Reform deal at UWSP, lawsuit imminent

Submitted by Jeffrey Decker
2004-2005 UWSP Speaker of the Senate

Major concessions by administrators give students a victory in the struggle to restore rule of law to UWSP.  The single Finance Committee last week cut the budget of one of the “rogue subcommittees” that had claimed independence from student government, and a new implementation plan restores student government’s dominance over all its rogue committees.

These concessions will be made official in a signing ceremony and follow a series of missteps by administrators and bold action by students.

UWSP Chancellor Patterson has apologized for intimidating a Student Government advisor in a March 13 meeting where he obstructed the right of the students to organize as they see fit.  You can hear the advisor take offense at 8:25 in this recording: http://sharedgov.podomatic.com/.  Please read the open letter students sent around campus demanding an apology.

Only one SUFAC has ever existed at UWSP.  By dividing and absorbing student power they have managed to double segregated fees over the last five years.

Another aspect of the reform is found in new definitions of “allocable” and “non-allocable” in the new SUFAC bylaws. Administrators had defined almost all fees as “non-allocable,” meaning students have only meaningful input and not direct control, but at UWSP “meaningful input” has meant showing only completed budgets to student leaders and insisting on complete approval.    https://www.uwsp.edu/stuorg/sga/documents/referendum/sufac%20bylaws.doc

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Jeffrey Decker’s credentials include a record as a successful journalist and vice-president of the Oshkosh Neighborhood Watch.

MSTC Foundation Offers Over 30,000 in Scholarships for High School Seniors!

Celebrating 30 Years of Scholarships – Application Deadline is April 7

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – In celebration of 30 years of scholarships, the Mid-State Technical College Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce that an additional $30,000 has been allocated to its scholarship budget and available for the upcoming academic year.

Scholarship application periods during 2011 will include extensive opportunities for new and continuing, full- and part-time students to receive increased awards. Several scholarships are valued at $3,000. Submissions for these “anniversary” awards will be accepted in written and video format, and will challenge entrants to answer questions about their life and their dreams.

Currently, several scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors who will attend MSTC as a full-time program student in August. Four scholarships are valued at $3,000 each and 21 are valued at $1,250 each. Interested graduating seniors are encouraged to visit the college’s website at www.mstc.edu/about/foundation.htm for applications and procedures. Application forms for each scholarship are also available by request via email at foundation@mstc.edu or telephone (715) 422-5322. The application deadline is Thursday, April 7.

Completed applications can be submitted to: Celebrating 30 Years, MSTC Foundation Office, 500 32nd Street North, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494. All application materials are due April 7, 2011.

State award presented to LEAF Program partnership

A partnership between a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point forestry outreach program and a northeast Wisconsin school district received the Standing Up for Rural Schools, Libraries, and Communities award from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction this week.

UWSP’s LEAF Program (Learning Experiences & Activities in Forestry) in collaboration with the Goodman-Armstrong Creek (G-AC) School Forest and Community Learning Partnership was recognized by Wisconsin DPI Superintendent Tony Evers Monday at a special awards ceremony in Madison.

According to Jeremy Solin, director of the LEAF Program, the partnership aims to create an integrated PK-12 program where the community and school forest are the setting for and purpose of student learning. It explores how student learning can be a process for creating a healthy and vibrant rural community. Specific goals of the partnership are: 1) Students have a strong sense of place, 2) Students are literate about Wisconsin’s forests, 3) Teachers will engage the community and utilize the school forest and community as the setting and purpose for student learning, and 4) Students, teachers, and community members contribute to making their community a healthy, vibrant place.

A G-AC community session was held in 2009 to develop a shared vision to which to connect student learning. A leadership team of G-AC teachers and the school administrator provide direction and leadership for the project. A G-AC school forest committee of teachers, school board members, administrators and community members provide overall guidance. The LEAF Program staff provides on-going teacher professional development (3-4 in-services/years) and a staff member, Chris Kuntz, to guide, model and implement the program in the schools on a regular basis.

As a result, PK-12 students are learning about their human and natural communities and extensively using their school forest; community members, businesses, and agencies are being utilized as resources for student learning; relationships between teachers, community members and resource professionals have been strengthened; and the student and teacher connection to and sense of ownership of the school forests have increased.

As one teacher said, “. . . what we have at this point is a school/community forest that is . . . ‘owned’ by all of us. This is truly a positive force in connecting the students, staff and the citizens of two towns.”

Erwin named marketing specialist for College of Fine Arts & Communication

Bobbie Erwin, of Stevens Point, has been named as the marketing specialist for the College of Fine Arts & Communication (COFAC) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Erwin, who graduated from UWSP in 1992 with bachelor of fine arts degree in graphic design, is responsible for leading the college’s efforts in promoting programs, cultural and educational events and creating a unified promotion system.

“Bobbie is uniquely qualified to understand our college culture and programs. We are all excited by the prospect of increased attention to our events that this brings,” said Jeff Morin, dean of the college.

