Spring 2011 Archived News

Open Discussion
On
The News of the
Death of
Osama bin Laden

This discussion will be facilitated by members of the UW-L faculty.

Thursday, May 5th
1:00 – 2:30 pm
Ward Room, Cartwright Center

 

Sponsored by the UW-L History Department

Concert to feature UW-La Crosse Mannerchor

UW-La Crosse’s male chorus, Männerchor, will present a spring concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5, in Annett Recital Hall in the UW-L Center for the Arts.

The concert — “Männerchor: OMG!” — will feature traditional music written and arranged for collegiate men’s choruses plus such unusual selections as a folksong from Trinidad called “Marry A Woman Uglier Than You” and conductor Gary Walth’s arrangement of Jack Black’s “Tribute.”

Männerchor will also perform Jeffrey Horvath’s “Demon In My View,” based on the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe. The piece is one of most popular American university male chorus works to be written in the last five years. The concert will also include a guest appearance by the La Crosse Dressers, a popular male ensemble consisting of present and former Männerchor members.

Suggested ticket prices are: $3 for students and $5 for others. Tickets will be available only at the door.

—UWL—
If you go—
Who: UW-La Crosse Männerchor
What: “Männerchor: OMG!”
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5
Where: Annett Recital Hall in the UW-L Center for the Arts
Admission: $3 for students and $5 for others. Tickets available only at the door.

Top student musicians head to UW-La Crosse

Thousands of middle and high school students will head to UW-La Crosse on May 7 to perform in a Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) State Music Festival.

More than 32,000 student musicians will take part in WSMA State Music Festivals held on 10 university campuses throughout the state. UW-La Crosse hosts a WSMA State Festival from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, primarily in Center for the Arts. The event is free.

"The WSMA State Music Festival is an enriching day for participating performers, their parents and area music teachers,” said Tammy Fisher, Festival Manager for UW-La Crosse. “It is also an important day for the UW-La Crosse campus because the State Music Festival is one of the largest events the music department sponsors, allowing the university to showcase our facilities and encouraging interaction with area middle and high school musicians and their families.”

In order to participate in the WSMA State Music Festivals, students must first earn a “starred first” rating in Class A (the most difficult music) at a WSMA District Music Festival, hosted by schools for students in grades 6-12. Students can select from a variety of instrumental and vocal solo and ensemble categories for their performances. Over 225 district festivals were held in Wisconsin during the past six months, involving more participants than any other student activity in the state.

WSMA Executive Director Mike George explains, "The level of dedication and achievement in music continues to grow among Wisconsin students. The WSMA State Music Festival is among the best opportunities for thousands of students to share their talents and learn in ways that will last a lifetime."
Wisconsin universities hosting WSMA State Music Festivals April 30 include UW-Whitewater, UW-Platteville, UW-Milwaukee and UW-Oshkosh. West De Pere High School is scheduled to host the WSMA State Music Jazz Festival on May 6. Festivals will be held May 7 at Cardinal-Stritch University, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW-Parkside and UW-Stevens Point.

Learn more about WSMA State Music Festivals and other programs by visiting www.wsmamusic.org. WSMA State Music Festival information will be posted as available. Schedules and results will be searchable by school, student and event number.

Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) is a service organization with more than 950 member public and private schools. Each year, more than 220,000 students take the initiative to become involved in WSMA activities, including District and State Music Festivals, State Honors Projects, State Marching Band Championships and Concert Festivals. WSMA, also owner and operator of the Wisconsin Center for Music Education, is governed by a board of directors made up of superintendents, principals and other officers from all over the state. WSMA believes music is a basic human need and that all children have the right to experience all that music offers them.

If you go—
What: Wisconsin School Music Association State Music Festival.
Where: UW-L Center for the Arts
When: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 7
Admission: Free

UW-La Crosse show to feature works by graduating seniors

UW-La Crosse art students graduating this spring will share their work before heading to commencement. The spring Senior Exhibition, “Some Assembly Required,” opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 8, in the University Art Gallery, on the first floor of the Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets. The exhibit runs through Friday, May 6.

Students exhibiting in the show include: Josie Ableman, Ellen Danforth, Kyle Dill, Seth Forecki, Nicole Geske, Jennifer Hastings, Amy Keel, Mark Kelly, Andrew Meyer, Jennifer Peterson, Erica Rowan, Jennifer Thorson, Ali Wesner and Time Znidarsich.

The exhibit is not only a celebration of the release from the “workload” of acquiring a degree, but also a recognition of the non-traditional lifestyles that many of these artists will pursue. It also acknowledges their attainment of the title “artist” after years of being a “student.”

The students will show the work that has become their signature pieces. Among the mediums presented are: sculpture, metalsmithing, ceramics, graphic arts, painting, printmaking, photography and drawing.

Regular gallery hours are noon-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and during Toland Theatre events. Admission is free. The gallery opens for appointments by calling the UW-L Art Department 608.785.8230.

If you go—
What: UW-L Senior Exhibition, “Some Assembly Required”Who: Graduating Seniors from UW-La Crosse
When: Opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 8; runs through Friday, May 6. Regular gallery hours are noon-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Where: University Art Gallery, first floor of the UW-L Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets.
Admission: Free.

‘Dracula’ to be staged at UW-La Crosse

The blood-curdling stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic Dracula, adapted by Steven Dietz, will close the UW-La Crosse Theatre Arts Department’s performance season.

Dracula takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday April 29-30 and Thursday-Saturday May 5-7, and at 2 p.m. Sundays, May 1 and 8. Performances are in Toland Theatre in the UW-L Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine Streets.

UW-L’s version of the classic returns to the original dark suspense of the infamously vile villain of the night. Enter Mina Murray, the innocent yet passionate protagonist of the play, occupying late 19th Century London with her fiery best friend, Lucy, on the hunt for love. Mina is betrothed to Jonathon Harker who, at the onset of the tale, finds himself on an ill-fated business trip abroad in the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania. It is not until Harker’s letters mysteriously cease, and Lucy’s behavior takes an abrupt turn for the bizarre that the audience begins to sense the undertones of a vast, debilitating depravity. Joined by Lucy’s psychologist suitor Dr. Seward and the God-fearing professor Abraham Van Helsing, the cast of characters is forced to wade through the increasingly frightening occurrences and discover the root of its cause before time runs out. The performance will include awe-inspiring theatrical effects.

Tickets go on sale Monday, April 25, and are $4 for students, $10 for others students and senior citizens, and $12 for others. Due to the nature of this production, it is not recommended for small children. For tickets, call the Box Office at 608.785.8522. Box Office hours are 1-4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and one hour before show times.

If you go—
Who: UW-La Crosse Department of Theatre Arts
What: Dracula by Bram Stoker, Adapted by Steven Dietz
Where: Toland Theatre, UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, April 29-30, and Thursday-Saturday, May 5-7
2 p.m. Sundays, May 1 and 8
Admission: $4 for students; $10 for others students and senior citizens; $12 for others. Due to the nature of this production, it is not recommended for small children.

UW-La Crosse students to exhibit artwork downtown

A UW-La Crosse art class will hold an exhibit in the Grand River Station Gallery, 315 Jay St., downtown La Crosse. Twelve members of the Professional Practices and Problems Class will hold “Even But Odd” which features a variety of mediums from a very diverse variety of aesthetics. The exhibit opens with a reception from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, April 2. The show runs through Thursday, April 28. Regular gallery hours are from 4-6 pm Wednesdays-Fridays. Admission is free.

Introspective and personal motifs make up the works of Nate Shields, Carla Stenulson, and Toni King. Shields’ prints depict personal and emotional interpretations, exploring who he is in the process. Stenulson represents the world through her eyes and hopes that viewers are able to see her hopes, dreams and memories. King accepts that art is what we see and interpret for ourselves, and attempts to capture beauty even in the mundane.

