Friday, Dec. 14, 2007 Now you know A new Falcon Grants Program has been launched to help support undergraduate "Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities." Grants are available for students to "travel to present" or "attend" RSCA-related meetings, as well as a limited number of project grants. This program was designed and generated by SURSCA, the Society for Undergraduate RSCA, a student organization dedicated to enhancing the scholarly culture of our campus. The program is funded by the new "Differential Tuition" and is administered by SURSCA through a student peer-reviewed grants committee. All decisions are reviewed by the SURSCA administrative committee and the overall program is overseen by the University Differential Tuition Committee. Please tell your students and have them visit http://www.uwrf.edu/sursca for more information. The first deadline is Feb. 5. For more information, contact Tim Lyden, SURSCA Faculty adviser, at ext. 3362.          Falcon Daily:          recognized for          excellence by         Submit an item to Falcon Daily Subscribe to Falcon Daily Feedback on Falcon Daily  Visions and Values Web site. Strategic Planning Web site. Academic Affairs: • Excused class absences • Class cancellations • Faculty/staff searches • Retention, promotion, tenure notices • Governance committee meetings • Grants information • Graduate exams UWRF home page UWRF News Source "Perspectives," a column in the River Falls Journal by Chancellor Don Betz. UWS in the News "Student loans, Bucky the Badger and some times," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 12. "Let ideas flourish on state campuses," Racine Journal Times, Dec. 12. "Next Round of Accreditation Agitation," Inside Higher Education, Dec. 14. "UWM pumps up research efforts," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 14. To see news about the UW System from around the state, visit System’s clip sheet site to read the stories or to subscribe to the daily briefing. On Wisconsin The following is a digest of links to critical news and information sources for UWRF employees: The Wheeler Report. This is a daily listing of all news stories, editorials, and press releases affecting public issues in Wisconsin. WisPolitics.Com State public policy news with a political interpretation. WisconsinEye News. Wisconsin’s version of C-Span, with live coverage of the Legislature, with the State Supreme Court and Executive Branch soon to follow. UW System Board of Regents Audio. The Regents web cast their monthly meetings held on the first Thursday and Friday of each month. UWS/UWRF Budget. A handy index to the UW System executive and legislative advocacy information on our budget proposals, analyses, and maps, charts and graphs to support our positions. Wisconsin Legislature. This site contains legislators’ profiles, committees, bill digests, hearing schedules, and links to Web casts of floor and committee discussions.

"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort."                                             -- Franklin D. Roosevelt Knowles readied for tomorrow's commencement UWRF staff set up chairs, the podium and other equipment yesterday at Knowles in preparation for tomorrow's commencement ceremony. A new seating arrangement and lighting grid, as well as a new system of video projection, will give attendees better vantage points. For the first time at UWRF, the ceremony will be streamed live via the Internet at http://www.uwex.edu/ics/stream/session.cfm?eid=12339&sid=12340. For more photos by Jens Gunelson, visit http://www.uwrf.edu/photo_archive/. Announcements 'Tis the season. We invite you to view the UWRF online holiday greeting to students, alumni, and friends. Commencement marchers: Thank you for participating in Commencement tomorrow, Dec. 15. Please plan to arrive by 1:15 p.m. The marching order is determined by seniority and a list of marchers will be available. If you have received your 25-years of-service recognition medallion, please  wear it with your regalia. Almost 300 students are graduating, resulting in limited parking at Ramer Field and congestion in the area. Thank you again for celebrating with our graduates! I look forward to seeing you  Saturday. -Don Betz Bill Cordua will be wearing a Band-Aid on the left sleeve of his gown at Commencement Saturday as a non-disruptive but visible protest of the health care choices available to faculty and staff. He invites others who are so inclined to join him in this _expression_. TEC Training. Do you need to have a key for Spring Semester? Would you like to become more familiar with the TEC rooms? Please attend TEC training on Monday, Dec. 17, at 4:15 p.m. in Room 179 CSH. The annual UWRF Health Fair will be held on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Ballroom, UC. The Health Fair is an interactive event that everyone (students, faculty and staff, and community members) is invited to participate in. Please consider incorporating this event into your class syllabus. For more information contact Hannah Miller or Keven Syverson at Student Health Services at ext. 3293. Barbara Stinson, Director of Distance Education and Greg Lampe, Interim Provost, at UW Colleges will be visiting campus on Wednesday, Dec. 19, to discuss their Online Program. If you are interested in learning more about the Online Program and your schedule allows, please join Barbara and Greg for one of two sessions at 11 a. m. to noon or 1 to 2 p.m. in the St. Croix Room, UC. If you have any questions, contact the Provost's Office at ext. 3700. UW Colleges offers the readily transferable general education curriculum at its 13 two-year campuses across the state. Students who take UW Colleges courses can earn an Associate of Arts and Science (AAS) degree, complete their requirements for other degree programs, and/or take classes for other individual reasons. UW Colleges Online offers these same opportunities entirely online from anywhere including home, school, work, or traveling afar. The UW Colleges AAS degree fulfills the university-wide, college, school and general education breadth requirements for most bachelor’s degree programs and is widely accepted by other institutions, including those within and beyond University of Wisconsin System. Fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, UW Colleges Online adheres to the Guidelines for Distance Education set by the North Central Association (NCA) Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. Upcoming Events Tuesday, Dec. 18, 9 - 11 p.m., Riverview Ballroom, UC, Chancellor's Late Night Breakfast. Don't Forget Friday, Dec. 14, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., River Falls American Legion, Classified Staff Holiday Luncheon. Buffet style meal and program. Donation of cash or a non-perishable food item for the local food shelf is encouraged. Friday, Dec. 14 - Saturday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m., Davis Theatre, KFA, Masquers musical comedy:  "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown." Cost is $10/adults, $6/students. Saturday, Dec. 15, swimming vs. Hamline at 1 p.m.; women's basketball vs. Northwestern at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, 2 p.m., Knowles Center, Commencement. Marchers should plan to arrive by 1:15 p.m. Marching order is determined by seniority and a list of marchers will be available. If you have received your 25-years of-service recognition medallion, please wear it with your regalia. Almost 300 students are graduating, so there will be limited parking in Ramer Field and the area will be congested. Thank you for celebrating with our graduates. Sunday, Dec. 16, 4 p.m., Shepherd of the Valley, 14107 Hudson Road South, Afton, Minn., Christmas Concert. St. Croix Valley Symphony Orchestra reaches across the border to perform with the Shepherd of the Valley musicians in a Christmas Concert. Musicians of all ages will  combine in this outreach event complete with holiday treats for the entire family. Free. Contact Kristin Tjornehoj at ext. 3940.