A. S. Connection Connecting Academic Staff to Useful Information

Spring 2019

DIVISION OF ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENTDid you know that we have a new division on campus? The Division of Enrollment Management (DEM) was officially established in January 2018, but it really began to take shape when Ms. Katie Miota was appointed as the Chief Enrollment Officer in October. Miota has thirteen years of experience in higher education, and she had this to say upon her appointment: “I understand it’s not often that an opportunity to create and define a new division arises and I greatly value this responsibility. It’s essential to do this right, which for me, means thoughtfully, and most importantly, collaboratively.”

The new division includes the following areas, whose leaders comprise the Divisional Leadership Team:• TRIO & Pre-College Programs (April Holland)• Undergraduate Admissions (Patrick Fay)• Financial Aid (Tim Opgenorth)• Registrar (Seth Zlotocha)• Student Success Center (Kay Eilers)• Career Planning & Resource Center (Jean Salzer)

The leadership team, led by Miota, met over the summer to establish the following divisional expectations:• We believe in every student’s ability to succeed, and we believe you do, too. • We are strategic, fiscally responsible, creative, honest, humble, and kind, treating every one of our

community members with respect. • We use our collective expertise as strategy leaders to collaborate and make connections across our

community in support of enrollment goals that align with UWM’s mission. • We use our campus expertise to facilitate continuous, student-centered support throughout the

student lifecycle.

All staff members from the new division participated in a kick-off event on November 29th where they heard from the leadership team, learned about each other’s contributions to campus, and met new colleagues.

If you have questions about DEM or any specific area, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of the leadership team.

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Reflections WITH ANNIE MELCHIORWhen did you start at UWM?

I am a UWM alum (Comparative Literature, ’84) and started as an administrative assistant in the Theatre & Dance Department in 1985. After a two year stint at the University of Delaware,

I was back in the Peck School of the Arts in 1994 as a program manager - and I have been here ever since!

How has your role at UWM changed in this time?

I have been a program manager in Film & Dance, and finally Dance and Theatre before transitioning to a full-time teaching academic staff member in 2008. In the fall semester, I taught 5 sections of Introduction to Iyengar Yoga (DANCE 103) for undergraduate students. In the past, I have also taught intermediate level sections as well as classes for UWM employees.

Your face lights up when you talk about yoga. How long have you been involved with yoga?

I was introduced to yoga in 1995 by Janet Lilly, a former UWM employee. I was so excited by the

Iyengar style of Yoga that I got certified in 2004 and 2007. In 2001 I started teaching in the community. I helped start the Milwaukee Yoga Center and am a cofounder of the Riverwest Yogashala.

What professional advice do you have for other academic staff?

1. Get involved in committees: that widens yourexperience and it cultivates collegiality with otherpeople across campus.

2. Be engaged at all levels within your department(students, faculty, academic staff, classified staff)and across campus.

3. Advocate for your yourself and for others---sometimes it is easier to advocate for others.

4. Wherever possible, go to trainings andconferences to continually learn and grow.

What advice do you have about trying yoga?

Try different classes, different styles of yoga. There are a dozen or more approaches to yoga, so it makes sense to see what resonates with you. I like to bring humor to my teaching, as well as the attention to detail in actions and careful sequencing of postures this method facilitates.

What benefits do students or staff get from yoga?

It helps people calm down, get centered, and develop flexibility and strength - so important these days!

The E Building was built in 1959 at a cost of $161,000. It was intended to be a temporary building and was located on the site of Bolton Hall. The E Building was used for classrooms and offices until 1992 when it was razed.

From the UWM Libraries, Archives Department https://uwm.edu/lib-collections/uwm-photo-collection/A Lo

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Baker Fieldhouse was completed in 1931 at a cost of $250,000. The building was used for both men’s and women’s physical education classes and all varsity sports until 1965 when the women’s program was moved to Engelmann Hall. Baker Fieldhouse was demolished in 1986. The business building is now situated on its former site. From the UWM Libraries, Archives Department. https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/uwmphoto/id/213/rec/1

FUN FACTS FROM THE REGISTRAR’S OFFICE

Chances are you’ve heard of the Registrar’s Office, and you may even know someone who works there. But do you know what actually happens there? Below are some statistics about what’s been going on in Mellencamp Hall over the past year. The Registrar’s Office:

• Placed over 2,500 class sections into just 168 general assignment classrooms on campus (fall)

• Processed 614 exams (fall)

