Condolences

Condolences to the family of Dennis A. Martin. Martin, a retired UW-Eau Claire facilities management staff member, passed away Feb. 8. Full obituary.

Human Resources to offer brown bag retirement presentation March 5

UW-Eau Claire Human Resources staff members Sue Pettis and Kathi Lee will present "Thinking of Retiring? Come Learn How to Use the WRS Retirement Calculator!" from 12:15-1 p.m. March 5 in the Ojibwe Room (330B) of Davies Center. All UW-Eau Claire employees are welcome to attend the brief presentation and open discussion. For more information, contact Laura Manydeeds, Human Resources, at manydeel@uwec.edu or 715-836-2514.

Proposed changes in College of Arts and Sciences

Following are proposed changes in the College of Arts and Sciences. If you have questions or concerns, contact Dr. Louisa Rice at ricelc@uwec.edu or 715-836-5276 within 15 days of this notice, posted Feb. 24, 2014.

FROM:  Page 182 of the 2013-14 Catalog
TO:  MINOR: PSYCHOLOGY, Liberal Arts (Code 440-401)
Twenty-four semester credits, including:
Psyc 100 Introduction to Psychology
        265 Statistical Methods in Psychology I
        271 Methods of Research in Psychology
Remaining credits to total 24 selected from any Psychology courses.
NOTE 1: At least 6 credits from 300- and 400-level courses are required for the minor
NOTE 2: A maximum of 3 credits from Psyc 395, 396, 397, 399, and 499 may count toward the minor.
NOTE 3: No credit may be earned under the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory option for any of the requirements listed above.

Feb. 20 classes beginning at 5 p.m. or later canceled

UW-Eau Claire evening classes beginning at 5 p.m. or later on Thursday, Feb. 20, are canceled.

The university remains open Thursday evening and decisions about whether scheduled events are held will be made by the individual organizations hosting them. The following cancellations/rescheduled events have been announced:

• Feb. 20 'Inequality for All' screening rescheduled for Feb. 25
• Feb. 20 performance of "A Man of No Importance" canceled
• Feb. 20 'Spoken Word Showcase' canceled

The forecast calls for heavy snow this evening and overnight, with a winter storm warning in effect until noon Friday. A decision whether to hold classes as scheduled Friday, Feb. 21, will be made Friday before 6 a.m. That decision will take into consideration current weather conditions, regional road conditions, and whether campus sidewalks, roadways and parking lots are sufficiently cleared.

If classes are canceled Friday, information will be sent via e2Campus, UW-Eau Claire's emergency notification system.

Investment counseling to be offered Feb. 25-27

A TIAA-CREF consultant will be available to discuss financial matters with UW-Eau Claire employees during the following dates and times:

• Feb. 25, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mohican Room (310), Davies Center.
• Feb. 26,  9 a.m.-4 p.m., Oneida Room (320D), Davies Center.
• Feb. 27, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Centennial Room (320A), Davies Center.

Call 866-843-5640 to schedule an appointment. More information.

Condolences

Condolences to the family of Dr. Frederick H.C. Schultz. Schultz, UW-Eau Claire professor emeritus of physics and astronomy, passed away Feb. 7 in Kennewick, Wash. Full obituary.

Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program information sessions set for March 4

UW-Eau Claire staff members are invited to attend information sessions about the Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program March 4 in Ojibwe Room A (330A) of Davies Center. Individual sessions can be scheduled between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. For more information or to schedule an individual appointment, call WDC representative Ben Genz at 608-461-0567. More information and an enrollment form are available online.

Proposed changes in College of Arts and Sciences

Following are proposed changes in the College of Arts and Sciences. If you have questions or concerns, contact Dr. Louisa Rice at ricelc@uwec.edu or 715-836-5276 within 15 days of this notice, posted Jan. 31, 2014.

MINOR:  MUSIC,  Liberal Arts (Code 060-401 )
FROM: Page 155 of the 2013-14 Catalog
TO: … Music Electives: minimum of four credits elected from any courses with an MUSI prefix (MUSI 182/382 and MUSI 193/393 may be used only with approval), with a maximum of two credits from ensembles elected from 180/380, 181/381, 184/384, 186/386, 188/388, 190/390, 191/391, 192/392, 253/453 – 268/468 or 280/480, and maximum of two credits from applied music for a minimum total of 24 credits.

Proposed changes in College of Arts and Sciences

Following are proposed changes in the College of Arts and Sciences. If you have questions or concerns, contact Dr. Louisa Rice at ricelc@uwec.edu or 715-836-5276 within 15 days of this notice, posted Jan. 31, 2014.

MINOR:  AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES, Liberal Arts (Code 530-401)
FROM: Page 76 of the Catalog Year 2013-14
TO: Include AIS 444 Theory and Methodologies in American Indian Studies, 3 crs, in the list of remaining credits from which students may select.

