Eagle Connection - September 17-23, 2008

Hong Rost
Hong Rost

International influencer: Hong Rost helps give campus a global flavor

Hong Rost knows what it's like moving to a foreign country as an apprehensive college student. She was one of them — from central China — in the early '90s. Now, she's helping to bring others from nearly 50 countries to the Coulee Region and helping American students get overseas.

As assistant director in the International Education Office, Rost works with campus colleges and departments to start and expand international programming. Much has changed since she began in the International Education Office as a graduate student intern in the early '90s.

The number of students studying abroad has exploded from 100 to more than 500. The university now has 30 exchange partners, up from half a dozen. And the number of international students on campus has expanded from around 50 to the 400 expected this fall.

In a more global world, expansion is necessary, explains Rost. "We try to bring the world to La Crosse," she says. "This gives our students an opportunity to learn about different cultures they may eventually experience in their careers. It's not a luxury anymore, it's become more of a necessity."

For more on Rost, go to www.uwlax.edu/universityrelations/campusconnection/2008/fall/september/15/index.html

Academic staff to honor Hong Rost

Hong Rost, International Education, will receive the 2008 Academic Staff Excellence Award during the annual Academic Staff Council Meeting at 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, in Port O' Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Award recipients receive $750 in professional development funding. Recipients are selected by a committee of peers. Friends and colleagues are welcome to attend.

Jamar Jackson
Photos of UW-L athlete Jamar Jackson are part of the Fearless Campus Tour.

Photographs of UW-L athlete Jamar Jackson in national exhibit

Photos of UW-L track and field athlete Jamar Jackson are included on Jeff Sheng's Fearless Campus Tour Exhibit.

Sheng is photographing "out" gay and lesbian athletes and showing the exhibit nationwide. Currently, he has 55 portraits and hopes to take over 100. Sheng photographed Jackson, a UW-L Rainbow Unity member, last year. Sheng's work, including a photograph of Jackson, is also in the Aug. 26 issue of The Advocate, an award-winning Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) publication.

Sheng and his exhibit will be on campus Monday and Tuesday, April 27 and 28, in Port O' Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

To read more about the Fearless Campus Tour, go to: www.fearlesscampustour.org/Fearless_Portfolio.html#13

To see the Advocate, go to www.advocate.com/. Find out more about UW-L's Rainbow Unity at www.uwlax.edu/uc/SO_Guide/so_human_div.htm#RU.

Centennial Campaign update: group donates $250,000

Centennial campaign logo

Team. Together everyone achieves more.

That's the strategy behind a recent gift received to name the Grand Reception Area in the new academic building, "Centennial Hall."

Spearheaded by Faculty Emeritus Ron Rada and Vice Chancellor Emeritus Carl Wimberly, a group, spanning across campus and community boundaries, collaborated to collectively give $250,000 to be a part of the naming opportunity for the Grand Reception Area.

The group includes people in leadership positions, from the most senior — Vice Chancellor Emeritus Carl Wimberly — to the newest — Chancellor Joe Gow, says Rada. It includes faculty leaders, as well as community members.

For more on the group and why they've given, see www.uwlax.edu/universityrelations/campusconnection/2008/fall/september/15/index.html#centennial

To date, the total amount raised in gifts and pledges to the new academic building, “Centennial Hall,” is approximately $2.4 million. The UW-L Foundation's goal is to raise $6 million.

For more information on the campaign, go to www.uwlax.edu/campaign. To see other naming opportunities, go to www.uwlax.edu/campaign/pdf/namingopportunities.pdf.

On-campus food pantry open

Helping Our Own, UW-L's on-campus food pantry, is open to all UW-L students. The pantry, in room 60 in the lower level of Whitney Center, offers a wide variety of non-perishable items and toiletries. It will be open from 4-8 p.m. the first and third Sunday of each month. If interested in using the food pantry but unavailable during open hours, contact Involvement Center staff at 785. 6600 or involvement@uwlax.edu to make arrangements. This is a confidential service, but bring your student I.D. to verify your status as a student. No information is recorded or disclosed. 

Looking for a volunteer opportunity? Helping Our Own is run by Involvement Center staff and volunteers. Help is needed on the first and third Sundays of the month from 4-6 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. to help monitor the food pantry while it is open. If interested in helping, call 785.6600 or e-mail involvement@uwlax.edu.

Discussion on constitution set for Sept. 17

Two political science and public administration faculty will discuss the U.S. Constitution. Jo Arney will interview Alan Bigel on his thoughts about the document. “States’ Rights vs. National Uniformity”  is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, in 259 Cartwright Center. Refreshments will be served.

'East meets West' Sept. 19

Join UW-L alumnus Rumi Kunitsu and Patrick Randolph, English as a Second Language, at "East meets West" from 5-6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, in Port O' Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Kunitsu will play the shamisen, a traditional Japanese three-stringed lute; and Randolph will read poetry from his latest publication.  The free event is sponsored by UW-L's Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program, modern languages department. For information or advising about TESOL, come early or stay late. And visit www.uwlax.edu/TESOL/What%20is%20TESOL.htm.

New student radio station kicks off with 'Going Live Get-together'

The UW-L Broadcast Club’s “Going Live Get-together” is set for 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, in 208 Wing Technology Center. The get-together is an opportunity for students with an interest in radio to be involved in the ground floor organization of the new student campus radio station.

At the meeting, the club will fill radio station management positions, identify individuals interested in air shifts, and begin the process of creating a station identity. All interested UW-L students are invited to attend the get-together and help with the decisions.

