Good morning, colleagues. Here is this week’s update from Academic Affairs.
Every semester, the Center for Advancing Student Learning (CASL, formerly CETL) gathers submissions from students who wish to thank their instructors. This past winter, they received more than 500 responses through the Thank an Instructor Initiative for the fall semester alone!
This point in the term can be particularly demanding for instructors, and it’s not uncommon to feel overextended or fatigued. I want to share a few of the submissions from last semester to emphasize just how much of a difference our instructors make. These comments have been kept anonymous and are presented as written by students.
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Thank you for pushing me to be a better student, human, and academic. You made large ideas easy to navigate, and constantly pushed me to reach just a little further. I have grown so much as a student and human this semester. Thank you, sincerely.
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Thank you for all the effort and time you put into this semester for us. I truly appreciated the way you taught the course and the effort you put into keeping us engaged at a time when burn out was at its highest. Your energy, kindness, and willingness to connect with students always makes a big difference, especially during a semester that was personally very overwhelming. I really appreciated the support and grace you showed throughout the semester, it never went unnoticed.
- Thank you for always coming to class with energy and the want to teach everyone even if the class didn't seem as energetic some days.
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I wanted to reach out and tell you how much I enjoyed your class. The structure, materials, and discussions were some of the most rewarding I experienced during the program. Thank you for all the work you've done and continue to do in the community and for our program. You're an excellent professor, and I'm grateful I was able to take your course before I graduated.
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I truly cannot express how much of a core memory this class will be for me. I was so anxious and felt like I was in over my head starting college, and within the first two weeks this class, and specifically the environment that was cultivated and promoted, had me feeling so much more confident (while equally having me question absolutely everything about everything in a good way).
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Thank you for being a truly inspiring person. You made this class enjoyable and definitely educational. I have learned a lot of useful things in your class and surprisingly enough I enjoyed learning. Thank you for taking the time to want to talk and get to know your class, and of course thank you for actually caring. A little goes a long way, and you gave a lot which goes even further. Once again thank you.
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I want to express my deep appreciation for the work our faculty and staff are doing to inspire, support, and connect with our students, both in and out of the classroom. Your impact helps students have the life-changing experience of higher education, and your work and dedication do not go unnoticed.
If you would like more information, CASL has a detailed summary and analysis of the themes of these “Thank an Instructor” forms and what things students mention or emphasize. Read the full analysis.
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This academic year, the Student Association has brought the issue of course material cost and transparency to both the Academic Staff Committee and the Faculty Senate after surveying their peers about basic needs, financial health, and course materials costs. Students have made it clear that they would like more information about materials costs before courses begin. On-time textbook adoption and requests for course technology needs by the deadline are easy steps to achieve this for all students. For Fall 2026, course material adoptions are due by April 6. Completing submissions on time ensures materials are available for students and supports a smooth start to the term. Review the Guide to Textbook and Course Content Selection for resources and information on textbook options.
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Prof. Melinda Kavanaugh (Social Work) was chosen to be a visiting professor at Northumbria University in Newcastle, England. Dr. Kavanaugh studies the young caregiver population. Her research and teaching focus primarily on young caregivers in families managing chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). See more information.
Prof. Miren Boehm (Philosophy) was recently invited to a workshop, “Causation, Mind, Perception: Essays on Mary Shepherd,” at Harvard University to present a paper on David Hume's and Mary Shepherd's views about the extent of scientific knowledge. See more information.
Distinguished Prof. Emeritus Trudy Turner (Anthropology) has been elected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow. This prestigious award honors members whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications in service to society. See more information.
Distinguished Prof. Karyn Frick (Psychological and Brain Sciences) has been elected as a Fellow of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society (IBNS). Fellows of IBNS are individuals who have made substantial contributions to the Society and to the field of behavioral neuroscience. See more information.
