Eagle Connection - April 8-14, 2009
- Ruthann Benson named UW-L dean
- Eike wins fall tuition raffle
- Area school children learn from Widening the Circle program
- Students share research at annual campus event
- Health fair provides hands-on experience for health profession students
- Film festival presents documentaries on Mexican indigenous communities' struggles
- Notre Dame professor to address Mexican American legal history, immigration
- Egyptian excavation is topic of UW-L program
- Blood drive on campus April 10
- Workshop set for Hmong interested in education careers
- Transgender health care conference on campus April 13
- Judicial independence forum set for April 13
- Bill Miller to perform on campus
- Music celebration on campus April 17
- Academic Advising Corner
- Campus Kudos
- UW-L fifth in Directors' Cup standings after winter season
- Five honored with scholar-athlete status
- Student project raises around $9,000 for cancer research
- In the news
- OCW Book Club: "Oil on the Brain" author, Lisa Margonelli, joins discussion
- Oral defense
- Classified ads
- Getting information into the Eagle Connection and Campus Connection
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| Ruthann Benson |
Ruthann Benson named UW-L dean
Interim leader of College of Liberal Studies to become dean July 1
Ruthann Benson, who has been interim dean of the College of Liberal Studies since June 2007, has been named dean of the college.
“Dr. Benson has been a strong advocate for enhancing and supporting diversity at UW-L, as well as a driving force in the ongoing internationalization of the campus,” says Provost Kathleen Enz Finken. “She is a knowledgeable administrator and has been a leader in fostering an environment which promotes outstanding scholarly research in the college.”
Benson joined the UW-L faculty in 1994. She served as associate dean and director of the university’s School of Arts & Communication from 1997-2007 and was the director of theater from 1994-97. Benson holds a master’s of fine arts degree from the University of Iowa in arts management/theatre, and a doctorate from Texas Tech University in fine arts and theatre.
“For the past 15 years I have been extremely proud to be part of the UW-La Crosse community of faculty, staff, students and administrators who are known nationwide for outstanding achievements,” notes Benson. “I am committed to carrying forward this tradition of excellence as the next dean of the College of Liberal Studies.”
Benson will begin in her role July 1. She replaces former Dean John Mason who left in summer 2007 to become provost at Eastern Washington University.
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| UW-L Hope Eike is UW-L's tuition raffle winner and will receive free tuition for the fall 2009 semester. |
Eike wins fall tuition raffle
Hope Eike is the winner of the UW-L Foundation tuition raffle. The UW-L junior from Neenah will receive free tuition (approximately a $3,000 value) for the fall 2009 semester.
"I found out that I won on the Wednesday of spring break," says Eike. "I completely did not even believe them when they said I'd won the tuition raffle. I started laughing because I couldn't believe it. I told my parents as soon as they got home that night and it was really funny because my mom asked me about four times if I was really serious. They didn't seem to believe me either."
Eike's parents had been entering her name in the raffle since Eike's freshman year. It finally paid off. "I've never won anything this cool before so it was pretty crazy," Eike notes. "It'll be a great way to start my senior year, that's for sure!"
Eike has been taking out loans every semester to help pay for tuition. She works two days a week with the Hamilton Boys and Girls Club in La Crosse. The recreation management major is also involved in Alpha Phi Sorority and serves as its vice president of membership recruitment.
The UW-L Foundation holds a tuition raffle for both semesters. This year for the first time the Foundation will hold another raffle drawing May 12 for fall tuition. And there will be two drawings in fall as well. There is also a drawing in August for $500 on one student's Tower Tender card.
Letters and tickets are sent to students and parents offering them the chance to win tuition at UW-L for a semester. Tickets are $10 each or 6 for $50. Proceeds benefit the university through the support of scholarships, emergency student loans, research, on-going programs and new projects on campus. To find out more about the UW-L Foundation tuition raffle, visit www.foundation.uwlax.edu/afspecialevents.html.