A focus on process is what drives the creations of Kirk Benson, Micah Marie McCann and Angie Voigt. Being “hardwired” for process, Benson embraces the physical labors of printmaking. Though he works in a very minimalistic way, Benson comments on a variety of social issues, most recently on meat and food industries. McCann’s work glorifies the idea of handmade and personally crafted pieces. Voigt focuses similarly on process, but works to recreate three dimensional images and processes she loves, but on a two-dimensional surface. Despite being exposed to a plethora of mediums, Voigt finds most of her inspiration in the human figure in both dimensions.

Narration, whether personal or extrospective, has been a part of art since prehistoric times. Nicole Becker, Tristan Donaldson, Van Ngo and Cando Pierce integrate storytelling into their mediums to create pieces that go beyond process. Becker works to engage viewer’s minds by allowing them to create their own scenarios from her pieces, letting the viewer tailor the narrative to his/her own personal experiences. This makes the piece more than a physical item, but a story as well. With the depictions of extrapersonal and personal experiences, Donaldson uses the state of mind and perspectives of the viewers to create end meanings to his works. Simplicity and melancholy are staples of Ngo’s works. She attempts to keep a rather dark sense of humor in her art while maintaining a connection to the music she uses as inspiration. Pierce’s pieces continue the tradition of narrative pottery in a highly symbolic yet, simple fashion. For her, the pairing of a technically sound, functional form and a controlled, uncomplicated storyline are key to making a connection with the viewer.

Audrey O’Keefe centers historical and cultural references, using famous people as inspiration. Though usually working in portraiture, O’Keefe focuses around classical techniques and traditional themes. Scott Scholze’s focus on natural materials provides insight into his landscape and nature-based pieces.

The students are studying under assistant professor Binod Shrestha.

If you go—
Who: Twelve members of the UW-L Professional Practices and Problems Class
What: “Even But Odd,” an art exhibit featuring a variety of mediumsWhere: Grand River Station Gallery, 315 Jay St., downtown La Crosse
When: opens with a reception from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, April 2, runs through Thursday, April 28. Admission: Free; regular gallery hours are from 4-6 pm Wednesdays-Fridays.

CLS Inclusive Excellence
Spring Dates to Remember


February 17—How Does it Feel To Be a Problem? Lecture presented by Professor Moustafa Bayoumi, author of How Does it Feel to be a Problem: Being Young and Arab in America. Wimberly Hall 141, 4:00-5:00 pm. For more information visit http://www.uwlax.edu/ls/news/index.html#arab or the author’s website http://www.moustafabayoumi.com/aboutthebook.html

February 21—Mexican Social Movements in 2011, Lecture presented by Dr. Thomas Hansen, Director of the Mexico Solidarity Network, Wimberly Hall 112, 5:30 pm. Free refreshments will be served. This event is sponsored by the Institute for Latina/o and Latin America Studies.

February 28—Reflections of Ebony, presented by Dr. Joy DeGruy, Valhalla, 8:15-10:00 am. For more information visit http://www.joydegruy.com/

March 1-April 4 (Tuesday 12:00-1:00)—CLS Inclusive Excellence Book Group Meetings—The Late Homecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir, by Kao Lakia Yang—if you are interested in participating in the book group, contact Charles Martin Stanley. For more information about the author, visit http://www.kaokaliayang.com/home.html

April 10—Keynote presentation, Kao Lakia Yang, Author of The Late Homecomer: A Hmong Family Memior, Valhalla 7:00 pm. For more information about the author, visit http://www.kaokaliayang.com/home.html

CLS faculty members honored in celebration of research

On January 21, 2011, 11 College of Liberal Studies faculty presented their research on topics ranging from identity construction to family communication at the 16th Annual Faculty Research Day. The annual event showcased faculty research in effort for the university to share the endeavors of its colleagues and their students.

CLS faculty presenters included:
Ray Block, Jr. (Political Science/Public Administration)--Managing Monikers: The Role of Name Presentation in the 2008 Presidential Election
Michael Brennan (Sociology/Archaeology)--Long Shadows: Mourning, Memory and Narrative in the Construction of Israeli Identity
Eric Kraemer (Philosophy)--Laicite and Its Challenges: What We Can Learn from the French Experience with Secularism
Natalie Eschenbaum (English)--Robert Herrick and the Five (or Six) Senses
Christine Hippert (Sociology/Archaeology)--Bolivian Popular Participation and State Development Priorities: "Fitting in with the Winners"
Donald LaCoss (History)--Egyptian Surrealism & Revolt in British-Occupied Cairo, 1936-1946
Dena Huisman & Heike Flood (Communication Studies)--Being an Insider, Being an Outsider: Family Communication and Dual Cultural Membership in 20th Century Immigrant Families
Robert Krajewski (Educational Studies)--Identifying and Avoiding Publishing Pitfalls: Helpful Hints for (Aspiring) Scholars
Al Gedicks (Sociology/Archaeology)--Chevron/Texaco vs. Ecuadorian Indians: A Global Game Changer
Mahruq Khan (Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies)--Constructing Queer Muslim Community in Canada

The College of Liberal Studies would like to congratulate its presenters for their outstanding contributions to their various fields of study.

Concert to feature UW-La Crosse, Viterbo choirs

The UW-La Crosse’s Concert Choir Festival Spring Concert will feature a special appearance with the Viterbo University Concert Choir. The performance is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, at English Lutheran Church, 1509 King St., La Crosse.

“This concert is unique because you’ll be able to hear two superb local collegiate choirs sharing a concert for the first time in recent history,” says Gary Walth, conductor of the UW-L Concert Choir. Both choirs will perform sacred and secular repertoire before concluding with a combined work. Jean Saladino conducts the Viterbo choir.

Suggested ticket donations are $6 for students, $8 for senior citizens and $10 for others. General admission tickets may be reserved or purchased beginning Wednesday, April 27, at 608.785.8415.

If you go—
Who: UW-La Crosse Concert Choir and the Viterbo University Concert Choir
What: Festival Spring Concert
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 3
Where: English Lutheran Church, 1509 King St., La Crosse.
Admission: $6 for students, $8 for senior citizens and $10 for others. For tickets call 608.785.8415 beginning April 27.

UW-L Women’s Chorus sets spring concert

The UW-La Crosse Women's Chorus will present a spring choral concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30, in Annett Recital Hall at the Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets.

The UW-L Women’s Chorus, directed by Paul Rusterholz, will begin the program with “Nigra Sum” by Pablo Casals, followed by an Italian madrigal by Luca Marenzio and Bela Bartok’s “Lover’s Farewell.” The Chorus will perform “Seek Ye the Lord” by Norwegian Knut Nystedt, and Stephen Hatfield’s arrangement of the Mexican folksong “Las Amarillas.”

Pianist Sue Walby will accompany the Women’s Chorus in Flor Peeters’ setting of “Psalm 100”, and also in Steven Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns.” Other more popular songs will include the Beatles’ hit tune “When I’m 64,” and the spiritual “Every Time I Feel the Spirit,” arranged by William Dawson.
Admission is free. The public is invited to attend.

If you go—
Who: UW-La Crosse Women's Chorus
What: Spring choral concert
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30
Where: Annett Recital Hall, UW-L Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets.
Admission: Free.

UWL History Student Symposium is May 2

You are invited to join the History faculty and students for presentations by History students currently enrolled in the research seminar, History 490.

Please see the attached schedule of presentations.

"Pushing Boundaries of Normalcy: Employing Critical Disability Studies in Analyzing Medical Charity Websites"
A Presentation of the English Department's William J. and Yvonne Hyde Colloquium Series.

