Provost's Update: Friday, October 4, 2024

Office of the Provost

Friday, October 4, 2024

Good morning, colleagues. Here is the update from Academic Affairs.

This semester, I will continue meeting with students, faculty, staff, and the campus community. Upcoming events include:

Pizza with the Provost, an event for student participation, will take place on Monday, October 21 from 4:30-5:45 p.m. in the LEC Innovation Commons.
Celebratory Lunches for Newly Promoted Employees will be held in the Regents Room in November to recognize new full professors, new associate professors, and academic staff granted indefinite status.

I am committed to listening, learning, and creating connections with our academic community. To that end, I will be holding events such as these throughout the academic year.

UWM’s Actuarial Science program, in partnership with the Center for Student Experience and Talent (SET), hosted a regional actuarial career fair. Students from 12 universities had the opportunity to network with 23 employers. Many students were able to apply and interview for summer internships and post-graduation employment.

Martine Green-Rogers and Joe Colistra, candidates for the College of the Arts and Architecture dean position, were on campus this week. The final two candidates, Winifred (Elyse) Newman and David Rifkind, will visit next week. Candidate information and feedback forms are available on the Secretary of the University’s CAA dean search page. Candidate presentations/forums will be in person and online (Teams). The recorded presentations will be available on the candidates’ information page. Access to CVs, recordings, and feedback forms will require logging in with UWM credentials.

Are you an F-1 international student hoping to work off-campus for an internship or looking to get hired for a U.S.-based job post-graduation? Several career preparation events to help you succeed in these goals will be held this fall:
- Job Searching for International Students
  Learn about when to look, where to search, what key terms to use, who to connect with, and how to connect on Tuesday, October 22 from 5-6:30 p.m. in LEC 107. Bring your laptop and questions for interactive activities. Snacks will be provided.
- Successful Interviewing for International Students
  Learn about interviewing strategies and practice with your peers in a safe environment on Wednesday, November 13 from 3-4:30 p.m. in Vogel Hall. Career advisors and staff from SET will give feedback. Snacks will be provided.

Join the Student Health and Wellness Center for a suicide prevention training session and help strengthen UWM’s network of faculty, staff, and students prepared to reach out to students in crisis. Information and registration.
The Dean of Students Office invites employees to attend the workshop, “Support U: Fostering a Culture of Support at UWM.” Participants will learn how to identify and support students who may be experiencing a crisis. The workshop will include a presentation, case studies, and time for questions. Information and registration.

TechTraining is offering its Excel Fundamentals online training course on Tuesday, October 8 from 10-11:30 a.m. The course is free, but registration is required. See the TechTraining website to view the schedule and register.
There’s still time to register for the UWM Alumni Association’s Panther Prowl 5K Virtual Run/Walk, taking place October 9-13. Pick your own route, set your own pace, and choose a date and time to complete the 3.2 miles—solo or with a team. All proceeds support UWM scholarships. Information and registration.
Instructor-focused training on classroom disruptions and campus safety is once again underway, with the goal of reaching 100% of UWM’s faculty and instructional staff. The focus of this training is to address students in crisis, disruptive students, and what to do in case of a violent incident. There are still five sessions this semester that will be offered in person and virtually. More information.
The UWM Campus and Community Issues Action Team (CCIAT) is working to foster education and learning opportunities on campus. As part of these efforts, the group will focus on amplifying campus programming centered on antisemitism and islamophobia. CCIAT is asking for academic units, student organizations, and other campus community groups to provide information on any upcoming program or events through this online form by October 15. The form can be completed multiple times, one per event or program.
UWM is providing professional development for all employees, including training especially for supervisors, starting this month and running through April 2025. For those unable to attend live sessions, video recordings will be made available shortly after the live session occurs. More information.
Chancellor Mone is bringing back First Fridays, an opportunity for UWM employees to socialize and build community while enjoying complimentary snacks and NA beverages (cash bar available). Come and check out the newly renovated Gasthaus in the Union lower level while you unwind and relax with fellow members of the UWM community on Friday, November 1 from 4-5:30 p.m.
Save the Date for the Annual Employee Holiday Social. This year, the event will take place on Tuesday, December 10 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the Union Wisconsin Room. Check your inbox in November for the invitation and RSVP link.
SET is proud to introduce Panther GROW, a nationally proven intervention that supports supervisors in having conversations with student employees. Panther GROW helps students discuss and embrace their transferrable skills. SET is hosting a campuswide series of training sessions for supervisors. Sign up.

Applications for three Center of Excellence (COE)programs through Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute (NMDSI) opened on September 26. The deadline to apply is Sunday, November 17. Direct questions to nmdsi@northwesternmutual.com. The three programs are:
- Paving ROADS (supports faculty research)
- Pioneer Collaborative Curricula (funds new course development)
- Student Scholarships (supports students and faculty in research programs)

UWM’s AI Taskforce is hosting a Generative AI Town Hall on Friday, October 1 from 10:30 a.m.-noon in NWQ, Building D, Rooms 3835/45. Learn more about plans for generative AI at UWM, including the work the taskforce has done to date and what’s in the future for AI at the university. Join the town hall virtually via Teams. To submit questions in advance, email them to ai-uwm@uwm.edu. More information.
Join the NMDSI for its third annual Research Mixer on Thursday, October 24 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the UN E280. This event will be an opportunity to network, share ideas, and strategize for 2025. The focus will be on research funding and there will be dedicated time during the mixer to discuss the multiple funding opportunities available and emerging. More information.

Vice Chancellor Robin Van Harpen, Chief Financial Officer Drew Knab, and I will be holding three live sessions on UWM’s Financial Strategies and the Budget Model for any interested employees that will address the key drivers of UWM’s budget and how UWM’s activity-based Budget Model works. This will include an explanation of the budget model changes being made starting in the FY 2026 budget. Time will be provided for Q&A regarding the topics covered in the presentation. Two of the sessions will be virtual and one will be held in person:
- Monday, October 14, 1-2 p.m. (Virtual Only)
- Wednesday, October 23, 3-4 p.m. in the Fireside Lounge (In Person Only)
- Monday, October 28, 9:30-10:30 a.m. (Virtual Only)