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Area school children learn from Widening the Circle programPhoto left, Area elementary school children were on campus April 3 at the Widening The Circle ACT 31 Educational Symposium. Here Wendy Mattison from the La Crosse School District shows children how to use various Hmong tools. Photo right, Debbie Reese, assistant professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was the keynote speaker at the April 2 program, "American Indians and Children’s Literature program." She's shown here at the ACT 31 Educational Symposium showing school children a book she especially likes. |
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Students share research at annual campus eventLindsey Kirschbaun, center, a graduate student in therapeutic recreation, shares her research on designing and using multisensory rooms at UW-L's annual Celebration of Student Research and Creativity held this year April 3 in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Find out more about the event at www.uwlax.edu/urc/celebration.htm. Photo by Paul Currier, Educational Technologies. |
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A vendor demonstrates an overhead patient lifting system at the Safe Patient Handling Vendor Fair March 27. Photo contributed. |
UW-L occupational therapy student Alaina Hackbarth gets firsthand experience with a patient lifting device while her classmate Kim Pitzen, right, operates the controls. Photo contributed. |
Health fair provides hands-on experience for health professions students
Over 60 health professions students attended an interdisciplinary Safe Patient Handling Vendor Fair March 27 at the Health Science Center. Students from UW-L's occupational therapy, physical therapy, radiation therapy and physician assistant programs, as well as from Western Technical College’s physical therapy assistant, occupational therapy assistant, and Disability Student Services' programs received hands-on experience with state-of-the art patient handling equipment. Vendor demonstrations were supplemented with students trying the equipment and interacting with vendors, as well as with students from other disciplines about their roles in patient handling. A departmental task force created the fair to develop interdisciplinary learning experiences for the health professions students. The event was sponsored by the health professions department.
Film festival presents documentaries on Mexican indigenous communities' struggles
Founded in 1998, the Chiapas Media Project (CMP) provides video equipment, computers and training to marginalized Mexican indigenous communities so that they can document their social and economic struggles on film. UW-L's Institute for Latina/o and Latin American Studies will present CMP films in April at its Latin American Indigenous Film Festival.
CMP Executive Director Alexandra Halkin will show and discuss:
- Wednesday, April 8, 4:30-5:30 p.m., 140 Cowley Hall
“Toxic Waste in Pápago Territory”
“Letters for Our Words” - Thursday, April 9, noon-1 p.m., Strzelczyk Great Hall, Cleary Alumni & Friends Center
“Planting a Seed: Autonomous Health in Chiapas”
“Eyes on What's Inside: The Militarization of Guerrero”
The documentaries present the struggle of communities against government and private development that destroys community livelihood and cultures. Development is frequently accompanied by authoritarian crackdowns that violate human rights. The films combine conversations with scholars and activists who address the issue of an increasing presence of the military. Documentaries highlight Zapatista programs to improve their villages, known as organizaciones del pueblo indígena (organizations of native people), which often lack government support.
For more on the videos, visit www.chiapasmediaproject.org/cmp/video.html.
For more on the Chiapas Media Project, see www.chiapasmediaproject.org/cmp/about.html.
Halkin’s visit is made possible by the Provost Office's Visiting Scholar/Artist of Color Program, with additional support from the College of Liberal Studies, the Multicultural Student Services Office, and the Latin American Student Organization.
Notre Dame professor to address Mexican American legal history, immigration
University of Notre Dame Professor Marc Rodriguez, department of history and College of Law, will present a free lecture, "Mexican American Legal History: Seeing Civil Rights Beyond Black and White," from 11 a.m-12:25 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in 337 Cartwright Center. Rodriguez will also address immigration issues. The lecture is part of the Hesburgh Lecture Series hosted by Notre Dame clubs. The series includes a portfolio of 70 lectures on topics related to church, communications, ethics, family life, government, politics, science concerns and spirituality.
To download a poster of the April 9 lecture, go to www.uwlax.edu/universityrelations/images/2009/spring/april/rodriguez.jpg.
