Author Archive
JFC votes to give UW System flexibilities, quashes UW-Extension broadband project
The state legislature’s Joint Finance Committee on Friday, June 3, 2011, voted to cut UW System’s budget by $250 million for the 2011-13 biennium. The committee also voted to give UW System flexibilities in budgeting and financial management, tuition, purchasing, human resources and construction. Members voted down Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to split the UW-Madison from the rest of the UW System.
In an unanticipated move, JFC voted to prohibit the UW Board of Regents, the UW System, or any UW institution, including the UW-Extension, “from receiving funds from any award from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) under the U.S. Department of Commerce for the Building Community Capacity through Broadband (BCCB) project.” UW-Extension and partners are currently involved in a BCCB project that is designed to enhance the economy and the quality of life in five rural communities.
Several more steps are necessary before the bill is finalized and signed into law by Gov. Walker. In the coming days legislators will be meeting to discuss proposed changes to the bill.
For more information:
Budget timeline and employee advocacy guidelines
UW System statement on JFC June 3 budget action
Registration for fall Multicultural Awareness Workshops is now open
Demographic data show that Wisconsin is becoming a more diverse state. If UW Colleges and UW-Extension are to fulfill their mission to provide Wisconsin residents with access to university resources, it is critical that faculty and staff learn and apply multicultural concepts and practices in their workplaces and in their educational programs.
The UW Colleges and UW-Extension Equity, Diversity and Inclusion unit is offering two Multicultural Awareness Workshops this fall:
- Sept. 20-21, 2011, in Wausau
- Nov. 30-Dec. 1. 2011, in Madison
The free workshops are open to all UW-Extension and UW Colleges employees. Certified peer facilitators, who have completed rigorous training, lead the sessions.The workshops fill quickly, so register now.
For more information:
http://www.uwex.uwc.edu/multicultural-awareness
Cathy Debevec, office operations associate, cathy.debevec@uwex.edu, 608-262-0277
JFC to meet June 2 on UW System budget
The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee will meet Thursday, June 2, to vote on the University of Wisconsin System’s 2011-13 budget. The committee is meeting in executive session, so while members of the public can attend, comments will not be allowed as they were during the earlier public-hearing phase of the budget cycle. A number of other state agency budgets are on the agenda for that day, so there is the possibility that the JFC’s vote on the UW System budget may be delayed until Friday, June 3.
There are several additional steps in the budget process before Gov. Scott Walker signs the budget bill into law. Please continue to check News & Ideas for continuing coverage of the state biennial budget and how it might affect UW Colleges and UW-Extension.
UPDATED June 3, 2011: As of the morning of June 3, 2011, the Joint Finance Committee planned to discuss and vote on the University of Wisconsin System budget either Friday, June 3, or Saturday, June 4.
Chancellor Cross, Regent Bartell to discuss Wisconsin Idea Partnership at May 12 Town Hall Meeting
Jeffrey Bartell
The Chancellor’s Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, May 12, 2011, noon – 1 p.m will be a question-and-answer session focusing on the flexibilities offered by the Wisconsin Idea Partnership. Chancellor Ray Cross will be joined by UW System Regent Jeffrey Bartell, UW-Extension Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor Marv Van Kekerix and UW Colleges Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Greg Lampe. Also present to answer questions will be Steve Wildeck, vice chancellor, administrative and financial services, UW Colleges and UW-Extension; David Prucha, director, human resources, UW Colleges and UW-Extension; Pam Dollard, director, human resources, UW Colleges; and Rosemary Potter, director, government relations, UW Colleges and UW-Extension.
UW Colleges and UW-Extension colleagues in Madison and Dane County are invited to participate at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St., Room 227 (overflow Room 327).
The following rooms have been reserved on UW Colleges campuses:
UW-Baraboo/Sauk County: SC404
UW-Barron County: LIB 513
UW-Fond du Lac: C102
UW-Fox Valley: 1830
UW-Manitowoc: F137
UW-Marathon County: 220
UW-Marinette: L105
UW-Marshfield/Wood County: 468
UW-Richland: 445
UW-Rock County: HS27
UW-Sheboygan: 1203
UW-Washington County: 310
UW-Waukesha: C103
UW-Extension colleagues and others can participate from their office computers via Mediasite by following this link: Chancellor’s Town Hall Meeting.