• Facilitated the scheduling for over 700 academic spaces (classrooms, labs, and other facilities) andover 14,500 scheduled course sections

• Processed evaluations for 1,296 courses (spring)

• Built 3,545 new transfer equivalency rules due to UW Colleges restructuring

• Scored 4,964 new freshmen sheets (fall)

• Coded and maintained the prerequisites for 5,250 courses and class sections

• Scheduled over 1,900 final exams into a seven-day period (fall and spring)

• Processed 14,158 transcript orders, including 2,168 printed in-house

• Audited the academic records of 1,655 undergraduate students and cleared them for graduation(spring and summer)

• Certified 677 student athletes (fall and spring)

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STANDING DESKS POPPING UP ALL OVER CAMPUSYou may have heard the saying “Sitting is the new smoking.” Studies have linked sedentary lifestyles to increased risks of serious health conditions, and sitting for more than eight hours per day with no physical activity poses almost the same risk of death as smoking.

But for many people who have desk jobs, it’s not a choice to be sedentary. How can you be active when your job requires you to be in one place all day?

One potential solution is a standing desk. While research hasn’t yet shown whether these make a difference in terms of overall health, standing desks are gaining popularity. Here at UWM, many employees are opting to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the workday.

If you’re thinking of using a standing desk, here are some important considerations:• If possible, get a free-standing desk with a monitor arm that allows you to adjust the height and angle of

the monitor. Adjustable-height desks that sit on top of an existing desk are usually too tall for proper armpositioning when seated.

• Alternate between sitting and standing. Standing the whole day is no better than sitting the whole day; youjust end up with a different set of problems.

• Adjust your monitor whenever you change positions. Some people have a long torso, others have long legs.The monitor-keyboard distance that works in one position might be wrong in another.

• Whether sitting or standing, your monitor should be at or just below eye level, and your elbows should forma 90°+ angle when typing or using the mouse. You shouldn’t tilt your head up or down to see the monitor.

• When sitting, your shoulders, hips and knees should form a 90° angle. Make sure your chair providesproper lower back support.

• When standing, your shoulders, hips and knees should be in a straight line.

Regardless of whether you sit or stand to work, it’s important to move around throughout the day. Go for a quick walk, join an on-campus exercise class, or boldly start a new office trend of jumping jacks at your desk.

For more information:http://workriteergo.com/facts-about-standing-desks/https://www.healthline.com/health-news/debate-over-standing-vs-sitting-at-your-desk#1

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Albert Hall was acquired in the Milwaukee-Downer College purchase and used as a music building. In 1964 it housed the School of Social Welfare until it was razed in 1970 in preparation for the building of Enderis Hall on the site.

From the UWM Libraries, Archives Department. https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/uwmphoto/id/192/rec/2

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Did you know that UWM is a nationally recognized leader in international education? In 2018, both the Center for International Education (CIE) and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) were awarded Title VI National Resource Center (NRC) and Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS) grants from the U.S. Department of Education. These prestigious 4-year grants are provided to higher education institutions to build and strengthen international education resources on campus and in the community. UWM’s grant activities will also support the access mission of the university by expanding international education opportunities for underrepresented groups. This is the second consecutive grant cycle in which CIE has received NRC funding. CLACS has been continuously funded since 1965.

The NRC grant awards will position UWM to expand collaborations around global education and world language learning across campus. UWM’s Global Studies program will be able to expand career development programs, enhance global studies teaching, and build partnerships for student internships abroad. The Language Resource Center will create language teaching and learning materials and expand professional development for language educators on and off campus. The School of Education will offer new opportunities for certification in global education and less commonly taught languages.

The Institute of World Affairs (IWA), the community engagement arm of CIE, and will take the lead on the Center’s outreach activities. Through a partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools, the Institute will provide global education experiences to educators and students in the district, with a particular focus on inspiring local civic action on global issues impacting

CIE’S NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER GRANT

Milwaukee. A new partnership with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s World Trade Association will offer a pathway for Milwaukee high school students interested in exploring careers in international business.

Partnerships with the UWM Libraries will bring K-12 teachers and students to campus for global media literacy and digital storytelling workshops in the Research Labs and Digital Humanities Lab, while a teacher fellowship program will give local educators the opportunity to build curriculum using the resources in UWM’s American Geographical Society Library.

In addition to unique campus and collaborative community events focused on the Americas, CLACS will offer teacher training and professional development opportunities to K-12 and post-secondary educators, including an annual summer teacher institute, language methods workshops, and opportunities for faculty from community colleges and minority serving institutions. The grants also support new UWM course development, Portuguese language, and library resources.