If you go— |
Egyptian excavation is topic of UW-L program
UW-L Assistant Professor Dave Anderson will give a presentation about treasures unearthed at an Egyptian archaeological site at the beginning of this millennium.
Anderson, a member of the sociology/archaeology department, speaks on “Rulers and Ritual: Searching for the Origins of the Egyptian State at the Predynastic Settlement at el-Mahasna” at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in Port O’ Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Admission is free.
In fall 2000, large-scale excavations at the el-Mahasna site in eastern Egypt uncovered habitation remains dating from the Naqada Ic- II c-d period dating to 3700 – 3200 B.C. A remnant of a large, more substantially constructed structure was among the items found.
During his presentation, Anderson will present information on this structure and its associated artifact assemblages. He will share data suggesting early ritual activity, including the presence of a large number of human and animal clay figurines, and differences in the faunal remains recovered from the structure. Anderson will discuss the potential that the structure at el-Mahasna is an early temple or ritual building.
For more information, contact the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center at 785.8454.
Blood drive on campus April 10
Eta Sigma Gamma is hosting a blood drive with the Blood Center of Wisconsin from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, April 10, in Port 'O Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Walk-ins are welcome. Refreshments will be provided.
Workshop set for Hmong interested in education careers
A workshop for Hmong parents and middle, high school and college students set for Saturday, April 11, features information for careers in education. The workshop includes information on careers in education, options with an education degree and what teacher candidates can do to make themselves more qualified. The workshop runs from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center and will include a panel of Hmong teachers discussing why they went into teaching, the challenges of being a new or minority teacher and other teaching-related matters. Personnel who hire educators will discuss employment opportunities, what they look for in teachers and tips for the interview process. Information on UW-L's education program will also be available.
Door opens at 8:30 a.m. for registration. Lunch will be served at noon. Although the workshop is targeted to Hmong parents and students, anyone may attend. The panel will be presented in Hmong. Information for the hiring and career personnel from 11 a.m.-noon will be in English with Hmong translators.
Transgender health care conference on campus April 13
A conference to help medical professionals and mental health providers meet the medical, psychological and social needs of transgender people will be held on campus. The "Transgender Health Care Conference" runs from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, April 13, in the Clearly Alumni & Friends Center. Individuals from around the state are attending the event, which other than a larger conference in San Francisco, is one of a kind. A $115 fee includes lunch and materials. There is a reduced fee for UW-L staff, faculty and students.
For more information or to register, visit www.uwlax.edu/conted/humanservices/transgenderhealthcare.html.
Judicial independence forum set for April 13
Find out about election reform in the Wisconsin Supreme Court elections at a judicial independence forum at 7 p.m. Monday, April 13, in Port O' Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.
The Judicial Independence Project aims is to promote fair and impartial courts in Wisconsin through research, education, alliance building and advocacy. The focus of the forum will be on building awareness of growing special interest influence over state Supreme Court elections and how interest groups are operating outside current state disclosure laws and campaign finance limitations as they seek control over Wisconsin's highest court.
Hear Wisconsin Democracy Campaign’s Executive Director Mike McCabe, as well as local panelists including Joe Heim, political science/public administration, discuss and answer questions on reforms that can be enacted this year. The panel will be moderated by Jo Arney, political science/public administration.
The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, the political science department and the Political Science and Public Administration Association and the UW-L Progressives are sponsoring the event.
For more information about the event, contact Jeremy Gragert at gragert.jere@students.uwlax.edu or 612.220.1970. For more information on the Judicial Independence Project, visit www.impartialjustice.org.
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| Bill Miller performs in UW-L's Recreational Eagle Center Thursday, April 16. |
Bill Miller to perform on campus
Grammy award-winning recording artist, song-writer and performer Bill Miller will give a concert on campus. Miller performs at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16, in the Recreational Eagle Center.