Before returning to UWSP to work in the COFAC dean’s office in 2006, she held graphic design, art director and marketing positions with area companies including Noel Group/Travel Guard, Herrschner’s, Jones Publishing and Add Inc. She has also been involved in community organizations such as the Stevens Point Area Foundation and served on the Portage County Cultural Festival committee.

“Since returning to campus, I have had the opportunity and privilege to work with UWSP students, faculty and staff on many levels,” said Erwin. “This new position encompasses all the favorite things and projects I used to work on and with, allowing me to promote a university and college that I truly believe in and giving me the chance to make a difference in the lives of the students attending UW-Stevens Point.”

Sign up now for Girl University

In April, your local Girl Scout Council is offering an event open to all girls, called Girl University. Girl University—organized by Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes—is designed to inspire and empower girls to pursue leadership opportunities, make an impact in their community, and overcome any fears or barriers that might prohibit them from seeking future opportunities in higher education. Girls do not need to be currently registered for Girl Scouts to attend.

WHO: All girls in grades 6-12

WHAT:  South Wood County girls in grades 6-12 are invited to Girl University FOR FREE, in conjunction with the Girl Scout 2011 Leadership Conference. The day will begin with a keynote speech from Cathryn Cofell and two breakout sessions of one’s choosing.

Girls will then load a bus and head off to St. Norbert College for Girl University, a one-day leadership program targeted to provide girls with leadership prospects and give them college and university insights that will help them succeed after high school. This program will bring them face-to-face with university staff, community professionals, and members of local organizations. Participants will learn about particular fields of study, college coursework rigor, and challenges that university students face, such as paying for things, staying healthy, and balancing school, social life, and sleep. Other sessions offered will focus on conflict-resolution, self-esteem, team building, health and wellness, and other hands-on hobbies and skills.

Learn more about Girl University at http://www.gsnwgl.org/activities-for-girls/just-for-teens.html

COST: Thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County, girls in South Wood County attend Girl University FOR FREE. This includes the communities of Biron, Grand Rapids, Nekoosa, Pittsville, Port Edwards, Rome, Rudolph, Vesper and Wisconsin Rapids. Girls outside this area may attend Girl University for just $25, and non-Girl Scouts add $12 for a national Girl Scout registration cost, which will register girls for the 2010-2011 membership year and make her eligible for summer camp, a trip to Chicago, and other awesome Girl Scout programs and events (financial aid is available!).

LOCATION:  The Leadership Conference will be held at the Tundra Lodge in Green Bay (865 Lombardi Ave), busses leave for St. Norbert at 1:00 p.m.

WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 8:30 a.m.

RSVP BY: Friday, April 1, register at http://www.gsnwgl.org/.

CONTACT: Contact Carrie with questions- you can reach her at candringa@gsnwgl.org, 888.747.6945, ext. 5513

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Thank you to all Girl University sponsors: Aspirus Health Foundation, Marquette County Community Foundation, Alger Regional Community Foundation, and the Godfrey and Kahn Women’s Leadership Forum. Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes is a proud United Way Partner Program.

Free forum focuses on connecting with the natural world

Inspiring people to connect with new ideas and each other, the Courtyard Connections series at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will kick off its inaugural forum on Tuesday, March 8.

Sponsored by the College of Fine Arts and Communication, the event, “Idylls for the Misbegotten,” will include two 20-minute multimedia presentations focusing on our relationship with nature. It will be held in the courtyard of the Noel Fine Arts Center at 7 p.m., beginning and ending with hors d’oeuvre and cash bar receptions. It is free and open to the public.

The first presentation will be held at 7:40 p.m. and features an introduction to the work of American composer George Crumb and a performance of his flute and percussion piece of the same name. Presenters include Julie Hobbs, Ryan Korb, Todd Truesdale and Robert Rosen of the Music Department.

The second presentation at 8:10 p.m. will focus on the National Park Service and its balance between preservation and conservation and human use. Melissa Baker of the College of Natural Resources forest recreation program and Kelly Roark of the Department of History will give this slide-show presentation.

“Courtyard Connections seeks to gather a community of faculty, staff, students and area residents who are interested in making connections through presenters who will share their passion with an open and receptive audience,” says Brendan Caldwell, assistant professor of the Music Department.

The series will offer two forums each semester, adds Caldwell, each with two short presentations that may be clearly connected or might inspire the audience to find their own connections between the two. The next is set for Wednesday, April 20, and will feature Dennis Willhoit of the Music Department speaking about opera and Roger Nelson of the Theatre and Dance Department talking about musical theatre.

For more information, contact Brendan Caldwell at 715-346-4599 or bcaldwel@uwsp.edu.

UWSP Fire Crew and Wisconsin DNR train new class of firefighters

UWSP Fire Crew and Wisconsin DNR train new class of firefighters this winter

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Fire Crew, with the help of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, will conduct its wildland fire class for UWSP students from March 5-6 and March 9-13, on state land east of the town of Plover off County Road R.