Marie Moeller, English Department faculty member, will continue the English Department's 2010-11 William J. and Yvonne Hyde Colloquium Series with a presentation entitled "Pushing Boundaries of Normalcy: Employing Critical Disability Studies in Analyzing Medical Charity Websites."

This presentation works at the intersections of technical and professional writing, disability studies, and gender studies to display how medical charity websites forward problematic narratives about women and women's bodies. Through the concept of normalcy, Dr. Moeller focuses on the Susan G. Komen Foundation's stance on the lesbian body and the disabled body to illustrate how technical and professional writing can, and does, do political work that targets and marginalizes particular populations of women.

The presentation runs from 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 29th, in 113 Wimberly Hall. The event is free and open to the public. To arrange for disability accommodations, contact english@uwlax.edu or call 785-8295. For more information, visit http://rhetor.blogs.com/english.

Invisible Children film to be shown at UW-La Crosse

A film that shows the life of the leader of a group engaged in an armed rebellion against the Ugandan government will be shown at UW-La Crosse.

The international group Invisible Children followed Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, into the battlefield of the long-lasting conflict in Africa. The LRA is a guerrilla group engaged in a violent campaign to establish theocratic government in Uganda. The LRA is accused of abducting an estimated 66,000 children and displacing more than 2 million people since its rebellion began in 1986.The free screening runs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

The presentation is co-sponsored by the student organization Invisible Children, the History Department, and the Allen B. Birchler Lecture Fund.

If you go—
What: Invisible Children film screening
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28
Where: Valhalla, UW-L Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.
Admission: Free

Expert on Latino children’s books to speak at UW-L’s Murphy Library

A program at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will explore children’s literature written by or containing themes related to Latino/Latina life and culture.

Ruth E. Quiroa, Ph.D., will present the program, “New And Familiar Worlds: Latino/A-Themed Literature For Pre-K-High School, 2001-2010” in the Alice Hagar Curriculum Center on the 2nd floor of UW-L’s Murphy Library. Two programs are planed Wednesday, April 6 — from 2 3:30 p.m. for UW-L students and from 4-6 p.m. for local-area educators. Both are free.

“This is the fifth in our annual series of programs highlighting multicultural children’s literature,” says Michele Strange, access services librarian at Murphy Library and coordinator of the programs. “Our speaker, Ruth Quiroa, has published in numerous books and journals and has presented extensively on the topic of Latino literature.”

In addition to the programs in Murphy Library, Quiroa will visit with classes in the School of Education and English Department Tuesday, April 5.

Quiroa is associate professor of reading and language at National-Louis University, Lisle Campus, where she teaches graduate courses in literature for children and adolescents, inclusive of multicultural literature, and other language arts courses. She formerly taught kindergarten and bilingual second grade (Spanish/English), and served as coordinator for an after-school program at a middle school.

Quiroa’s research interests include investigating responses of Latino students to children's literature with Latino themes, as well as the impact of teachers' cultural and linguistic awareness on literacy instruction for ELL students, and the teacher's role in mediating culturally specific texts with Latino children. Her work in the area of multicultural children's literature has focused on the trends and issues in Mexican American-themed literature and on the use of Spanish in English-based Latino literature.

“These programs are a hands-on experience for many local educators and students,” notes Strange. “Participants can browse through the award-winning books we put on display, interact with the speaker, and network with other area teachers, librarians and other educators.”

The program is sponsored by Murphy Library, Campus Climate and Diversity, and the School of Education.For more information see: http://www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/departments/curriculum/programs.html

If you go—
What: New And Familiar Worlds: Latino/A-Themed Literature For Pre-K - High School, 2001-2010
Who: Ruth E. Quiroa, Ph.D., National Louis University
Where: Alice Hagar Curriculum Center, UW-La Crosse Murphy Library, second floor
When: Wednesday, April 6. Program for students: 2–3:30 p.m.; program for educators: 4-6 p.m..
Admission: Free.

Author Kao Kalia Yang to speak at UW-La Crosse

An author of one of the first memoirs by a Hmong writer will speak at UW- La Crosse. Kao Kalia Yang gives a presentation at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 10, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

After her grandmother’s death, Yang was driven to tell her family’s story. “The Latehomecomer” is her tribute to the remarkable woman whose spirit held them all together. It recounts the challenges of adapting to a new place and a new language. Her words give voice to the dreams, wisdom and traditions passed down from her grandmother. She expresses one perspective of a people who have worked hard to make their voices heard.

The performance is part of the Campus Activities Board series. Admission is free. For more information, call the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608.785.8898 or visit www.uwlax.edu/cab.

If you go—
Who: Author Kao Kalia Yang
What: Lecture
When: 7 p.m. Sunday, April 10
Where: Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: Free

‘Splendor in the Grass’ to be staged at UW-La Crosse

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Department of Theatre Arts’ annual studio production is ”Splendor in the Grass.” The studio production features both new and experienced actors and runs at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, April 6-9, with a matinee performance at 2 o’clock Sunday, April 10, in Frederick Theatre in Morris Hall, 16th and State streets.

“Splendor in the Grass,” by William Inge and adapted for the stage by F. Andrew Leslie, is a tale as old as time: a pair of star-crossed lovers unite, but outside forces conspire to keep them apart. Based on the movie by the same name, the play is the story of Bud Stamper, a rich star athlete, and the beautiful but innocent Deanie Loomis who struggle to maintain a relationship amidst the undercurrent of the Prohibition and the coming stock market crash.
Bud is perfectly content to marry Deanie and settle in at agricultural college, but his father has other plans—like going to Yale and carrying on the family oil business. When Bud decides it would be best for them to end things, the unstable Deanie plunges into an emotional breakdown and is institutionalized.

Tickets, all general seating, go on sale at 1 p.m. Monday, April 4. Tickets are $4 for UW-L students, $10 for other students and senior citizens; and $12 for others. For reservations call the box office at 608.785.8522.

If you go —
What: ‘Splendor in the Grass ‘ by William Inge and adapted by F. Andrew Leslie
Who: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Department of Theatre ArtsWhen: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, April 6-9 ; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 10
Where: Frederick Theatre, UW-La Crosse Morris Hall
Tickets: General seating, $4 for UW-L students, $10 for other students and senior citizens; and $12 for others. The box office opens Monday, April 4.

Professor to discuss large Illinois archaeological site

An anthropology professor will detail his work at one of the largest archaeological sites in America located downriver near Collinsville, Ill. John E. Kelly, a professor of anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis, speaks on “Cahokia and Beyond: A View from the Top of Monks Mound” Tuesday, April 12, in Port O’ Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. A social is set for 6 p.m., followed by an awards presentation at 6:30 and the lecture at 7.

Cahokia, with a ritual core of four large plazas that envelop the largest earthen monument known as Monks Mound, comprises a cultural landscape of nearly 400 acres. This presentation discusses the ongoing research efforts of the presenter and others at Cahokia and the surrounding region.

The Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center program is sponsored by the Archaeology Studies Program, the Sociology/Archaeology Department, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the United Fund for the Arts and Humanities

If you go—
Who: “Cahokia and Beyond: A View from the Top of Monks Mound”
What: “Cahokia and Beyond: A View from the Top of Monks Mound”Where: Port O’ Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
When: Social at 6 p.m., followed by an awards presentation at 6:30 and the lecture at 7 Tuesday, April 12
Admission: Free

UW-L students share, celebrate research

A group of UW-La Crosse students have calculated the carbon footprint of their college campus. Other students monitored people’s energy expenditure in a ZUMBA fitness class. And others have tracked what happens in the Milky Way after a star dies.

Students will present this research and more during the 14th Annual Celebration of Student Research & Creativity from 8:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Friday, April 15, during national Undergraduate Research Week. Undergraduate and graduate students will give oral and poster presentations throughout the Cartwright Center.