A Mohican Indian from northern Wisconsin, Miller shares his hard times growing up on the reservation through his music and stories. Experiences with extreme poverty, alcoholism, family tragedies and more have molded him as a singer, songwriter and performer. His music blends Native American, Western Folk and blues traditions into melodies that he hopes will “inspire fans, both present and future.”
| If you go— Who: Bill Miller What: Concert When: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16 Where: Recreational Eagle Center Admission: Free |
Miller's “Cedar Dream Songs” album won the 2005 Grammy winner for Best Native American Music Album. Miller has shared the stage with bands such as Pearl Jam, Tori Amos, The Bo Deans, Hootie & the Blowfish, and John Mellencamp.
The concert is part of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.uwlax.edu/cab.
Music celebration on campus April 17
Ignite your heart with "Music on Fire," an inspirational music celebration being held on campus Friday, April 17. The celebration runs from 6:30-8 p.m. in The Cellar, Cartwright Center. This event is co-sponsored by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and Campus Crusade for Christ. Students from both organizations will present a program of music and life testimonies intending to offer insight and encouragement to those who attend the free event. For more information or if you need special accommodations, contact Ben Arant at arant.benj@students.uwlax.edu.
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Word has it!
By Academic Specialist Charlene Holler, Counseling and Testing Center
The answers to last week's puzzle are male/mail, feet/feat, lane/lain and border/boarder.
Try these homophones (words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings):
- what grows on your head ...
- a rabbit ...
- ache or hurt ...
- to fly ...
- to drill ...
- a male pig ...
- a personal pronoun ...
- a female sheep ...
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Six NMT students earn national scholarships
A record six Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT) student interns were awarded prestigious Paul Cole Scholarships from the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) last week. These awards are highly competitive nationally. Only 16 were awarded to students earning a baccalaureate degree in nuclear medicine. Earning six this year meant that UW-L students dominated the competition. The school with the second most awards only earned two. Each awardee receives a check for $1,000, which is raised by the SNM’s Technologist Section. The funds come from donations by current technologists and are made in honor of Paul Cole, a champion of NMT student education who died in 1986 when he was serving as president of the SNM Technologist Section. This year’s UW-L recipients, along with the hospital where they are currently performing their internship, are:
- Amy Beam – St. Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield
- Michael Dick – Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
- Missi Genz – Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago
- Jim Ironside – Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago
- Megan Schomer – Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee
- Greg Werner – Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
UW-L fifth in Directors' Cup standings after winter season
At the conclusion of the 2009 winter sports season, UW-L is in fifth place in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup Division III standings. The Eagles, who were 15th in the final fall standings, have 547.00 points while Amherst College (Mass.) is first with 679.00 points.
Williams College, Mass. is second (620.50) followed by UW-Stevens Point (572.50), Washington University, Mo. (562.00) and UW-L to round out the top-five.
UW-Eau Claire is in 10th place (474.50) while UW-Oshkosh is 12th (434.00), UW-Whitewater 25th (347.75) and UW-Platteville 39th (234.63).
These are the final winter standings and include the sports of women’s and men’s basketball, fencing, women’s and men’s ice hockey, skiing, women’s and men’s swimming, women’s and men’s indoor track & field and wrestling. Points are received for finishes at NCAA championship events.
Find out more, visit www.uwlax.edu/athletics/.
Five honored with scholar-athlete status
This year's Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference scholar-athletes:
- Mackenzie Hunter (Women's Basketball)
- T.J. Nering (Men's Basketball)
- Brad Petersen (Men's Indoor Track and Field)
- Caitlin Schetter (Women's Indoor Track and Field)
- Josh Zabel (Men's Wrestling)
Student project raises around $9,000 for cancer research
Residents of Coate Hall, led by Hall Director Drea Higgins, for organizing and sponsoring "St. Baldrick's Day" fundraiser for children's cancer research. Approximately $9,000 was raised. See also: www.wxow.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=3620767&h 1=Bald%20is%20back&vt1=v&at1=undefined&d1=79367&LaunchPageAd Tag=News&undefined&activePane=info&rnd=86176822
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Local
"UW-L students offer research findings, including sex, musicianship, body image," La Crosse Tribune, April 4. The UW-L psychology major studied whether sexiness played a role in how people interpret a musician's musical ability. She was among more than 120 UW-L graduate and undergraduate students sharing her results at the university's 12th annual celebration of research and creativity Friday. Full story: www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2009/04/04/news/z07research04.txt.