The outdoor session is part of the requirements for a five-day wildland firefighter course that trains students in all aspects of firefighting in a wildland environment including meteorology, fire behavior, firefighter safety, firefighting tactics and equipment such as air tankers, bulldozers and fire engines. The training meets federal standards and will allow students who graduate from the course to work as entry-level wildland firefighters anywhere in the nation. Students participating are enrolled in Forestry 224, a Fire Operation course in the College of Natural Resources.

Training for the students will consist of extinguishing burning piles of wood, constructing a fire line to contain a fire, measuring weather conditions and using portable radios to transmit that information, using air photos and maps to find spot fires, and orienting students to the operations of bulldozers, fire engines and pumps.

The UWSP Fire Crew uses live fire as a training aid to increase the students’ understanding of course material. Do not call 911 if you see smoke in the area on these dates.

Contact: Jeff Metcalf, fire crew public information officer, jmetc054@uwsp.edu or 715-346-2897.

CDC communication expert to highlight challenges in communicating health information

Glen Nowak, senior adviser to the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia

A nationally respected expert on health communication issues will be a guest lecturer in communication classes at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on March 8 and 9. Glen Nowak, who serves as the senior adviser to the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, will talk to students in a number of health communication and public relations classes.

Nowak will present a free public lecture at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 9, in Room 221 of the Noel Fine Arts Center. In his talk, “Communicating About Health, Science and Medicine: Who Knew It Could Be This Difficult,” Nowak will discuss some of the challenges involved in trying to influence people’s health-related beliefs and behaviors. He will also provide tips and strategies for increasing the odds of success when communicating about issues related to health, science and medicine.

Nowak serves as the senior media adviser for all respiratory diseases and immunization issues for the CDC. He was the CDC’s point man during the H1N1 health crisis in 2009. His tenure at the CDC includes assignments as the director of the Division of News and Electronic Media and as the associate director for communications at the CDC’s National Immunization Program. Nowak is a frequently quoted source on important health issues.

A Wisconsin native, Nowak received his undergraduate degree in 1982 from UW-Milwaukee with majors in economics and communication. He earned his master’s degree in journalism (1987) and a doctorate in mass communication (1990) at UW-Madison.

United Way’s Project Fresh Start Registration Deadline Approaches

United Way’s Project Fresh Start Registration Deadline Approaches

With only a few short weeks remaining before students return to class, organizers at United Way’s Project Fresh Start are working hard to ensure that children in Portage County go back to school prepared for success. The August 6^th registration deadline is quickly approaching, and organizers are hoping to serve at least half of the 2,900 eligible children.

“With our program expansion last year to include high school students and the reality that many families are still struggling to find and maintain employment, the need for Project Fresh Start is greater this year than ever before,” said Scott Winn, United Way Volunteer Center Director. Winn continued, “One third of students in Portage County public schools are living in poverty. For these families, the cost of school supplies can be a huge financial burden. Project Fresh Start is one small way we can help make a difference.”

Project Fresh Start uses the same income eligibility guidelines as the Federal Free & Reduced Meal program offered through the school system, but families do not need to be registered for the meal program to utilize Project Fresh Start. Registration forms and eligibility guidelines are available at the United Way office or online at www.unitedwaypoco.org. Completed forms should be returned to the United Way office by 4:30 p.m. on August 6.

Over 75 organizations and businesses are currently helping collect supplies for this year’s Project Fresh Start. For a complete list of collection sites, visit www.unitedwaypoco.org. To help collect the volume of supplies needed, a 53-foot United Way semi-trailer will be located at ShopKo in downtown Stevens Point August 17-18.

“The community support for this project is absolutely incredible,” reflected Winn. He continued, “This year, with the need being even greater, it is going to take even more volunteers and supplies, but I am confident that once again this community will come together to meet this need and support academic success.

Students attending Project Fresh Start on August 21 will have more than just school supplies on the first day of school. Project Fresh Clothes will also be providing gently used clothing, and Child Passenger Safety will be available on site to provide families with additional resources. Clothing donations can be dropped off at the Stevens Point Area YMCA or Saint Paul’s Methodist Church.

Project Fresh Start makes the first day of school a fresh start for everyone, giving students the tools to excel in the classroom. Please consider how you can be a part of this community-wide effort. For questions about  Project Fresh Start, call (715) 341-6740 or simply dial 2-1-1 (some cellular customers may need to dial 1-800-922-5590).

SPASH softball coach recognized

Stevens Point– According to the Stevens Point Area School District’s superintendent’s report,  SPASH Varsity Softball Coach Tom Drohner was recently named this year’s Gannett Central Wisconsin Media Coach of the Year. Coach Drohner again led the SPASH softball team to a successful state championship in 2009.

This award can be added to his strong list of accomplishments including selection as the Wisconsin Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations last fall, and the 2007-2008 NFHS Coaches Association Softball Coach of the Year Award. Congratulations to Tom for his continued success in leading the SPASH softball team. Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services Administrator of the Year