Protecting the Earth year-round
On Earth Day 2011, April 22, News & Ideas asked readers to submit examples of UW Colleges and UW-Extension projects that promote sustainability. Thanks to those who sent in examples and to all who are working to protect the Earth.
- On Saturday, April 23, approximately 140 UW-Washington County (West Bend) students and eight faculty members joined community volunteers (many of them UW-Washington County alumni) in picking up trash along the Milwaukee River, Silver Creek, Ridge Run Park and on the UW-Washington County campus. The project was in conjunction with the larger Milwaukee Riverkeeper annual cleanup that attracted 3,000 volunteers who cleaned up the Milwaukee River from Kewaskum through downtown Milwaukee. About a ton of garbage was collected, including old tires, discarded plastic water bottles, pieces of plastic foam and other trash.
- When the Green Lake County Board members voted in 2008 to build a $27-million government services center, they turned to UW-Extension community resource development agent Jason Kauffeld for information on how to incorporate energy efficiency and renewable energy into the structure. Kauffeld facilitated the formation of a county Sustainability Team and worked to educate the team and community members about the benefits of sustainability. The 122,000-square-foot Green Lake County Government Center, which opened in spring 2010, incorporates a geothermal heating-and-cooling system and is expected to show $15 million in savings over the design life of the building (expected to be approximately 50 years) due to decreased energy costs and increased worker productivity.
Free financial strategies workshop Thursday at noon
The Financial Strategies When Your Income Drops workshop is today, Thursday, May 5, 2011, from noon until 1:30 p.m. The presentation will provide tools and tips to help you manage your finances when a drop in income occurs.
You can participate from your office computer via Mediasite. Please test the link and your equipment beforehand to identify any problems. Help is available from the Central IT Service Center at 608-262-5034 or the ICS Streaming Support Help Line at 800-442-4614. If you do not see the most current date on the media-streaming Web page, try clicking on “Reload” or “Refresh” on your Web browser. The training will be available on the Mediasite archive for later viewing.
The workshop will be closed captioned, both live and in the archive. To view the live captions, either click on the “Presentation Links” icon (fourth icon from the left in the gray bar at the top of the Mediasite window) or go to http://www.uwex.edu/ics/dmwd/captioning/live.
For more information: Patrick DuCharme, employee assistance consultant, UW Colleges and UW-Extension
UW-Extension retirements, January – March 2011
| Name | Title | Unit/Division | Retirement date |
| Nan Baumgartner | Professor | Eastern District, Fond du Lac /Cooperative Extension | Jan. 2, 2011 |
| Candace Carrier | Custodian | Extension Conference Centers | Jan. 14, 2011 |
| Mary Grant | Associate Dean | Continuing Education, Outreach and E-Learning | Feb. 4, 2011 |
| Marcia Jesperson | Office Operations Associate | 4-H Youth Development/Cooperative Extension | Jan. 4, 2011 |
| Donna Kozuszek | Document Production Assistant | Instructional Communication Systems/Broadcasting and Media Innovations | March 11, 2011 |
| Scott Moore | Ship and Mail Associate, Advanced | Mail Services/General Extension Administration | Feb. 2, 2011 |
| Pamela Proulx-Curry | Outreach Program Manager II | Wisconsin Campus Compact | Jan. 31, 2011 |
| Elaine Seitz | Office Operations Associate | Family Living Programs/ Cooperative Extension | March 25, 2011 |
| Margaret Storandt | Financial Specialist | Business Services/General Extension Administration | March 11, 2011 |
| Ellen Taylor-Powell | Distinguished Lecturer | Cooperative Extension | March 3, 2011 |
| Robert Tomesh | Senior Lecturer | Master Gardener Program/Cooperative Extension | March 11, 2011 |
| Paul Williams | Information Systems Technical Services, Senior | Information Systems/General Extension Administration | March 11, 2011 |