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"Oil on the Brain" author, Lisa Margonelli, joins OCW book club discussion"Sustainability is the big nut we have to crack," author Lisa Margonelli, center, said at Tuesday's OCW book club discussion on her book "Oil on the Brain: Petroleum’s Long Strange Trip to Your Tank." Margonelli spoke about her book with OCW Book Club attendees at lunch April 7. She also spoke at an evening public lecture that night. UW-L graduate student Jeremy Gragert, left, and Larry Sleznikow, Educational Technologies, joined the OCW group for the discussion. Gragert is coordinating a campus committee on alternative transportation. For more information, contact Gragert at gragert.jere@students.uwlax.edu. Sleznikow is a member of UW-L's Joint Committee on Environmental Sustainability. See: www.uwlax.edu/chancellor/joint_environmental_sustainability_committee2008.htm. The OCW Book Club meets at noon monthly in Murphy's Mug. Participation is open to all UW-L students, faculty and staff. The group will discuss "Those Who Save Us" by Jenna Blum in May. |
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Ellie Ahmann, graduate student in the student affairs administration in higher education program, "Relationships Between Social Anxiety and Alcohol Consumption, as Mediated by Drinking Motives in Undergraduate Students," 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, in 325 Graff Main Hall. Adviser: Jeannie Hanley.
Gary L. Garske, public health master's candidate, "Continuity Planning for Local Public Health Agencies in Northern Wisconsin: Providing Essential Public Health Services After Displacement," 9:30–11 a.m., Tuesday, April 14, in 257 Cartwright Center. Adviser: Gary Gilmore.
Holly Stangel, Ed.S. school psychology candidate, "The Efficacy of Skillstreaming on Elementary-Aged Children with Specific Learning Disabilities," 1-3 p.m., Wednesday, April 15, 305 Graff Main Hall. Adviser: Betty DeBoer.
Liudmyla Dmytriieva, health education and promotion master's candidate, "Regional Perspectives on the Institutionalized/Residential Child Care in Ukraine," 1-3 p.m., Friday, April 17, 104 Wing Technology Center. Adviser: Gary Gilmore.
Xong Xiong, master's candidate in educational studies, "What Does It Mean to be 'Educated' from an Oral Culture: A Study of Traditional Hmong Knowledge," 2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, in 337 Cartwright Center. Adviser: Margaret J. Finders.
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For sale
Four-bedroom 1933 Cape Cod home, 2.5 bath, four-season room, 2.5 car garage in quiet neighborhood just blocks from UW-L, Myrick Park and Emerson Elementary. Kitchen completely updated. Original woodwork, including crown molding in perfect condition. Both full baths remodeled in 2009. Original hardwood floors refinished in 2008. All windows, roof, carpet and garage new in 2005. Furnace and central air unit less than 10 years old. $184,700. Call Brent at 701.371.4627 or e-mail brent.haase@yahoo.com. For poster with photos,visit www.uwlax.edu/universityrelations/images/2009/spring/april/brentHouse.jpg.
Several used and refurbished fishing rods made with St. Croix components and for all types of fishing. Average cost 35 percent of retail. Starting at $35, most are in the $40-$50 range. E-mail fredrick.noel@uwlax.edu or call 785.8029.
White metal bunk bed, twin over full. Good condition. $150 OBO. Call 608.385.2590.
Wanted
Female sub leaser for June 1, 2009-July 30, 2010. Two-bedroom apartment, own bedroom with large closet. Patio, large kitchen and living room. Cheap rent and utilities. Off-street parking and on-site laundry. Contact Dana at 608.633.3334 or e-mail palm.dana@students.uwlax.edu.