To calculate UW-L’s carbon footprint, students estimated carbon dioxide emissions from sources such as the campus coal plant, outsourced energy, people commuting, school trips and study abroad.
“The main point is to see where we are at and where we would like to see our school go and then inspire people - create a little fire underneath them - to start thinking about it,” explains Sarah Graf, a UW-L senior involved in the project.

They found the campus produces nearly 50,000 metric tons per year of carbon dioxide and other related greenhouse gases. That’s equivalent to burning 5.6 million gallons of gas or driving 8,500 cars over the course of a year, considering the average person drives 15,000 miles per year and the average car gets 23 miles per gallon, said Rob Tyser, UW-L biology professor.

They also outlined scenarios for how to reduce the campus carbon footprint by substituting wood chips and natural gas for coal.

Students are discovering how their studies translate to solving real-world problems, says Tyser.
“Climate change is a worldwide issue,” he notes. “We are learning more about that issue and what we can do to mitigate the effects of climate change.”

The day will continue with a 1 p.m. keynote presentation by Chad Hammerschmidt, ’97 and ’99 alum and assistant professor of Earth & Environment Sciences at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio at Valhalla Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. The event concludes with a 1:30 p.m. recognition and awards ceremony.

If you go—
What: Celebration of Student Research & Creativity
Where: UW-L Cartwright Center
When: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 15
Admission: Free

Poet, social justice advocate performs ‘Rebel Lullaby’
Poetic performance focuses on war, domestic violence and sexuality

A survivor of sexual violence, a queer woman of color and daughter of immigrant parents will speak at UW-La Crosse. Social justice advocate sarwat rumi will perform “Rebel Lullaby,” a mix of poetry and song at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 7, at the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center.

“I hope she is able to bring greater awareness of her experiences of issues of violence and how it manifests in different racial, political and social contexts,” said Mahruq Khan, UW-L assistant professor of Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies.

Rumi, a bilingual Bengali American Muslim of Chicago, works toward social justice as a poet, teaching artist and performance activist. Her presentation will be followed by a workshop addressing people’s personal and cultural relationship to violence through their bodies, words and breath from noon to 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 8 in 259 Cartwright Center. She encourages participants to bring a journal and pen.

Both events are free. Tickets are required for Thursday’s presentation and are available at the Cartwright Center information counter from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday or call 608-785-8877. Rumi’s visit is sponsored by UW-L’s Visiting Scholar/Artist of Color program and the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department.

UW-L’s Visiting Scholar/Artist of Color program

As part of UW-L’s commitment to diversity, artists or faculty, typically from minority groups, come to campus to visit as part of UW-L’s Visiting Scholar/Artist of Color program. Funding from the Provost’s Office is available to support four visits per year, said Bob Hoar, faculty assistant to the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.Visitors often have expertise in advocating for underrepresented groups and typically offer one public event in addition to visiting classes, programs and departments.

The Provost’s Office and UW-L deans created the program about five years ago as part of Plan 2008, a UW System-wide effort to improve diversity, said Victor Macias-Gonzalez, associate professor of history.
The goal of the program is to enrich the campus and community through exposure to diversity, he said. Past visiting scholars or artists have read or done painting workshops with area children in addition to sharing their work on campus.

“They provide the opportunity for students to interact with some big names and they give our kids access to world-class talent,” said Macias-Gonzalez. “It’s all part of the liberal arts and humanities - understanding yourself better by gaining perspective from others.”

If you go—
What: sarwat rumi will perform “Rebel Lullaby”
Where: UW-La Crosse Cleary Alumni & Friends Center
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 7Admission: Free, but tickets are required

UW-La Crosse students selected to perform at Honors Recital

Eight students studying music at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse have been selected to perform in the Music Department’s annual Honors Recital.

The students will perform at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 9, in Annett Recital Hall in the UW-L Center for the Arts. The performance is free and open to the public. A reception for students, parents and teachers will follow.

The music department’s faculty selected students for the recital based on their outstanding performances at auditions held earlier this year. Those selected include:

Chris Barnes, euphonium, Germantown, Wis.
Suzanne Clum, cello, Racine, Wis.
Anna Erickson, piano, Belle Plaine, Minn.
Shelby Krarup, soprano, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
Brady Langer, bass, Osceola, Wis.
Sarah Shervey, soprano, Rosemount, Minn.
Carolyn Temanson, piano, Stratford, Wis.
Bryan Zannotti, marimba, La Crosse, Wis.

For more information, contact the Music Department at 608.785.8409.

If you go—
What: UW-L Music Department Honors Recital
Who: Eight UW-La Crosse students
When: 2 p.m. Saturday, April 9
Where: Annett Recital Hall, UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts
Admission: Free

‘Hinterland Dreams’
New book uses La Crosse as 19th century Midwestern example

morser
powell
The book cover of Eric J. Morser’s recently published book about La Crosse.
Dr. Frank Powell, right, is shown with Buffalo Bill Cody and a young boy in this historic photo that is included in Eric J. Morser’s recent book about La Crosse, “Hinterland Dreams: The Political Economy of a Midwestern City.”

A recently published book uses La Crosse to detail the political economy of the Midwest during the 19th century.

Eric Morser, a history professor at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., earned his doctorate at UW Madison after writing “Hinterland Dreams: The Political Economy of a Midwestern City.” The academic book details local, state and federal politics and economics rather than simply providing history of the region’s business and political leaders.

“Morser’s book adds a wealth of depth and breadth to the early history of La Crosse,” says Anita T. Doering, an archivist with the La Crosse Public Library. “It is not a romanticized vision of how generous and philanthropic the lumber barons and other capitalists were to the La Crosse community, but highlights the economic realities and political policies, both federal and state, that were in play to entice and assure the success of these young Yankees who headed west in search of their fortunes.”

Doering says Morser gradually moves from the effects of U.S. policy toward indigenous Indian peoples, to the exploitation of Wisconsin’s natural resources, and finally to the voice and working life of everyday La Crossers.

In discussion of the railroad, she notes, Morser uses samples of citizen petitions directing the La Crosse Common Council from the late 1880s to the turn of the 20th century to address their complaints about railroad issues. The Common Council engaged citizens with a sense of ownership in the railroads and other public utilities, Doering explains.

“This early relationship helped the city establish other industry and manufacturing ventures apart from lumber which, in turn, helped the city recover from the devastating effects from the deforested pineries by the turn of the 20th century,” Doering notes.

Morser pored over historical municipal documents — resolutions related to railroads and codified city ordinances — and searched photos from the La Crosse Public Library and UW-L’s Murphy Library to complete the book. “He also used historical images of persons who were key to his telling of the story of La Crosse,” notes Doering. “Our staff answered questions, made what seemed like mountains of photocopies, and scanned historical photos for his use.”

UW-L Economics Professor Mike Haupert says the book presents an impeccably researched, fascinating tale of the growth of La Crosse.

“Morser relates the history of the area through the exploits and adventures of its most illustrious citizens whose names we all recognize on our street signs, public buildings and parks,” notes Haupert. “Among them are Thomas Stoddard, Nathan Myrick, Cadwallader Washburn, Lewis Cass and David Frank Powell to name a few.”

Doering says for anyone interested in the city’s history from its discovery to the turn of the 20th century, the book’s a must read. “The book also provides lessons for the future of La Crosse in the next century,” she notes.

Excerpt from the book’s Prologue—
“Ultimately, by situating these individual stories in a broader political and economic context, ‘Hinterland Dreams’ offers a new way to understand how smaller midwestern cities like La Crosse emerged in the nineteenth century and helped determine the region’s commercial history. Rather than being a simple, deterministic tale of natural landscapes and market forces, the city’s story is one of lawmakers and judges framing a world of economic possibilities for its inhabitants. Federal, state and municipal officials made southwestern Wisconsin into an inviting western destination, enabled the city’s first migrants to build a prosperous trading post and encouraged lumbermen to transform La Crosse into a commercial mecca.”