Asst. Prof. Priya Premnath (Biomedical Engineering) received the Shaw Early Career Research Award, supported by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, to study a dual approach to bone cancer treatment and recovery. With the $200,000 award, she will explore how stem cells can be directed to heal bone after surgery without triggering new cancer growth. See more information.
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Professor Emeritus David D. Buck (History) died on March 6, 2026. Buck was a scholar of modern Chinese history. He served UWM for more than 32 years, retiring in 2002. He remained active in the UWM community during retirement. Read the full remembrance.
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Advancing 2030 Plan Commitments |
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2030 Commitment to Students’ Engagement and Their Academic and Personal Journey |
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The College of Community Engagement & Professions (CCEP) Wednesday Well-Being series offers rotating activities everyone can enjoy. This semester's highlights include yoga, de-stress workshops, Magic the Gathering, floral bouquet building, and crafting sessions. April 15 includes lunch! Visit the CCEP website for more information.
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Applications for the summer Support for Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF) program are due April 15 (extended from April 1). SURF is designed to foster faculty-student research collaborations by providing a salary for students to engage in progressively sophisticated work led by a research mentor. Please note: you must have a student identified to apply, as this is a joint application. Questions can be directed to Kyla Esguerra at kylam@uwm.edu.
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UWM's annual Undergraduate Research Symposium will be held April 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the UWM Union Wisconsin Conference Center. Please plan to join us for this campus-wide celebration of faculty/student research collaborations! Faculty, staff, and graduate students interested in judging can sign up here.
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The March 12 Opening Celebration of the Senior Design Studio in the engineering building attracted nearly 100 participants. This needed dedicated workspace for senior teams was made possible by private donors. The event also acknowledged representatives from local industries who submit project ideas to senior teams. Read the full article.
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2030 Commitment to Positive Employee Experience |
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April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). In recognition, the Student Health and Wellness Center (SHAW) and the Sexual Assault Awareness Month Committee are hosting a variety of prevention and awareness events across campus. From conversations about healthy sexuality and consent to a tea blending workshop and a sound bath meditation, there is something for everyone! Check out the full calendar of events at uwm.edu/wellness/SAAM.
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2030 Commitment to Research, Innovation, and Community Impact |
- The local publication, Shepherd Express, profiled UWM's long-running Latin American Film Series, speaking with Monica VanBladel of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies about the collaborations that make this free, community-facing event possible. Read the story.
- The UWM Police Department and the UWM Student Health and Wellness Center invite the UWM campus community to join us in supporting Aurora Healing Centers with monetary and in-kind donations from April 1-30. See a full list of items needed and how to support this effort.
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The One-Off Print: Monotypes from the UWM Art Collection exhibition runs March 16 through May 14, 2026, at the Emile H. Mathis Gallery. The monotype is a hybrid printmaking process in which ink is transferred from a flat matrix or printing plate onto a sheet of paper. In other words, the monotype is a print form without a permanent matrix: it can only be printed once. The One-Off Print, curated by Art History MA student Emma Erickson, features monotypes from the UWM Art Collection produced by postwar American artists, a time when experimental printmaking was on the rise.
- The Department of Art History welcomes Kim Sajet, the new director of the Milwaukee Art Museum, to campus as a guest lecturer on April 24 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Curtin Hall, Room 175—more information.
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En-Vision Embodied Writing Workshop, co-hosted by C21 and Queer Zine Archive Project co-founder Milo Miller. will be held on Tuesday, April 7 from 5-6:30 p.m. Learn more and register online.
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2030 Commitment to Fiscal Sustainability and Economically Anchoring Southeastern Wisconsin |
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Nominations are now open for the 2027 Alumni Awards Evening selection process. If you know of UWM alumni or partners who are deserving of this honor, please submit nomination packets by Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. If you have nominee suggestions but not enough materials to create a full nomination packet, please email Amy Lensing Tate with your suggestions. Thank you for helping the UWM Alumni Association carry on this tradition of recognizing proud Panthers who are making new waves. Learn more about awards, criteria and packet instructions.
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With appreciation,
Andrew P. Daire, PhD
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
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