COMPREHENSIVE MAJOR:  COMPUTER SCIENCE, Liberal Arts (Code 170-030)

FROM: Pages 101-102 of the Catalog Year 2013-14

TO:  …  For a degree in Computer Science, a student must:

1. Complete CJ 202 or Engl 305 or Engl 308 (satisfies GE-IA);

2. Complete Phil 308 (satisfies GE-IVB);

3. Complete one lab science sequence chosen from:

a. Phys 211 and 212 (nine crs.), plus a minimum of three additional credits of science courses chosen from the list of allowed courses, or

b. Phys 231 and 232 (ten crs.), plus a minimum of two additional credits of science courses chosen from the list of allowed courses.

Allowed science courses: Biol 110, 111 or 221, 222, 223, 320, 326, 330, 33, 356, 392; Chem 103, 104, 115,; Geog 104, 178, 345, 368; Geol 110, 115, 301, 303, 308; Phys 226, 229.

Winter weather-related facts

Over the course of the past 30-plus hours, the university has received extensive feedback via email, telephone and social media regarding the decisions on whether to hold classes yesterday and today. That feedback has ranged from strong disapproval to appreciation that classes went on as scheduled. 

The purpose of this message is to share facts.

First, facts about the weather conditions experienced in our region in recent weeks: As every  Blugold — and every Midwesterner —knows all too well, it's been an abnormally cold month. Here are the January facts from the National Weather Service Twin Cities weather forecast office (all temperatures are Farenheit):

• 19 of 28 days have had below-zero temperatures.
• 13 of 28 days have had double-digit below-zero temperatures, including today.
•  Of the 13 double-digit, below-zero days, 11 have occurred during Winterim and spring semester instructional days.
•  Every instructional day of spring semester has had below-zero temperatures with double-digit, below-zero temperatures five of the six days, including today.

Second, facts about other UW System campuses that closed or remained open yesterday and today: In addition to UW-Eau Claire (with the exception of Monday classes that started at 5 p.m. or later), the following UW System four-year campuses held classes on Monday and Tuesday:

• UW-Green Bay
• UW-La Crosse
• UW Oshkosh
• UW-River Falls
• UW-Stevens Point
• UW-Stout
• UW-Whitewater

Third, facts about how the decision whether to cancel classes is made at UW-Eau Claire:  The university takes several factors into account when making a determination about cancelling classes. Those include (in no particular order):

• Air temperature and sustained wind chill
• Whether there is heavy snowfall and/or icy conditions
• Road and sidewalk conditions leading to campus (ice covered or snow covered)
• Campus road, sidewalk and parking lot conditions (Are they clear and ready for classes?)
• Visibility issues caused by falling or blowing snow or fog
• Whether conditions are improving or worsening
• Other factors that may be present

A number of people are consulted before making a decision whether to cancel classes. UW-Eau Claire staff are in touch with local safety officials to assess the factors above. The past two mornings, a member of the facilities staff personally surveyed area roads to see if drifting snow was an issue. Monday evening classes were cancelled due to dropping temperatures and an increase in expected winds. Generally, it is less safe to travel (drive, ride or walk) in the darkness because of reduced visibility. People in trouble are less likely to be seen and helped.

We take student safety seriously; it is our primary concern. In the case of the weather Monday and Tuesday, it was the judgment of the university that it was possible for students to properly prepare themselves for the cold.

We know that there are students who have underlying health concerns and that some have unreliable transportation, making travel unwise. Therefore, we ask students to make a judgment about their own circumstances and their ability to come to campus safely.

 

Classes to be held as scheduled Tuesday, Jan. 28

UW-Eau Claire is open and classes will be held as scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

There have been a number of inquiries about why the university is open and holding classes as scheduled despite sub-zero temperatures.

The university rarely, if ever closes.  A number of criteria are considered when deciding whether to hold classes, delay the start of classes, or cancel select classes.

Those criteria include, but are not limited to, excessive snowfall and/or drifting, icy conditions, temperature, wind chill, visibility and condition of sidewalks and roadways both on campus and in the community.  The university makes the decision based on actual real-time weather conditions, not what the forecast is predicting the day before.

Naturally, one of the most important considerations is safety of students, faculty and staff.  If the conditions are deemed obviously unsafe for travel to and from the university, and to and from facilities on campus, classes are canceled or delayed.  This can be a subjective judgment – but it is based on the best information available at the time the decision is made.

The university recognizes that some individuals have specific medical or physical conditions that prevent them from being able to venture out into the cold, or may have a lengthy commute to campus that may not be safe to undertake because of weather conditions where they live.  That is why students, faculty and staff are instructed to exercise their best judgment in deciding whether to attend classes or report for work.