Excerpt from chapter 1, “A Story of Settlement,” about Nathan Myrick—
“… after he arrived at Prairie La Crosse, he became a successful Indian trader largely because a federal treaty system granted annual payments to southwestern Wisconsin’s indigenous people and, in so doing, made them dependent on American traders for goods. Finally, he prospered because generous federal pre-emption laws allowed him to claim Prairie La Crosse and secure title to the lands of the future city.”

Hear Author Eric J. Morser
Author Eric Morser will visit UW-La Crosse to talk about his new book. After meeting with history students, he’ll hold a public session at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, in the Ward Room in the UW-L Cartwright Center. Admission is free. A reception and book signing follows. His visit is sponsored by Phi Alpha Theta; the UW-L History, Economics and Sociology departments; UW-L Murphy Library, Viterbo University Department of History, La Crosse Public Library, and UPenn Press.

UW-L students’ work at Grand River Station
‘The Fox, The Bee and The Scribe’ opens March 11

 artgrandriver

UW-La Crosse students will exhibit their artwork downtown La Crosse. The three-person show, “The Fox, The Bee and The Scribe,” opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, March 11, in the Grand River Station Gallery.

Art student Josie Ableman’s work focuses on painting and illustration. Her style is based on cartoons, pop culture, fairy tales and folklore. Usually working in 2-D and ink, she is currently attempting to bring her style into 3-D. Ableman hopes to create an environment and visual that people can relate to in a spacial manner as opposed to just a visual one. 

Elizabeth Rose Bowman, an art student, emphasizes her work in painting and sculpture. Her studios blend together work that is full of subtle texture and tactile material. Lately she has been fascinated with vessel forms and containers. She strives to form connections between the viewer and the natural world. 

Nicole Geske, a graphic design student, has been engulfed by typography. In admiration of traditional aesthetic and techniques, Geske has turned to the old tradition of calligraphy in an effort to reinvent the contemporary view of letter treatment. 

The three UW-L students are studying art independently beyond the rest of their coursework. Ableman and Geske plan to graduate this spring.  

The show runs through Friday, April 1. The Grand River Station Gallery, 315 S. Third St., is open from 4-6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays. For an appointment contact Liz Bowman at 715.305.9262. Admission is free.

If you go—
What: “The Fox, The Bee and The Scribe”
Who:   Three UW-La Crosse students
Where: The Grand River Station Gallery, 315 S. Third St., La Crosse
When: from 4-6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays March 11-April 1. Opening reception from 5-7 p.m. March 11.
Admission: Free

Latino/a Collaborative Workshop slated at UW-L

The second annual La Crosse Area Latina/o Collaborative Workshop on teaching, service and research will be Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2 at UW-La Crosse.

The workshop is a chance for instructors, students and community members from school districts, colleges and universities to share best practices in teaching, research, service learning and international education programs in Latin America and Latina/o Studies.

This year’s theme is Citizenship and Community and presentations will highlight contemporary issues involving equity, inclusivity and diversity.

The workshop seeks to strengthen ties within Latin American Studies communities; share teaching strategies, course content and lessons; formulate regional outreach strategies to foster greater awareness and inclusivity of the growing Latina/o population in the region; and more.

For more details visit www.uwlax.edu/conted/lalac/ or contact Jessica Hemenway, UW-L Continuing Education and Extension, at 608-785-6538.

If you go—
What: La Crosse Area Latino/a Collaborative Workshop
Where: Port O’ Call Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition on Friday and second floor Graff Main Hall on Saturday
When: Public program 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Friday. Conference continues from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday
Admission: Free. Register by noon Wednesday at www.uwlax.edu/conted/lalac/registration.htm

"Virginia Woolf and Environmental Modernism"

A Presentation of the English Department's William J. and Yvonne Hyde Colloquium Series

Kelly Sultzbach, English Department faculty member, will continue the English Department's 2010-11 William J. and Yvonne Hyde Colloquium Series with a presentation entitled "Virginia Woolf and Environmental Modernism." This presentation will interrogate how Woolf’s use of non-human characters and sentient environments challenges our traditional definitions of modernism.

The presentation runs from 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 1st, in 113 Wimberly Hall. The event is free and open to the public. To arrange for disability accommodations, contact english@uwlax.edu or call 785-8295. For more information, visit http://rhetor.blogs.com/english.

‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’

Musical comedy set for UW-L’s Toland Theatre 

The musical comedy “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” kicks off the UW-La Crosse Department of Theatre Arts’ new year. Performances run at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25-26 and March 3-5, and at 2 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 27 and March 6, in Toland Theatre in the UW-L Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets.

Con men Lawrence Jameson and Freddy Benson are scheming to manipulate as much money from unsuspecting ladies as possible. The two plan their caper just outside the French Riviera — an area ripe with wealth and women — but overshadowed with the anticipated arrival of an adversary so infamously illusive as to be deemed the Jackal. An ambitious wager with the stakes set at $50,000 triggers a series of comical characters, including an unlikely ruse as a paraplegic, a turn as a sadistic, experimental doctor and an American Soap Queen. 

The play is directed by Theatre Arts Associate Professor Mary Leonard who is teamed up with UW-L Music Professor Gary Walth. 

Tickets for Dirty Rotten Scoundrelsgo on sale at 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 21 in the Theatre Box Office. Tickets are $5 for UW-L students, $12 for other students, children and senior citizens, and $14 for others. For reservations, contact the box office at 608.785.8522.    

 If you go —
Who:   University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Department of Theatre Arts
What: “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”
Where: Toland Theatre, UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets
When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25-26 and March 3-5
2 p.m. Feb. 27 and March 6
Admission: $5 for UW-L students; $12 for other students, children and senior citizens; $14 for others. Make reservations through the box office, 608.785.8522. 

A look back - Artifact show set for Valley View Mall March 5

Artifacts representing the area’s long history will be on display at Valley View Mall.

UW-La Crosse Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center staff will show artifacts recovered from local excavations during a show from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, March 5. The show is free and open to the public.

The show will also include local collectors displaying their personal collections of artifacts. Archaeologists will be on hand to identify artifacts and answer questions. And, a flintknapping (stone tool making) demonstration will be conducted from 11 a.m.-noon.

To display your artifact, contact the Center at 608.785.8454 to make arrangements.

The UW-La Crosse Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center (MVAC), founded in 1982:

-provides education about the science of archaeology and the ancient cultures of the Upper Mississippi Valley

-conducts research and exploration of archaeological sites and artifacts

-preserves archaeological artifacts of past cultures that flourished within the Upper Mississippi Valley

-sponsors a regional center to promote an understanding of the prior inhabitants of this region.

 For more information on MVAC, call 608.785.8463 or visit www.uwlax.edu/mvac   

 If you go—
Who:   UW-La Crosse Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center
What:  Artifact show
Where:  Valley View Mall
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, March 5
Admission: Free

Kinesis set to leap onto Toland stage

Kinesis, the UW-La Crosse student dance group under the direction of choreographer Kathy Gorman will take the stage. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 24 and 25, in Toland Theatre, Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets.

After debuting at the Shelter Repertory Dance Theatre’s performance two years ago and premiering solo on the Toland stage last spring, Kinesis returns for a second main stage production. The troupe will perform to familiar tunes and expressive dance numbers. Choreographer Kathy Gorman returns this year with a new set of equally insightful, artistic statements, aided in creation by other members of the company.

Members of the Kinesis Dance Theatre include: Caitlyn Bednarek, Eric Busse, Erin Christensen, Justin Cooke, Karen Eggert, Krista Hagman, Caley Hatchell, Matt Matuseski, Amanda Munsen, Jandrea Novak, Kate Peak, Sarah Pedretti, Heather Teske and Ellen Weiler.

