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For more information, contact University Communications at 608.785.8487.

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UWL Assistant Professor Brian Kumm-Schaley teaches a mindfulness class. Here students sit on cushions in a circle practicing mindfulness on the UW-La Crosse campus. How to achieve more by doing less Posted 2:58 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, 2022 Rec Professor shares tips to do less and be more productive Read more about How to achieve more by doing less
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Learn about career-related topics at Brief Bites

Brief Bites is a once-a-month series on career-related topics during the fall semester. Each event is one hour long. The next event will be from 1-2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6. Snacks will be provided. Topics covered during Brief Bites sessions include: Handshake, Elevator Pitches, The Power of Your Story in the Workplace, and Interviewing Skills. At each session, 10 to 15 minutes will be spent seminar style, and the rest of the hour will be time for collaboration between facilitators and students to discuss the topic. This event series is a collaboration between the Office of Multicultural Student Services and Academic Advising Center and Career Services. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Student loan repayment session

Your graduating, now what? Are you beginning to wonder how much you owe in student loans or who your loan servicer is? Learn the various options that you have for your student loan repayment. What will work best for you and your new career?

Enjoy FREE pizza and a chance to win a $50 scholarship! 

 

Holiday Crafts on a Budget

Need some inexpensive gift ideas for the holidays? Come craft with us! Learn ways to save at the craft store and how to make something special for someone you love.

Enjoy FREE hot coco and cookies with a chance to win a $50 scholarship! 

 

New Community Engagement exhibit display kit

Do you want to represent your UWL academic department or staff office at community events, but don’t have the necessary items to host a display? You can now reserve the Community Engagement exhibit display kit for free. Contact the Community Engagement Coordinator Lisa Klein, lklein@uwlax.edu, to make your reservation.

 

UWL surplus auction through Dec. 22

UWL will conduct a sale of surplus property in partnership with the online auctions site www.wisconsinsurplus.com running through Dec. 22, 2022. Pre-registration and a bidder number is required prior to submitting bids. Terms and conditions of sale, along with contact information can be found on the auction's website. This auction is located under UW System Multi Locations auction number 22-1386.

 

Community Food Drive

The UWL and La Crosse communities are encouraged to give back by bringing nonperishable food items to the Student Union beginning Monday, Nov. 28.

The Information Desk, located on the first floor of the Union, will serve as UWL’s collection site for the inaugural Great Rivers United Way and Rotary Lights Community Food Drive. Items will be accepted through Wednesday, Dec. 21.

During previous food drives, donations could only be made at Riverside Park during Rotary Lights. By establishing collection sites around the community, including at UWL, organizers hope to significantly increase the amount of food donated

All food collected between Nov. 28 and Dec. 21 will be distributed among:

  • Caledonia Food Shelf
  • Cashton Cupboard
  • Coulee Cap
  • Holmen St. Elizabeth
  • Hunger Task Force
  • La Crescent Food Basket
  • Onalaska Food Basket
  • Place of Grace
  • Salvation Army
  • UWL Food Pantry
  • WAFER

During the 27-year history of Rotary Lights, the community has donated more than 4.8 million food items. Organizers hope to eclipse 5 million items this holiday season.

 

English Department William J. and Yvonne M. Hyde Colloquium Series

What Is Rhetoric and Why Do We Study It?

Aristotle for Everyone

Rhetoric is often considered an activity where practitioners think backwards: Rhetors—and nowadays writers—know what they want to say; they need to say it appropriately for the audience. While this view of rhetoric has a long history in the West, it has never been the only tradition. For example, while Aristotle deems the function of rhetoric, as conceived by this rhetorical tradition, crucial to the survival of the human community, he does not see it as the only or the primary function of rhetoric. In this presentation, I will discuss Aristotle’s view of rhetoric through his understanding of change, more specifically, change as generation and as alteration. I would like to show that Aristotelian rhetoric strives not only to express the true but also to hit the mean, which is both objective and nonquantitative. This makes rhetoric an important tool for achieving the happiness of the individual and the wellbeing of the community—because it is an activity through which we cultivate and practice, among others, calmness, friendliness, fair-mindedness, truthfulness, tact, wit (if we can manage), as well as practical reasoning.

 

Communications Corner

Web tidy-up: media files

Greetings Web Editors,
We wanted to prompt you with one way to audit your site content – a good project for when there are quieter moments for many of us in December and January, When logged in to the Web editor, follow these steps for each page of your site:

  1. Open the “Assets pane” (the sidebar on the right of the screen) and make sure you’re looking at “media” (not “blocks”. It can be found at the very top of that sidebar.)
  2. Scroll all the way down to “for this page”.
  3. Review each of the media files you have listed there. Delete any files you do not currently need in your website.