Input sought on classified staff shared governance draft documents

In September 2013, the UW System Board of Regents enacted rules that extended shared governance to the classified staff within UW System. The rules provide classified staff members the opportunity to be active participants in policy development for their institution; to fully participate in the formulation and review of policies and procedures concerning classified staff members, including personnel matters; and the right to structure themselves in a manner they determine.

UW-Eau Claire classified staff recently received a copy of the Classified Staff Shared Governance Draft Documents. These documents are the structure under which classified staff shared governance will work. UW-Eau Claire's Classified Staff Council is seeking questions and feedback on these documents.

Below are three ways classified staff can provide feedback to the Classified Staff Council:

 

Open forums

All classified staff will the opportunity to discuss the Classified Staff Constitution and Bylaws at the following open forums:

• Thursday, Jan. 30 | Centennial Hall 3314, 9-10 a.m.
• Friday, Jan. 31 | Nursing Building 119A, 3:30-4:30 p.m. (with connection to Marshfield nursing site)
• Monday, Feb. 3 | 315 Hibbard Hall, 1-2 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 4 | Hilltop Center, 6-7 a.m. 

Members of the Classified Staff Council will be in attendance at each of the meetings to answer  your questions and hear your comments. 

 

Complete the survey

Please complete this survey to provide your feedback about the documents. You may follow this link or copy and paste this address into your web browser: https://uweauclaire.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_2r8OqHsROb1nb49

 

Contact Classified Staff Council

You may send email to csc@uwec.edu or contact any member of the Classified Staff Council to provide feedback.

 

Jan. 27 classes beginning at 5 p.m. or later canceled

UW-Eau Claire evening classes beginning at 5 p.m. or later on Monday, Jan. 27, are canceled.  A decision whether to hold classes as scheduled Tuesday, Jan. 28, will be made Tuesday before 6 a.m.

The university remains open Monday evening and decisions about whether scheduled events are held will be made by the individual organizations hosting them.

The Children’s Nature Academy is open as scheduled until the end of business Monday.

There have been a number of inquiries today about why the university is open and holding classes as scheduled despite sub-zero temperatures.

The university rarely, if ever closes.  A number of criteria are considered when deciding whether to hold classes, delay the start of classes, or cancel select classes.

Those criteria include, but are not limited to, excessive snowfall and/or drifting, icy conditions, temperature, wind chill, visibility and condition of sidewalks and roadways both on campus and in the community.  The university makes the decision based on actual real-time weather conditions, not what the forecast is predicting the day before.

Naturally, one of the most important considerations is safety of students, faculty and staff.  If the conditions are deemed obviously unsafe for travel to and from the university, and to and from facilities on campus, classes are canceled or delayed.  This can be a subjective judgment – but it is based on the best information available at the time the decision is made.

The university recognizes that some individuals have specific medical or physical conditions that prevent them from being able to venture out into the cold, or may have a lengthy commute to campus that may not be safe to undertake because of weather conditions where they live.  That is why students, faculty and staff are instructed to exercise their best judgment in deciding whether to attend classes or report for work.

Classes to be held as scheduled Jan. 27

UW-Eau Claire is open today, Jan. 27,  and classes will be held as scheduled. Students, faculty and staff are advised to dress warmly for the cold conditions and to use best judgment in deciding whether they can get to campus safely. Employees are referred to UW-Eau Claire's inclement weather policy for guidelines on reporting to work: http://www.uwec.edu/hr/weather.htm.

UW-Eau Claire extreme weather advisory

The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill warning for the Eau Claire region starting today through midday Tuesday, Jan. 28. The forecast is for low temperatures of 15 to 25 below zero and wind chill readings of 35 to 50 below zero.

The Weather Service notes that exposure to such extreme cold can cause frostbite in five to 10 minutes, and taking appropriate precautionary measures is appropriate. The following links provide information on how to prepare for extreme cold: 

• Extreme Cold — A Prevention Guide, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Weather “Triple Whammy” ready to strike (Ready Wisconsin news release)

It is anticipated all UW-Eau Claire operations and classes will take place as scheduled Monday, Jan. 27. Individuals should always use their best judgment about the safety of traveling to and from campus. Students should contact their instructor if they cannot make it to class, and employees should contact their supervisor if they cannot report to work. For additional information, please review the UW-Eau Claire inclement weather policy.

In the unlikely event classes are canceled or delayed on Jan. 27, the university will provide information through e2Campus, UW-Eau Claire's emergency notification system, which sends notifications via email, the university home page, pop-up messages on all university-owned computers, social media and, for those who have signed up, text messages. If you have not signed up for text message notifications, you may do so at www.uwec.edu/emergency/index.htm. Every effort will be made to provide such notification before 6 a.m.

