Provost's Update: Friday, January 17, 2025

Office of the Provost

Friday, January 17, 2025

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

After more than a year of extensive work, the UWM AI Taskforce will issue its final report early this semester. The work is informed by numerous campus stakeholders including faculty from multiple units, staff from several departments, and students, as well as information gathered through meetings with several universities around the nation on their approaches and several meetings with vendors of AI products and services like OpenAI and Microsoft.

The field of AI and all the products, services, and vendors that support it are not only growing but also evolving rapidly. The taskforce therefore has been working on using the information that was gathered to recommend services that are best for UWM’s research, teaching, and operational needs, and resources. The near-term goal of these recommendations is to provide an AI environment that not only protects confidential data but also helps UWM instructors, researchers, and staff to increase their impact in student success, instruction, research, and business operations.

Additional services from multiple vendors including Microsoft are being reviewed for the final recommendations of the Taskforce in its report. Once deployed, during this Spring semester and over the remainder of this calendar year, they will offer even more capabilities for instructors and researchers to experiment with and use AI solutions for their work. The Taskforce’s report and details of the services to be deployed will be made available during the Spring semester.

I appreciate Anne Widmayer (College of General Studies), whose second book on taboo gendered emotions, “Gender and emotion in eighteenth-century Britain,” was published by Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment and is now available from Liverpool University Press.

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Ali Abedi has been selected as UWM’s next Vice Provost for Research. He will assume his position on June 2. See the full announcement.
Read my Welcome to Spring Semester 2025 message.

I am very pleased to announce Charlise Strong will be joining the Office of the Provost as the new Executive Assistant to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, effective January 21. Charlise has over fifteen years of experience providing executive support, including eight years in higher education. Charlise comes to us after six years with the UWM Connected Systems Institute, where she served as an Administrative Assistant III, managing multiple complex schedules and travel for executive leadership, along with budget management and event planning for her unit.

Amy Mangrich is also new to our office, taking on the role of Interim Executive Director of UWM Online. Amy has been with UWM for nearly 22 years and most recently served as a Senior Instructional Design Consultant in CETL, and the Associate Director of UWM Online, where she supported the Online Growth Initiative, served as the campus administrator for Canvas Credentials, and managed the Online Student Orientation and Online Summer Course Website. Amy is a UWM alum and holds three master’s degrees!

Please join us in giving them both a warm welcome. Unfortunately, these great additions to our staff come at the loss of long-term, highly valued colleagues:

Dawn Lee-Vue, Executive Administrative Assistant to the Provost, accepted a new position as Administrative Assistant to Vice Chancellors Kelly Haag and Robin Van Harpen in late fall 2024. Dawn served as an assistant to three provosts during her seven-year tenure in the Provost’s Office. She was thoughtful, efficient, and exemplified the organizational and communication skills necessary to excel in this fast-paced role.

Laura Pedrick, Executive Director of UWM Online, is retiring on January 20. With nearly 24 years of dedicated service, Laura has been an invaluable asset to our institution, particularly in the realm of online and blended education. Laura has been a critically important member of the Academic Affairs team, serving as a thought leader and strategic partner. Her strong and thoughtful leadership, openness to feedback, confidence, and visionary strategic thinking have been instrumental in positioning UWM as a leader in online education both in Wisconsin and nationally.

Sue Podgorski, Multimedia Designer, is also retiring – her last day in the office will be January 28. Sue is a proud UWM alum and has been with the Provost’s Office since 1993! Sue serves as the web site administrator for the Division of Academic Affairs and the Office of the Provost. Sue’s additional responsibilities include communications, event planning, and assisting her Provost’s Office colleagues with technology, office moves, and facility needs. Sue also served as the Building Chair for Chapman Hall for many years.

Student Financial Services is looking to increase awareness of student scholarships, as only 25% of continuing students apply annually. UWM offers scholarships based on various factors, including academic merit, financial need, leadership, and service. Faculty and staff are encouraged to view the scholarship promotion toolkit to promote scholarships to students in their courses and around campus.
Bestselling author Reyna Grande speaks about her personal and professional journey in her lecture, “Beyond Borders: Writing as Activism & Healing,” on Wednesday, February 5 at 6 p.m. in the Library 4th Floor Conference Center. The event is free and open to the public. Information and registration.
Students can prepare for the upcoming career fairs on Thursday, February 6 from 1-3 p.m. in Vogel Hall, where they will have the opportunity to meet with employers, ask questions, participate in one-on-one resume reviews, and practice their “professional pitch.” The Career Closet will also be open to provide free professional clothing. More information.
Aamir Siddiqi, Director of UWM’s Student Health and Wellness Center (SHAW), and members of the SHAW clinical staff will sit down with Chancellor Mone to discuss how SHAW provides medical and mental health support, health promotion, survivor support, and victim advocacy for all UWM students. The Chancellor Chat takes place on Thursday, February 13 at 5 p.m. in the Student Health and Wellness Center located in Building D of the Northwest Quad. Information and registration.
UWM’s School of Continuing Education presents, “Black Businesses Through the Years: A Roadmap for Success,” on Wednesday, February 19 from 4-6 p.m. at the UWM School of Continuing Education Conference Center. The event is free, but tickets are required. Information and registration.

UWM is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of its employees and offers a variety of resources to enhance the workplace culture and meet employees where they are on their health journeys. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey on UWM’s wellness efforts. The survey will be open until January 31.
Join University Advancement in Union W119 on Thursday, February 13 for a collaborative workshop for campus partners on our 414 for UWM Giving Days, alumni engagement, and event promotion. Information and registration.

The UWM Research Foundation invites you to submit abstracts for the 18^th round of the Catalyst Grant Program made possible thanks to the support of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and Invenergy. One award of $50K will be focused specifically on clean energy topics this year. Abstracts are due by 5 p.m. on Monday, January 27. More information.
Join M-Cubed on Thursday, January 30 at 1 p.m. for its 10-Year Impact Celebration at MATC’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus (Room M605). This special event will highlight a decade of collaboration between MPS, MATC, and UWM, featuring inspiring stories from students, alumni, and leaders who have shaped this partnership. RSVP.