September 22, 2023 Friday Update
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September 22, 2023
Friday Update |
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Good morning, colleagues. Here is this week's update from Academic Affairs.
At last week’s Plenary, Chancellor Mone highlighted the Milwaukee Academy of Science for its deep commitment to student success and stellar accomplishments. While 97 percent of the 1,400-student enrollment is economically disadvantaged, the Academy has a graduation rate of 100 percent and 100 percent of its students are accepted to college. Chancellor Mone emphasized a core tenet of the Milwaukee Academy of Science (MAS): Student success is a teacher’s responsibility.
I learned this firsthand when I visited the Academy with Chancellor Mone as part of a UWM team. As I toured the facility and met with school leaders, I was struck by the level of ownership they have over their students’ success, the social services-type approach they embrace, their focus on serving the individual student, and their recognition of the impact one person can have on the life of a student. I had a similar reaction when our UWM team recently met with the leadership from the Hmong American Peace Academy (HAPA) and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. Like MAS, they are committed to their students’ success both while they are at the particular school but also as they matriculate to college. I am excited that we are advancing conversations to strengthen our partnerships, including exploring dual enrollment and other transfer pathways. It’s wonderful to see these institutions champion the success of all students, particularly those from historically underserved populations and to see their zeal in reaching every learner. Also, their example establishes a model for us to lean even more into being student centered, fostering a culture of care, and advancing the success of our students. As we have learned from our work with Milwaukee Public Schools and other public K12 institutions, on a larger scale, there is not a single factor but instead there are numerous levers for increased student success: teachers, parents, support staff, and others all play important roles.
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UWM librarian Kristin Woodward was interviewed recently on Wisconsin Public Radio, with an emphasis on how UWM is offering free ebooks to students and how that contributes to student success (her comments start three minutes in). My thanks to you, Kristin, and to the UWM Libraries, for working to eliminate cost barriers for our students!
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The UWM community is invited to attend one of two Provost Town Halls, both of which will be held in person and via Teams: Friday, September 29 from 10:30-11:45 a.m. in Curtin 175 or Tuesday, October 31 from 9-10:15 a.m. in the UWM Student Union Alumni Fireside Lounge. This will be an opportunity to meet Provost Andrew Daire, learn about his priorities, and ask questions. Light refreshments will be provided. More information.
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As you are settling into a routine at the end of the third week of the semester, this is the perfect time to check in with students to make sure they are on target or connect with students to get them back on track.
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- Post a Grade and Provide Feedback – Share feedback on at least one assignment in Canvas by week four to give students an indication of how they are performing in your class.
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Encourage Students – Privately reach out to share an encouraging message with all students. High performing students appreciate a shout out. This is a great time to connect with students who may have missed an assignment, performed poorly on an assignment, are missing class, or are arriving late – all early warning signs that students may need help. Suspend judgment and invite students to reach out to you so you can work with them to get them back on track.
There have been reports of faculty members openly chastising students in front of the class for arriving to class late. We have construction in the quad preventing normal cut-through points for students, students who are new to campus, and students who are new to a particular building. Additionally, we have a large number of Pell students, and we know that students living in poverty might have transportation issues and/or additional family responsibilities that can adversely impact timely attendance. Understanding these factors, privately asking students if there are any barriers to their class attendance or getting to class on time, and referring the student to the Dean of Students’ Office for assistance or offering some flexibilities would be a more student-centered approach, which is what we strive for at UWM.
- Normalize Using Campus Resources – Share campus resources with students and normalize how many of the best students use the library, writing center, and tutoring to excel.
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Advancing 2030 Plan Priorities |
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The Dean of Students Office invites faculty and staff to attend the workshop, “Support U: Fostering a Culture of Support at UWM,” which will run throughout the fall semester. You’ll learn tools to identify and support students who may be experiencing challenges or crises. You’ll also learn how to make referrals, seek assistance, and connect students to the Dean of Students Office case managers as well as campus and community resources. Information and registration.
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CETL and the Division of DEI are hosting “Inclusive Teaching Toward Justice,” a workshop on October 11 (in person from noon-2 p.m. in Engelmann B73) and October 12 (virtually from 10 a.m.-noon), to support instructors in effectively teaching UWM’s diverse student body. Information and registration.
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Kudos to Office of Student Scholarship (OSS) staff members Joel Spiess, Maria Solis, and Cindy Reindl who attended the National Scholarship Providers Association annual conference in Las Vegas this week. The team presented three workshops highlighting UWM’s progressive work in the student scholarship arena, including the topics of retention grants, emergency grants, and models of campus scholarship administration. OSS was formed as an independent unit in the Division of Enrollment Management in 2021 to ensure that UWM is using scholarship dollars effectively to promote student recruitment, retention, and academic success.
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LGBTQ+ Faculty & Staff Coffee Hour – Friday, September 29 will be the first of a monthly series of coffee hours for LGBTQ+-identified faculty and staff, to be held from 3-4 p.m. in the American Family Dream Studio of the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center. Please bring your own coffee and get to know your LGBTQ+ colleagues on campus!
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Pamela Harris (Mathematics) has recently served as editor for a new book published by the American Mathematical Society entitled, “Aspiring and Inspiring: Tenure and Leadership in Academic Mathematics,” which is a collection of essays from successful women and gender minority mathematicians on what it takes to build a career in mathematics.
- UWM Creative Writing welcomes its Fall Visiting Writer in Fiction, V.V. Ganeshananthan. She will read from and discuss her widely praised new novel, Brotherless Night, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 19 in Curtin 175 and deliver a craft talk at 3 p.m. the same day in AUP 170. Both events are free and open to the public.
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With appreciation,
Andrew P. Daire, PhD
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
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