Spring opening meeting set for Jan. 21

All UW-Eau Claire employees are invited to attend a spring opening meeting led by Chancellor James Schmidt from 3:45-5 p.m. Jan. 21 in the Woodland Theater of Davies Center. Chancellor Schmidt will provide opening remarks, followed by an open-floor question-and-answer session. For more information, contact Tanya Kenney, University Senate, at kenneytk@uwec.edu or 715-836-3419.

Open forum on transportation and commuter issues set for Jan. 28

University Senate will sponsor an open forum on transportation and commuter issues from 3-5 p.m. Jan. 28 in the Dakota Ballroom (Room 340) of Davies Center. Faculty, staff, students and community members are invited to attend. Information about the UW-Eau Claire bicycle and pedestrian plan; bus routes within Eau Claire and with other cities; ride sharing; and on-campus parking for faculty, staff, students and visitors will be presented.

An open session to allow those in attendance to ask questions, make comments and offer suggestions will follow. Free parking will be available in any F or S stall (not G) on lower campus after 3 p.m. Visitors who arrive before 3 p.m. should stop at the Visitor Center at 127 Roosevelt Ave. to obtain a parking permit. View campus map for building and parking locations.

For more information, contact Mitch Freymiller, University Senate chair, at 715-836-3074 or freymima@uwec.edu.

D2L upgrade rescheduled for Jan. 15-16

The D2L upgrade to version 10.1 originally scheduled for Jan. 8-9 has been rescheduled for Jan. 15-16. To accomplish the upgrade, a complete D2L outage will take place from 10 p.m. Jan. 15 through 10 a.m. Jan. 16. The upgrade will include extensive redesigns of the content and user progress tools as well as enhancements to the dropbox and discussion tools. Faculty and staff are invited to join D2L administrators for demos of version 10.1 in January — with practice time available. Those interested in participating in a demo session may register online. Text and video documentation will be available soon.

The D2L upgrade will feature the following:

• One content interface that is editable for instructors and read-only for students.
• Easier editing. Edit-in-place capability with an upgraded HTML editor and an improved bulk edit feature reduces clicks to accomplish tasks. A drag-and-drop functionality helps to re-order modules and topics.
• New course overview feature for an introduction to course concepts.
• New module description feature to introduce unit concepts.
• User progress redesign. A redesigned user progress dashboard includes more data with graphical information.
• A new class progress dashboard provides instructors with data and graphics about the progress of the class as a whole.
• Dropbox due date. Instructors may set a folder due date independent of start/end dates when creating dropboxes to communicate more clearly when dropbox submissions are due.

For more information, contact Roxie Muldoon at muldoorr@uwec.edu or 715-836-2700; or Gene Leisz at leiszgj@uwec.edu or 715-836-6004.

UW-Eau Claire extreme cold weather advisory

The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill warning for the Eau Claire region starting late this weekend and extending into early next week. The forecast is for low temperatures of nearly 30 below zero and wind chill readings of 40-60 below zero, with the coldest readings expected Sunday night and Monday morning.

The Weather Service notes that exposure to such extreme cold can cause frostbite in five to 10 minutes, and taking appropriate precautionary measures is appropriate. The following links provide information on how to prepare for extreme cold: 

• Extreme Cold — A Prevention Guide, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Life-Threatening Cold Air to Grip Wisconsin (Ready Wisconsin news release)

It is anticipated all UW-Eau Claire operations and classes will take place as scheduled Monday, Jan. 6. Individuals should always use their best judgment about the safety of traveling to and from campus. Students should contact their instructor if they cannot make it to class, and employees should contact their supervisor if they cannot report to work. For additional information, please review the UW-Eau Claire inclement weather policy.

In the unlikely event classes are canceled or delayed on Jan. 6, the university will provide information through e2Campus, UW-Eau Claire's emergency notification system, which sends notifications via email, the university home page, pop-up messages on all university-owned computers, social media and, for those who have signed up, text messages. If you have not signed up for text message notifications, you may do so at www.uwec.edu/emergency/index.htm. Every effort will be made to provide such notification before 6 a.m.

Mock grant proposal review workshop set for Jan. 9

Miner

Jeremy Miner, ORSP director of grants and contracts, will present "Mock Grant Proposal Review" from 10 a.m.-noon Jan. 9 in Old Library 1142 (CETL).

Perhaps the best way to learn how to write a successful grant proposal is to become a reviewer first. Via a simulated proposal review, workshop participants will experience the grants process from the sponsor's point of view. After the mock review, the details will be consolidated to help participants improve the quality, competitiveness and persuasiveness of their grant proposals in the future.

For more information, contact Jeremy Miner at minerjt@uwec.edu or 715-836-5514.