FalconDaily Archives

"In our hands is the power to choose."

-Stephen Covey, First Things First

Fountain area re-vamping nearing completion

The overhaul of the fountain area in the student center mall is nearing completion as the old sidewalk on the east is removed. Over the past few weeks the area has received new concrete work, new seating and new landscaping. For additional photos by Jens Gunelson, visit the photo archive at http://www.uwrf.edu/photo_archive/ later today.

Announcements

Keuka College has selected Virginia M. Coombs as its new provost and vice president for academic affairs. Coombs, who will begin her duties July 1, replaces Gary Bonvillian, who has accepted the presidency of Thomas University in Thomasville, Georgia.

“Dr. Coombs was the unanimous recommendation of the Provost Search Committee,” said College President Joseph G. Burke. “Throughout her distinguished career, she has championed a wide variety of programs that enhanced academic quality and faculty development. I am confident that she will be a great academic leader here at Keuka College.”

“I am honored by the appointment as provost and vice president for academic affairs,” said Coombs. “Keuka's mission of educational access addresses the commitment to serve all learners and is vital to higher education goals in the 21st century.”

Coombs, also a tenured professor of German at UW-RF, served as interim chancellor during the spring 2004 semester following the death of Chancellor Ann Lydecker. She came to UW-RF in 2001 after serving as vice president for academic affairs at Oklahoma City University.

Coombs is chair of the American Conference of Academic Deans and a member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities Board of Directors. She has delivered numerous presentations on student learning and professional development, and is the author of several professional articles. In the areas of German language and culture, Coombs has authored three books, written several articles and book reviews, and delivered presentations around the country. She earned doctoral (Germanic linguistics) and master’s degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Germanic linguistics), and a bachelor’s degree (German) from Denison University.

Financial Aid Director named. A veteran of more than 21 years in public higher education has been named the new financial aid director at UW-RF. Sandra Oftedahl, who is a UW-RF alumna, will assume the position on June 1 as part of the Enrollment Management Leadership Team.

Executive Director of Enrollment Services Alan Tuchtenhagen cited her breadth of experience in serving student attendance needs. "Sandy has worked in several areas of enrollment services during her career," he said. "In addition to financial aid, she has been involved in student records and advising, and information systems management. Her technical expertise will be a valuable addition to the University ."

Oftedahl's higher education experiences were gained at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, where she also earned a master's degree. At UW-RF she'll oversee a staff of seven and will be responsible for all policies and practices that support service excellence for students and families throughout the enrollment cycle. She will also have a role in advising parents, students and educators on higher education financing as well as ensure compliance with all federal and state financial aid regulations including institutional scholarship and grant programs, federal grants and need-based loans, federal and institutional work study, and all supplemental loan programs. Moreover, her duties include emphasizing the placement of financial aid and enrollment services on-line.

At CSU, Oftedahl's responsibilities included directing financial aid activities, directing enrollment management information systems, and managing such academic services system as the Degree Audit Reporting System and other technology systems. Oftedahl is a Westby native.

Due to the Memorial Day holiday, all classified time sheets must be turned in to 216 North Hall no later than Thursday, May 25. Late time sheets will not be processed until the following pay period. Contact Kathy at ext. 3247 if you have questions. Have a safe holiday!

You are invited to meet Kelly Browning, a candidate for the Registrar's Office DARS Coordinator vacancy, at 1:15 p.m., Wednesday, May 24, in the Alumni Room, South Hall.The meeting is open to faculty, staff and students. Contact Alan Tuchtenhagen at ext. 3500.

Did you know that you can find campus staff by their department using the online Campus Information Desk? If you want to contact someone in a department without having their name, this is a great way to find them. Check it out online at https://www.uwrf.edu/student-services/apps/infodesk/ and click on “Search by Department” under the Find People section on the left.

During the Tornado Drill on April 20 it was discovered that there are some problems with the black box Emergency Alert System in some campus buildings. In an attempt to ensure that everyone is able to hear the alert, we will be testing the system and repairing those areas that are not working properly on Thursday, May 25. To properly set levels we have to feed a source of audio through the system, of which we will use Wisconsin Public Radio to do that. Also, at times you may hear various tones, bleeps and blats coming from the system. We ask for your patience while this is completed, as it is truly for your safety that we do this. The test will begin on Thursday, May 25, at 1 p.m. and will conclude by 3:30 p.m. Please do not tamper with or disable the speaker boxes; however, you may find comfort in a pillow or something to set over the box for duration of the test. Please ensure the boxes are not covered during normal operation. Contact Jason Winget at ext. 3120.

Nominations for the Chancellor’s Recognition Award for Classified Staff and the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence for Academic Staff are due Friday, July 7. Important parts of our UW-RF traditions, these awards honor outstanding service to the University. Visit http://www.uwrf.edu/administration/award_for_excellence/ for details of the nomination process. We have many outstanding, dedicated individuals at UW-RF; please support these individuals through your thoughtful nominations.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, May 25, outdoor track & field at NCAA Div. III Meet (at Lisle, Ill.), 10 a.m.

