plans. UW System faculty and staff pay is about 18% behind peer universities ... "UW schools raise money for scholarships," Wisconsin Public Radio, Aug. 31. Some University of Wisconsin school officials are beginning to fill budget holes through new fundraising efforts. Next year, UW La Crosse officials will launch an aggressive fundraising campaign. They want to raise $15 million in seven years with the money going towards scholarships. UWL Chancellor Joe Gow says this will help offset the school’s reduction in state funding and rising "New food provider expands offerings at UW-L," La Crosse Tribune, Aug. 31. College diets will change this fall at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The university switched campus dining services in July, which means overhauled menus, new eateries and new meal plans for students ... Students Head Back to Campus Sept. 1, WXOW.com La Crosse, WI (WXOW) — A busy day at the UW-La Crosse, as students return to campus. That means about 10,000 more people populating the city. Half of the students living in dorms moved in Friday, and the other half will arrive Saturday. To help the ... See all stories on this topic » "UW-L grad running to be president of Somalia," La Crosse Tribune, Sept. 1. Ahmed Samatar was an outspoken University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student with a penchant for politics, especially those affecting his native Somalia. Now, he’s in the running to be that country’s next president ... "UW-L faculty calms freshmen fears," WXOW, Sept. 2. Classes don't start until Tuesday, but the freshman class is all moved in at the UW-La Crosse, and Sunday morning they got a preview of college life... (video clip) Watch Video: UW-La Crosse Move-In Day UW-La Crosse Move-In Day. August 31st 2012 1:08 p.m.. Thousands of students will be ... video.news8000.com/watch.php?id=35495 "UW-L begins semester with slightly lower enrollment," La Crosse Tribune, Sept. 5. Students also started a new school year Tuesday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse...Estimated enrollment for this year is 10,180, down slightly from about 10,260 last year. Freshman enrollment also dropped slightly after peaking in the 2011-12 school year ... "Police: Missing student was still drunk when found," La Crosse Tribune, Sept. 5. A college student who sparked a manhunt Monday was still legally drunk when he was found nearly eight hours after wandering away from friends...The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student from West Salem said later he didn't know anyone was looking for him ...  

For students

By Charlene Holler, Academic Specialist, Counseling and Testing Center My name is Charlene Holler and I would like to be one more person to welcome you to UW-L for the first time, or, to welcome you back to campus. As an academic specialist, I address any and all study skills which can help you be a more effective and efficient student. I will be writing a weekly Take Note column in this publication. I hope you will read my column and find it helpful. Better yet, I invite you to meet with me by stopping by my Counseling and Testing Center office in 2106 Centennial Hall. This week’s note is specifically directed at first semester freshmen. How have you found your university classes differ from your high school classes? Even this early on, I would guess you have experienced more differences than similarities. To name a few ... -There is the number of hours each day in the classroom; from about seven hours a day in high school to only about two to four hours a day in college. -Classes have students with more varied backgrounds. (Are you sitting next to the chemistry whiz kid?) -There are few day-to-day assignments, but many more long-range projects and papers which require planning. -There are fewer exams, which may sound like good news until you realize you have fewer opportunities to raise your grade. -The text chapters or readings are longer, more in depth and are written at a higher reading level. -The instructors often do not lecture from the text, but expect you to learn that information on your own. -The instructors do not know you. And while you may want to observe silently from the back of the class, that anonymity will not serve you well when you need questions answered or other considerations. -and ... I am sure you can add many more. The classroom and learning transitions from high school to college may necessitate some new and improved strategies. So be open to suggestions and be ready to try different approaches I present in this weekly column.

For sale

Beautiful oak cabinet (could use as a TV stand or storage), 44 1/2" long x 24 1/2 " wide x 29" high, two drawers, two doors with glass. $100. Call Kathy at 608.385.5962. Smaller (length 78") burgundy leather couch in good condition, great for basement or apartment, $65; 1930s Coronado floor radio that works great for listening to the "oldies," $85; 1930s Mission (Morris style) oak rocking chair with leather seat and back in excellent condition, $60; 1930s solid oak office chair with cane seat, $20; burgundy cloth rocker recliner with "grandpa-style comfort," $35. Email jrindt@uwlax.edu for more info/pics. Medium-sized, solid fruit wood French Provincial hutch in excellent condition with two glass shelves on the upper half and closed storage below. $70. Contact Susan at 507.895.2096 or sbutterfield@uwlax.edu.

Wanted

Subleaser. Contact Emily Jensen at jensen.emi2@uwlax.edu or 608.516.8980.