Once that step is complete...

  1. In the folder structure above, go to "offices-services" or "academics"
  2. Find your dedicated folder and review the files stored there. Again, delete any files that are no longer active/useful web content.

Often, we add new files to the site without removing older versions of the same file. It's OK to archive files, however the best place to archive files in on a computer, flash drive or shared drive. The website shouldn't serve as an archive, but should always only contain files that your site audience might need currently.

This is a great opportunity for site clean-up.

 

UWL Dining

UWL's Holiday Luncheon

UWL's Holiday Luncheon will be from 11:15-12:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec.15. The Luncheon will take place in the Bluffs, located on the second floor of the Student Union.

The last day to purchase your tickets is Thursday, Dec. 8. Tickets are $9 for the event and will be available for purchase at the Information Counter in the Student Union.

UWL Concert Choir will perform under the direction of Christopher Hathaway.

Non-perishable food items are typically collected during luncheon. This year, please bring your donations to the Information Center collection box on the first floor of the Student Union as part of the Great Rivers United Way and Rotary Lights Community Food Drive. 

 

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Thomas Kernozek
published Laura Jabobsen, C. Nathan Vannatta, Catherine Schuman and Thomas Kernozek Gundersen Health System and Health Professions
Scott Pfitzinger
presented Scott Pfitzinger Murphy Library
Melanie KorishAmy McDonaldTroy Richter
presented Melanie Korish, Amy McDonald and Troy Richter Parking Services
Michele Pettit
published Kathy A. DeBarr, Ph. D., and Michele Pettit Department of Public Health, University of Illinois at Springfield and Public Health and Community Health Education
Tiffany Trimmer
published Julie Weiskopf and Tiffany Trimmer Gonzaga University and History

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Remembering

Francine Klein Retired Distinguished Lecturer

Retired Distinguished Lecturer Francine Klein died Nov. 18. Francine Klein began working at UWL part-time in the Modern Languages Department shortly after she and her husband, Eric Kraemer, moved to La Crosse in 1988. After receiving her doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota in 2005, she began teaching full-time and retired as “Distinguished Lecturer” in 2016. During her tenure at UWL, Klein served on the Faculty Senate, advised the International Students Organization, and co-coordinated the International Film Festival. Following retirement, she remained active in the La Crosse area through various volunteer organizations, especially those supporting our international community. For more information about Klein's distinguished career and life please see her obituary. A memorial service is planned for a later date. Please keep Klein's husband Eric and her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. For more information see the obituary.
Tom Volk Biology Professor

Biology Professor Tom Volk died Nov. 28. Tom Volk joined UWL’s Biology Department in 1996 and was a current faculty member until his passing on Monday, Nov. 28. Dr. Mike Abler shared a heartfelt written memorial. (Adapted excerpts below). 

Tom was a truly exceptional person, and the university is a lesser place, a little bit harder and colder place, without him. He joined the Biology Department in 1996 and in his years as an educator, Tom brought biology to thousands. Dr. Volk was truly a world-renowned scientist right here at UWL — a mycological rock star with an international audience. Students were devoted to him. Many would sign up for courses regardless of the topic just to have class with Dr. Volk. He was a guide for the students in his classroom, and there was no one better. Tom was a strong person. He demonstrated his strength in many ways. He was physically strong in surviving multiple bouts with cancer, heart failure, and a heart transplant. He was a strong advocate for broad training in and understanding of biology. He was strong enough to be himself, however that might appear to a small town in the Midwest in the late 1990s. Whether it was blue hair or earrings, kilts or multiple colorful tattoos, Tom showed students it was okay to be different. You could approach things in a different way, be yourself, and be successful. We all could learn from his example. Be more compassionate, more tolerant, as he was. Be a better scientist, or teacher, or friend to someone. Do it today. That is the best way to keep Tom in your heart. You don’t know how many tomorrows you will have.

An informal memorial gathering for Volk was held Dec. 2 on campus.

Learn more about Tom’s journey in this biographical video about him “Professor with Two Hearts." 

Classifieds Add Classified

Free Maytag electric dryer Free/giveaway

Free Maytag electric dryer — Older, basic model from about 2011 but it still runs well! You load and haul. Dryer is in the basement and must be hauled up one flight of stairs and straight out the back door to your vehicle. Please text if interested. Free/giveaway. For more information, contact Holly Anderson at 412.877.5643 or handerson@uwlax.edu.