Friday, May 26, outdoor track & field at NCAA Div. III Meet (at Lisle, Ill.), 10 a.m.

Saturday, May 27, outdoor track & field at NCAA Div. III Meet (at Lisle, Ill.), 10 a.m.

Don't Forget

Tuesday, May 30, 1 p.m., River Room, Rodli, Summer Advising Workshop for chairs and supplemental advisors. Ice cream with toppings will be available as we update. Contact Nanette Jordahl at ext. 0699.

Annual boiler maintenance shutdown. Please note that the boilers are down every spring for two weeks following the res hall closing. Steam that provides hot water, cooking, distilling, pasteurization, drying and sterilization is not available during this time. The boilers will be started again at 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 30. For further information, call ext. 3955.

Saturday, June 3, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Glen Park, KinniFest: A Celebration of Our River.
Free. Attend the first annual KinniFest and learn about the Kinnickinnic River and the resources it provides for the community. Festival-goers may participate in eight guided field trips at various times throughout the day, starting with birdwatching at 7 a.m. The event includes demonstrations and exhibits by local businesses, artists, organizations and schools. Children can read a compass, examine mammal bones and pelts, preserve a flower and taste plants at the eight fun and educational stations at the Children’s Discovery Realm. Contact Joyce Mattson at jycmttsn@yahoo.com.

The St. Croix Valley Community Band begins its summer season June 13. Rehearsals are Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room 129 KFA. Concerts are at 7 p.m. on the following dates:
Friday, June 23, in Abbott Concert Hall featuring the 102nd Army Band.
Tuesday, July 25, at the UW-RF Amphitheater.
Wednesday, July 26, at Peterson's Farm in Glenwood City.
Thursday, July 27, at the Hudson Band Shell.
Please participate in this enriching summer activity. Contact Kristin Tjornehoj at kristin.tjornehoj@uwrf.edu.

Area singers of high school age or older are invited to sing with the St. Croix Valley Summer Chorus at UW-RF during its 2006 season. Rehearsals are Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. in Room 134 KFA, beginning June 26. The chorus will perform in a free concert on Thursday, July 27, in the Abbott Concert Hall, KFA, with time to be determined. The concert will feature a repertoire of choral music from the classics to popular arrangements. Contact Paul Schaefer at ext. 3183 or simply show up at the first rehearsal.

Mark your calendars: The Fall 2006 Opening Meeting is Monday, Aug. 21. More details to follow as opening week events are planned.

Fall Opening Day packet information. As we look toward our 2006 fall semester, we will gather once again as a University community on Monday, Aug. 21, for Opening Day activities. We continue to work toward the goal of electronic distribution of materials; and again this year, we hope to limit the printed materials in the packets. If you anticipate providing printed material in that packet, please contact Alice Cernohous at alice.m.cernohous@uwrf.edu for information regarding distribution procedures (i.e., number of copies needed, due date, what you would like to include, etc.). Thanks for your cooperation as we begin planning for next year.

Tuesday, Aug. 29 and Thursday, Aug. 31, are Fall Faculty Development days.

For a detailed list of summer campus construction projects, visit http://www.uwrf.edu/pa/fd/FDSummer Projects.doc. Contact Waldo Hagen at ext. 3827.

To give away: Epson stylus color 400/600/800 printer cartridge and an Epson MJ-1000 Epson Stylus 800 black cartridge not longer needed in our department. Contact Linda at ext. 3801.

Melissa Wilson is the winner of the open Jr At-Large Faculty Senate position. Contact Alan Tuchtenhagen at ext. 3500.

Summer building hours:
Ag Science, Mon. - Fri. 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed Sat. and Sun.
Centennial Science, Mon. - Thurs. 7 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sat . 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., closed Sunday.
Library, Mon. - Thurs. 7:45 a.m. - 7 p.m., Fri. 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. , Sat. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., closed Sunday.
Karges, Mon. - Fri. 7 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., closed Sat. and Sun.
KFA, Mon. - Fri. 7 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
North Hall, Mon. - Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed Sat. and Sun.
RDI, Mon. - Fri. 7:45 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed Sat. and Sun.
South Hall, Mon. - Thurs. 7 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. , closed Sat. and Sun.
WEB, Mon. - Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed Sat. and Sun.
Student Center, Mon. - Fri. 7 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., closed Sat. and Sun.

Westconsin Credit Union, Mon. - Thurs. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., closed Fri., Sat. and Sun.

Char's Grille, Mon. - Thurs. 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Fri., 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Weather permitting, brat stand on the student center lawn on Thursday's from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Char's Grille will be closed during this time.