Tickets are $4 for UW-L students, $10 for other students and senior citizens, and $12 for others. Tickets will be available at the door one hour before each performance. For more information, contact the Department of Theatre Arts at 608.785.6701.

If you go—
Who: Kinesis Dance Theatre
What: Performance
Where: Toland Theatre, UW-L Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 24 and 25
Admission: $4 for UW-L students; $10 for other students and senior citizens; $12 for others. Tickets available at the door one hour before each performance.

History Day - “Debate and Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences” is topic

More than 300 middle school and high school students from at least 10 western Wisconsin school districts will share results of their historical research projects on the theme “Debate and Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences” Wednesday, March 23, at UW-La Crosse.

The National History Day Regional Competition, under the direction of the UW-L History Department, engages students in historical research through a variety of contexts. The event begins at 8 a.m. in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Students will present research through historical papers, websites, media documentaries, exhibits and performances.

The public can witness historical performances in Valhalla throughout the morning and visit exhibits in Port O’ Call and Room 339 from noon-1 p.m. Media documentaries open for public viewing throughout the day. Qualifiers for the state competition will be announced at 3:30. Admission is free.

If you go—
Who: National History Day Regional CompetitionWhat: “Debate and Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences”
When: Begins at 8 a.m.; state qualifiers announced at 3:30 p.m.
Where: Valhalla, UW-L Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: Free.

UW-L Mannerchor, Concert Choir to perform
Concert to feature a variety of works

The UW-La Crosse Concert Choir and Männerchor will present a winter concert next week. “Rhapsody and Choral Dances” begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, in Annett Recital Hall in the UW-L Center for the Arts. Music Professor Gary Walth conducts both choirs.

Männerchor, UW-L’s male chorus, will perform Johannes Brahm’s “Rhapsodie” featuring UW-L Music Department faculty members Soojin Ritterling, mezzo soprano, and Mary
Tollefson, pianist. The work is a partial setting, composed in 1869, of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s poem “Winter Journey Through the Harz Mountains.” Männerchor will also perform a short work by Franz Schubert, as well as two spirituals and an acappella setting of Walth’s composition, “Let Me Fly.”

The Concert Choir’s portion of the concert features compositions relating to dancing. After opening with the first movement of Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana, the choir will perform works by German Renaissance composer Hans Leo Hassler, Swedish arranger Bengt Hallberg, California composer Greg Jasperse and Haitian writer Sydney Guillaume. The featured selection in the program is a work written by prolific American composer Eric Whiteacre titled “Sleep.”

The concert is free and open to the public; seating will be limited.

If you go—
Who: UW-La Crosse Concert Choir and Männerchor
What: “Rhapsody and Choral Dances,” a winter concert
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 8
Where: Annett Recital Hall, UW-L Center for the Arts
Admission: Free

CLS Associate Dean and Director of the School of Arts & Communication Candidates on Campus

Three candidates for the Associate Dean and Director of the School of Arts & Communication will be on campus in February and March.  Open forums are scheduled for each candidate where they will make a 20 minute presentation followed by a question/answer session.

Please mark your calendars for the following dates and time:

February 18
J. Mark Thompson
3:30 - 4:30
Room 259 Cartwright

February 28
Jean Petsch
3:30 - 4:30
Ward Room Cartwright Center

March 4
Julia Johnson
3:30 - 4:30
Room 259 Cartwright Center

"The Urban Image: From Wordsworth to Sophia Coppola"
A Presentation of the English Department's William J. and Yvonne Hyde Colloquium

Kimberly DeFazio, English Department faculty member, will continue the 2010-11 William J. and Yvonne Hyde English Department Colloquium Series with a presentation entitled "The Urban Image: From Wordsworth to Sophia Coppola."

The problem of "seeing" the city has been a central concern since the rise of the modern city. Connecting Wordsworth’s romantic image of the city to contemporary visual studies and culture, especially Coppola’s film Lost in Translation, the presentation addresses the ways in which material conditions shape how the city is visualized and the “crisis” of urban sight.

The presentation runs from 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Friday, February 25th, in 113 Wimberly Hall. The event is free and open to the public. To arrange for disability accommodations, contact english@uwlax.edu or call 785-8295. For more information, visit http://rhetor.blogs.com/english.

UW-L Big Band Cabaret celebrates its 24th year

UW-La Crosse’s Big Band Cabaret celebrates its 24th year.  The 17-piece UW-L "Tuxedo Dance Orchestra" will recreate the sights and sounds of the fabulous swing era, including songs made famous by Glenn Miller, Les Brown, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and more, at the 24th annual Big Band Cabaret celebration at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

Joining the Tuxedo Big Band will be the La Crosse Jazz Swingtet, the UW-La Crosse "Black Coat Orchestra" and featured guest artists, trumpeter Tom Brown, vocalist Tim Henke, and pianist Chris Frye. Among the selections performed will be Benny Goodman's "Let's Dance," Frank Sinatra's "Don't Worry About Me," and Glenn Miller's "String of Pearls." Vocal competition winner Cori Vought will perform "Sentimental Journey" and Natalie Cole's "L-O-V-E."

In addition to many Swing Era Classics the bands will perform special sets of waltzes, cha chas, polkas and a tango or two.

Admission is $10 for students, $14 for seniors and $15 for others. The concert is cabaret style seating with candle-lit tables, a large dance floor and full beverage service. For ticket reservations call 785.8415 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

If you go—
Who: Big Band Cabaret                 
What: Concert celebration
Where: Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition         
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19
Admission: $10 for students, $14 for seniors and $15 for others.

The Nature of Interpretation

What happens when a work of art enters the world?
This colloquium offers an inquiry into how art is evaluated and interpreted, and the ways in which the meaning of objects and images are culturally shaped. Three presentations will be followed by a panel discussion.

When: Thursday February 10,2011
5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Where: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Cleary Alumni & Friends Center
(Event is free and open to the public; wheelchair-accessible parking is available)

Speakers
Kris Douglas (Chief Curator of the Rochester Art Center)
Dr. Joni Thompson (Haskell Indian Nations University)
Dr. Sheryl Tuttle Ross (University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Philosophy Department)

Next Colloquium:
April 21: The Nature of Environment

Being Young and Arab in America
Author takes look at changes after 9-11 bayoumi

After 9-11, being Arab in America changed. A professor who has taken an in-depth look at those changes and written a book about them is coming to UW-La Crosse.

Professor Moustafa Bayoumi, author of "How Does it Feel to be a Problem: Being Young and Arab in America," has been named the university’s Visiting Scholar of Color. He’ll give a presentation, free and open to the pubic, at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, in 141 Wimberly Hall. Bayoumi will visit ethnic and racial studies, and history classes on campus during his two-day stay.

Bayoumi’s book has won an American Book Award and the Arab American Book Award for Non-Fiction. Recently, it was translated into Arabic. His writings have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine, The National, The Guardian, CNN.com, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and others. Bayoumi is a professor of English at Brooklyn College, City University of New York. He lives in Brooklyn.
Just over a century ago, W.E.B. Du Bois posed a provocative question in his classic “The Souls of Black Folk: How does it feel to be a problem?” Now, Bayoumi asks the same question about a new situation in the United States. He relies on seven young Arab Americans to provide the answer. 

In “How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?,” Bayoumi introduces young men and women who have found themselves part of the newest suspect class in the United States after the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001. Centered in Brooklyn, “How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?” offers a glimpse into the often-ignored struggles a group of 20-something Arab Americans face, from discrimination in schools and workplaces to the horror of being arrested and thrown in jail without committing a crime. More than a catalog of mistreatment and discrimination, their stories are filled with hope, drive and pursuit of a better life. 