The student radio station will initially broadcast on the university’s public access channel (PEG channel) on Charter Communication. The goal of the Broadcast Club is to move the channel to Internet broadcasting.

For more information, contact the club’s faculty adviser Rick Rodrick, communication studies, in 202 Wing Technology Center, or at 785.6703 or rodrick.rich@uwlax.edu.

'Why Diamonds Really Are A Girl’s Best Friend – Putting The Constitution Into Practice' discussion slated 

Historically, American women have regularly been denied equal protection of the laws. Many rights important to women have only been established firmly as a result of the grassroots feminist movement of the last generation. Some are not yet achieved.

Linda Kerber will speak on “Why Diamonds Really Are A Girl’s Best Friend – Putting The Constitution Into Practice” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, in 332 Cartwright Center. Kerber is the May Brodbeck Professor in the Liberal Arts, a professor of history, and lecturer in law at the University of Iowa. She's also a fellow of the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Science. Brodbeck was a University of Iowa faculty emeritus and alumna who was regarded as a brilliant and inspiring teacher of philosophy.  

Kerber is the author of "No Constitutional Right to Be Ladies: Women and the Obligations of Citizenship," a 1998 book for which she was awarded the Littleton-Griswold Prize for the best book in U.S. legal history and the Joan Kelley Prize for the best book in women's history.

The talk is sponsored by the women’s, gender and sexuality studies department and the PRIDE Center.

Oral defense

Angela Henrichs, "A Content Analysis of Childhood Obesity Contributors," 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, 26 Mitchell Hall. Adviser: Dan Duquette, health education/health promotion.

Undergraduate Research and Creativity Activity Grant applications due Oct. 15

Each fall and spring, UW-L offers full- and part-time undergraduate students an opportunity to compete for research and creative activity grants. Working with a faculty mentor, students can receive up to $1,350 for domestic individual projects, $1,500 for domestic collaborative projects or $2,100 for international projects. This fall, grant proposals are due in the Provost's Office, 145 Graff Main Hall, by 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The grants are available for students in all academic disciplines. Awards for the fall competition will be announced within the first two weeks of December. 

If interested in applying for a grant, consult the application guidelines and complete the application forms found at www.uwlax.edu/URC/grants/index.htm. Seek support and advice of faculty mentors as soon as possible.

Refer questions to Amery Bodelson, Student Research Consultant, at 785.8050, or bodelson.amer@uwlax.edu.
In the news

"Female students outnumber males at local colleges," La Crosse Tribune, Sept. 14. At UW-L, where Enz Finken is the new provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, females have accounted for about 55 to 60 percent of the enrollment in the past decade. Full story: www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/09/14/news/00lead.txt

Murphy LIbrary

EBSCOhost 2.0

EBSCOhost released a new version of its Web-based search software during the summer. Because many of the library's information databases are provided by EBSCOhost, this affects researchers in many disciplines.

Some of the software changes are cosmetic, and some are functional. At first glance, the initial search screen looks familiar, but closer inspection reveals a number of additional search and limit options that have been consolidated from other locations and now placed on the main search page.

Additional features have also been added to the search results screen, allowing people to more easily refine searches and process their results. For example, depending on the database, users may be able to quickly refine the list of articles they found using pre-defined limiters such as publication type, age, gender, geography, major subject heading and more.

The software incorporates newer Web technologies, allowing users to share searches and articles with other uses via permalinks, RSS feeds, social networking sites such as FaceBook and MySpace, and others. It also makes it easier to create citations on the fly, including Digital Object Identifiers (or DOIs), and allows users to more easily set up research alerts in which they automatically receive new results based on their own individual searches.

To learn more about EBSCOhost's newer features, visit the library home page at www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary and follow the featured "EBSCOhost 2.0" link.

Responsible use of computers

UW-L has a responsible use policy for computers. It is easy to forget, with instant messaging, texting, and other forms of quick communication, that you may not always be speaking with friends who are more tolerant of your language. Be aware of what you are writing and to whom you are writing. Remember to always use appropriate and civil language. You can find the entire Responsible Use of Computing Resources Policy at www.uwlax.edu/policies/ResponsibleUse.html.

Also, if you feel that you being targeted as a victim of unwanted, offensive, or harassing messages, contact the Student Life Office at 785.8062 or studentlife@uwlax.edu.  You are also encouraged to complete a confidential Hate Incident Reporting Form at www.uwlax.edu/campusclimate/htm/reporthate.htm if you feel the message is being sent due to feelings of prejudice or bias.

Classified ads

For sale

  • 2007 Buick Lucerne, 7,450 miles, 3.8 V-6, 17" chrome wheels, AM/FM/CD 6 disc player, On Star, remote start, bench seats, Xm satellite system, power seats, heated front seats, lumbar adjustment, heated steering wheel, engine block heater, leather seats. 785.6634 or 608.786.4650.
  • Sony 27” TV. $75. 
walls.timo@uwlax.edu
  • Crib, seven years old, like new, $50. 
Lane dining room set, table with leaf, six chairs, sideboard, $75.

    Older jig saw and band saw, free. 
Spider plants, free

. mortell.heat@uwlax.edu or 785.8288.

Wanted

  • The Modern Languages department seeks five adult-size bicycle donations for Amity Scholars. Fenders and racks or side packs are a plus. Modern Languages will pick up bikes and take them to Outdoor Connection for repairs and safety checks. Contact Charlene Sauer at sauer.char@uwlax.edu.

Getting information into the Eagle Connection

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