How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being Young and Arab in America
If you go—
Who: Professor Moustafa Bayoumi***
What: "How Does it Feel to be a Problem: Being Young and Arab in America”
When: 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17 
Where: Room 141 Wimberly Hall
Admission: Free.

***Pronunciation  MOUSTAFA (moo-STA-fa) BAYOUMI (bay-OO-mi) 

For more information on this author visit:
http://www.moustafabayoumi.com/aboutthebook.html

"Vision and the Other"

A Presentation of the English Department's William J. and Yvonne Hyde Colloquium

Bryan Kopp and Rob Wilkie, English Department faculty members, will continue the 2010-11 William J. and Yvonne Hyde English Colloquium Series with a presentation entitled "Vision and theOther." The presenters will examine the representations of otherness in contemporary visual culture and the implications for how we think about images and cultural difference today. 

The presentation runs from 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Friday, January 28th, in 113 Wimberly Hall.  The event is free and open to the public. To arrange for disability accommodations, contactenglish@uwlax.edu or call 785-8295. For more information, visit http://rhetor.blogs.com/english.

A dialogue on diversity
UW-L to hold day of discussion of diverse topics

Discussions raging from bystander intervention to First Amendment rights on a university campus will be examined during “Diversity Dialogues” at UW-La Crosse.
Diversity Dialogues is an event aimed at celebrating diversity from all aspects, says Barbara Stewart, associate dean in the UW-L Campus Climate and Diversity Office. “The overall goal of this event is to get campus community members to dialogue about different aspects of diversity as a part of our Inclusive Excellence initiative.”

The event encourages the university community to showcase some of the outstanding work being done on campus with respect to diversity. Events will include poster displays and presentations, along with office and group diversity displays.  

Events, all free and open to the public, run from 9:30-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2. A Resource Room will be available in Port O’ Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Presentations will run in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

Presentations include:
10 a.m. —  
• “To help or not to help? The psychology of bystander intervention,” by Ryan A. McKelley
•  “Bollywood cinema and diversity: Where Omkara becomes Othello,” by Lalita Pandit Hogan

11 a.m. —
• “Multiculture plays: Learning from the inside out,” by Beth Cherne
• “The First Amendment on campus: Protecting freedom of speech while fighting racism, intolerant and discrimination,” by Nizam Arain

Noon —
• Film Screening and discussion: “Bullied,” a documentary produced by the Southern Poverty Law Center 

1:30 p.m. —
• “Affirmative Action and Wisconsin: Myths and Realities,” by James R Parker, Professor Emeritus
• “The R-Word: A discussion of the R-Word and disability-related issues,” by Students Advocating Potential Abilities

3:30 p.m. —
• “Working with veterans on campus,”  by Daryl Thomas & Carol Oyster
• “Diversity beyond the political science classroom,” by Cecilia G. Manrique

The event is sponsored by the subdivision of Campus Climate & Diversity. For disability accommodations, contact Matt Evensen at 608.785-5094. For more information, visit www.uwlax.edu/general/diversity or contact Barbara Stewart atstewart.barb@uwlax.edu.

If you go—
What: Diversity Dialogues
When: 9:30-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2. 
Where: Resource Room in Port O’ Call, presentations in Valhalla; all in UW-L Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. 
Admission: Free

UW-La Crosse’s Jazz Fest is Jan. 22
Chicago trumpeter Kirk Garrison is featured guest performer

garrison
Chicago-based trumpeter Kirk Garrison and his quintet are the featured performers at the UW-La Crosse Jazz Festival Saturday, Jan. 22.

Chicago-based trumpeter Kirk Garrison and his quintet will join the UW-La Crosse Jazz Ensemble I and the tri-state’s top high school groups at the 37th annual UW-La Crosse Jazz Festival. The concert is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for others and are available only at the door.

The Kirk Garrison Quintet brings together five of Chicago's finest jazz musicians: Kirk Garrison on trumpet, Mitch Paliga on saxophone, Frank Caruso on piano, Tim Fox on bass and Bob Rummage on drums. Together they represent the best of Chicago’s contemporary jazz scene. Individually, they are the first call musicians for touring artists, Broadway musicals and the Windy City’s thriving big band scene. 
Garrison and Paliga tour internationally each year with Gary Sinese’s Lt. Dan Band. Alumnus of Maynard Fergusson, Hank Levy, Chicago Jazz Orchestra, the Chicago Jazz Collective and the Rob Parton big band and veterans of innumerable festivals and clinics, the five combine to creating an exciting contemporary sound with their unique compositions and style.

In addition to the evening concert, middle school and high school jazz ensembles and combos will be performing from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. The ensembles will perform for a panel of clinicians and have an on stage critique following their performance. All of the daytime activities will take place throughout Cartwright Center. Those performances are free and open to the public.  

For a schedule of performing groups and more information go to www.uwlax.edu/jazzstudies/Festival.html

If you go—
Who: Chicago-based trumpeter Kirk Garrison and his quintet will join the UW-La Crosse Jazz Ensemble I and the tri-state’s top high school groups 
What: 37th annual UW-La Crosse Jazz Festival
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22
Where: Valhalla, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: $10 for students and $15 for others; tickets available only at the door.
Also: Middle school and high school jazz ensembles and combos perform from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. in Cartwright Center. Free admission.

 

College of Liberal Studies New Faculty 2010-2011

Jeremy Arney
 Political Science and Public Administration
Jeremy Arney photo.
Education:

  • B.A., Colorado State University
  • M.A., Colorado State University
  • Ph.D., (In Progress), The University of Colorado at Denver

Areas of Specialization:
 The formation of public policy involving:

  • Collective Action
  • Social Change
  • Social Justice

Research Interests:

  • Government intervention and the social regulation of individual and group behaviors

Courses Taught:

  • POL 102  State and Local Government
  • POL 300  Urban Politics
  • POL 317  Health Policy
  • POL 361  Research Methods

Ray Block
Political Science and Public Administration
Jay Block photo.
Education:

  • B.A., Howard University
  • B.A., Howard University
  • M.A., The Ohio State University
  • Ph.D., The Ohio State University

Courses Taught:

  • POL 101: American National Government
  • POL 301: American Presidency
  • POL 361: Research Methods

Kimberly DeFazio
English Department

Education:

  • B.A., English and Textual Studies, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
  • M.A., English, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY
  • Ph.D., English, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY

Research Interests:

  • Romanticism
  • 19th Century British Literature
  • 19th Century American Literature
  • Visual Culture
  • Cultural Theory

Courses Taught:

  • British Literature II
  • College Writing I

Ann Epstein
Department of Educational Studies
Ann Epstein photo.

Education:

  • M.A., Xavier University
  • Ph.D., University of Maryland

Research Interests:

  • Teacher-family partnerships
  • Accommodations for young children with exceptionalities
  • Conflict resolution
  • Developmentally appropriate technology for young children

Courses Taught:

  • Early Childhood Education courses in Infancy and Toddlerhood
  • Early Childhood Education courses in Kindergarten
  • Language/Literacy

Jennifer Howell
Modern Languages
Jennifer Howell photo.
Education:

  • B.A. & B.S., Ohio University
  • M.A., Bowling Green State University
  • Ph.D., The University of Iowa

Areas of Specialization:

  • Francophone Literatures of the African Diaspora
  • North African Immigration Literature
  • Post-colonial Studies
  • Word & Image Studies (Photography, Art and Literature, Graphic Novel)

Research Interests:

  • Representing Political Trauma
  • Defining Post-colonial Identities
  • Colonial Iconography & Post-colonial Narrative
  • The Graphic Novel and Teaching (Post-) Colonial History

Courses Taught:

  • Intermediate French I & II
  • Business French

Tesia Marshik
Psychology Department
Tesia Marshik photo.
Education:

  • Ph.D. University of Florida - Gainesville

Areas of specialization:

  • Educational Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology

Research Interests:

  • Development of self-control and motivation
  • Teacher-student interaction
  • Intersubjective communication

Courses taught:

  • Educational Psychology
  • Lifespan Development

Kelly McDonough
Modern Languages
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Education:

  • B. A., University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
  • M. A., University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
  • Ph. D., University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Areas of Specialization

  • Latin American indigenous cultural production
  • Nahuatl language & culture
  • Mexican intellectual history
  • Colonial writings

Research Interests:

  • Nahua intellectual history
  • Minoritized language revitalization
  • Decolonizing methodologies

Courses Taught:

  • Latin American Colonial Discourses: Empire and Early Modernity
  • Spanish American Civilizations and Cultures
  • Advanced Spanish Composition and Communication (Latin American Focus)
  • Advanced Spanish Communication Skills (Twentieth-Century Iberian Peninsula Focus)
  • Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Spanish Language

Jennifer Butler Modaff
Communication Studies
http://www.uwlax.edu/CommStudies/images/picture-Jennifer.jpg
Education:

  • B.A., Ohio University
  • M.A., Ohio University
  • Ph.D., Ohio University

Area of Specialization:

  • Organizational Communication
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Gender Studies

Research Interests:

  • Work-Family Communication in Non-Traditional Organizations
  • Gender and the Workplace
  • Emotional Labor
  • Communicating about Health Issues in the Workplace

Course taught:

  • Organizational Communication
  • Research Methods in Communication Studies
  • Intercultural Communication
  • Communication Theory
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Small Group Communication
  • Women in Leadership
  • Interviewing
  • Public Speaking
  • Gender in the Workplace
  • Cultures of Earning and Caring
  • Management

Daniel Modaff
Communication Studies
http://www.uwlax.edu/CommStudies/images/picture-Dan.jpg
Education:

  • B.S., Northern Illinois University
  • M.A., Northern Illinois University
  • Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin

Area of Specialization:

  • Organizational Communication
  • Public Speaking
  • Interviewing
  • Lakota Traditions, Culture, and Communication

Research Interests:

  • Organizational Communication Theory
  • Work-family Balance in Non-Traditional Organizations
  • Lakota Traditions, Culture, and Communication as Related to Modern Organizational Life
  • Communication and Pedagogy

Courses Taught:

  • Business and Professional Communication
  • Introduction to Organizational Communication
  • Interviewing
  • Practicum in Organizational Communication
  • Techniques of Small Group Discussion
  • Advanced Presentations
  • Advanced Organizational Communication
  • Lakota Traditions & Modern Problems
  • Lessons from the Lakota
  • Introduction to Graduate Study
  • Conversation Analysis
  • Organizational Culture
  • Communication in Organizations

Marie Moeller
English Department
Marie Moeller photo.
Education:

  • B.A., Buena Vista University
  • J. D., Illinois State University
  • Ph.D., Illinois State University

Research Interests:

  • Issues of Gender and Disability in Technical/Professional Writing
  • Feminist Rhetorics
  • Writing Pedagogy
  • Online Education

Courses Taught:

  • College Writing I (110)
  • Writing for Management, Public Relations and the Professions (307)

Bradley Nichols
Art Department
Bradley Nichols photo.
Education:

  • B.S., University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
  • M.F.A., Cranbrook Academy of Art

Area of Specialization: 

  • Metalsmithing
  • Blacksmithing
  • 3D Foundations

Research Interests:      

  • Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Forging/Displacement
  • Non-Ferrous Raising 
  • Fabrication 

Classes Taught:

  • All levels of Metalsmithing/Art 220, 221, 222, 320, 321, 421, 413, 425
  • 3D Foundations/Art 166
  • Art Appreciation/Art 102

Gita Pai
History Department
Gita V. Pai photo.
Education:

  • B.A., Hunter College (City University of New York)
  • M. S., California State University, Hayward
  • M. A., University of California, Berkeley
  • Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley

Research Interests:

  • South Asia History (India)
  • Literary, Artistic, Religious, and Political Cultures of South Asia

Mary Pearson
Department of Educational Studies
Mary Pearson photo.
Education:

  • B.S., Utah State University
  • Secondary Reading Endorsement, Brigham Young University
  • M.Ed., University of Utah
  • Ph.D., University of Kansas

Area of Specialization:

  • Transition, Special Education
  • Moderate to Profound Disabilities
  • Multiple Disabilities
  • Differentiated and Inclusionary Practices
  • Secondary curriculum modification and instruction

Research Interests:

  • Secondary level inclusion
  • Customized Employment
  • Long term outcomes for students with severe disabilities
  • Quality of Life in Education and other areas for students with severe disabilities and health impairments

Courses Taught:

  • Introduction to Special Education
  • Student Practicum and Clinical/Student Teaching Seminar and Supervision
  • Assessment in Special Education
  • Behavior Modification/Classroom Management

Kelly Sultzbach
English Department
Kelly Sultzbach photo.
Education:

  • B.A., Yale University
  • J. D., UC Davis
  • Ph.D., University of Oregon

Research Interests:

  • 20th Century British Literature 
  • 20th Century American Literature 
  • Questions of Place: wild, rural, urban, town, suburban, pastoral, foreign, home, local, global 
  • Ecocriticism and cultural/historical issues related to representing the environment and other non-human animals 
  • Merleau-Ponty's ecophenomenology and embodied knowledge

Courses Taught:

  • College Writing I (ENG110)
  • British Literature II (ENG204)

Jorg Vianden
Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education
Jorg Vianden photo.
Education:

  • Luther College the The University of Iowa
  • Ed.D. in Higher Education/Student Affairs from Indiana University

 Research Interests:

  •  Student Persistence in College
  • Men's Issues in Higher Education
  • The Internationalization of Student Affairs
  • The History of Student Affairs

Professional Experience:

  • Editorial review boards of: the Journal of Student Affairs Research
  • Practice and the Journal of College and University Student Housing

Julie Weiskopf
History Department
Julie Weiskopf photo.
Education:

  • B.A., Seattle University
  • Ph. D, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Research Interests:

  • Public health, development, and governance in the history of colonial and postcolonial Africa

Weston Glasbrenner, ME-PD graduate, receives the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching

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Weston Glasbrenner has been teaching mathematics and computer science at Fennimore High School for the past 11 years. Weston has a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a M.Ed. Professional Development degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Glasbrenner just returned from a trip to Washington DC as he received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching. 

There were 103 educators across the nation recognized.  In order to get selected, he had to be nominated.  He then needed to complete several essay questions with a description of his objectives for students in his math courses.  Finally, he was required to video tape several of his lessons.  Jamie Nutter, district administrator in the Fennimore School District, stated that Glasbrenner “is a teacher who arrives at 6:30 in the morning and on any given day could have 20 students (in a high school with 215 students) working on assignments before school from any of his classes seeking help or preparing for upcoming quizzes or tests.” 

His research while earning his master's degree focused on the integration of technology into mathematics education, and he has continued to pursue this passion. In recent years, Weston has completed courses in web design, which have allowed him to create dynamic classroom web pages with photographs, student projects, and animations to enhance learning. In addition, Weston has served as the school district's website manager as an extra assignment.

Weston’s commitment to his students is evident from his innovative lessons and the extra time he commits. He offers tutoring to students daily before and after school. He strives to meet many learning styles by using laptops, data collection probes, graphics calculators, interactive geometry software, and little toy trucks. Weston is enthusiastic about mathematics and learning, and he enjoys sharing his love of mathematics with his students.  

In addition to shaking President Obama's hand, he had an opportunity to talk to top educational policy makers. He also heard first-hand from Secretary of Education Arne Duncan about his vision regarding the importance of math and science education in helping our nation continue to be world leaders. 

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