Of particular interest to academic staff may be the expansion of resources and programming on global issues and world cultures on campus, including:• Sociocultural programs by CLACS and UWM’s

Language Departments• Visits to campus by Global Changemakers, Social

Entrepreneurs and Global Democracy Leaders• Library acquisitions to support global learning

These national awards reflect a campus-wide commitment to help our community define its place in an interconnected world through partnerships across our city, state, and beyond.

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APOLLO 50: LUNAR EVENT SCHEDULE 2019FOR FULL DETAILS AND SCHEDULE PLEASE CHECK: HTTPS://UWM.EDU/PLANETARIUM/PLAN-A-VISIT/APOLLO-50TH-EVENT-SERIES/

The Moon RocksWednesday, February 20, 6:30-8:00 p.m.UWM Lapham Hall Room 245Speaker: Lindsay McHenryCost: FreeGeologist Dr. Lindsay McHenry will describe how scientists use Moon rocks to study the history of the solar system. Pending acquisition from

NASA, peer through microscopes to view actual pieces of the Moon brought back by an Apollo astronaut.

Exploring Other Moons: Life On Titan Wednesday, March 13, 7:00-8:00 p.m.UWM Manfred Olson Planetarium, Physics Building 139 Speaker: Joseph AldstadtCost: FreeLearn about the fascinating atmospheres of moons around other planets such as Saturn. The recent exploration of the Saturnian system by the Cassini-Huygens mission has revealed fascinating details, particularly the surprisingly complex composition of Titan's atmosphere.

Getting to the Moon: The Greatest Engineering Adventure Ever UndertakenThursday, March 28, 5:30-6:30 pm UWM Manfred Olson Planetarium, Physics Building 139 Speaker: Dr. Nathan SalowitzCost: FreeLearn about the engineering marvels that allowed us to safely land humans on the Moon and bring them back.

Imagining the Moon: A History of Lunar VisualizationsWednesday, April 3, 7-8 p.m.UWM American Geographical Society Library (AGSL)Speaker: Marcy BidneyCost: FreeJoin Marcy Bidney, curator of the UWM Libraries’ American Geographical Society Library (AGSL), as she explores the history of visualizing the moon, from pretelescopic observations that imagined what the moon might look like to lunar cartography up through the space age. This free presentation includes a special exhibit of lunar maps, globes, atlases, and photos from the AGSL’s collections.

Unblinded By the LightWednesday, April 17, 6:30-7:30 p.m. UWM Physics Building Room 137Speaker: Janis EellsCost: FreeJoin Janis Eells as she describes how space research opened our eyes on Earth. From growing plants in space to treating eye disease on earth, learn about NASA's role in the development and application of light-emitting diode technology.

Challenges for Low-Cost Space ExplorationWednesday, May 1 7:00-8:00pmUWM Physics Building Room 137Speaker: Rani El Hajjar Cost: FreeLearn how structural materials have evolved for rapidly expanding humans’ exploration of space. Rani El Hajjar of SpaceX will describe current industrial efforts and how the ability of humans becoming a multiplanetary species hinges on the ability to reduce the cost of access to space.

Full Moon CanoeMay 17 or 18, 7:30-10:00 p.m.Urban Ecology Center/Milwaukee Rowing ClubSpeaker: Jean CreightonCost: $40 (Registration required)Paddle down the Milwaukee River with UWM Planetarium Director and NASA Airborne Astronomy Ambassador Jean Creighton. Enjoying the full Moon while learning about our nearest celestial neighbor, other exotic moons in the solar system, and more intriguing objects scattered through space.

Lunar PartySaturday, July 20, 12:00-3:00 p.m.UWM Manfred Olson Planetarium and Physics courtyardSpeaker: Jean Creighton and others TBDCost: FreeJoin the UWM Planetarium for an afternoon of food, fun, and activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic 1969 Apollo Moon landing. There will be something for everyone at this free, all-ages event. Witness the monumental achievement of the 1969 Moon landing, trace its contribution to technological breakthroughs that transformed our everyday lives, and peer into the future of space exploration.

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WEB ACCESSIBILITYThe UWM Wordpress Accessibility Resources web page provides a good online resource for making your web pages accessible to all users. It offers a basic introduction to web accessibility as well as examples on how users interact with web pages and what barriers they encounter. Tips on writing, designing and developing for web accessibility are also included.

The site offers in-depth examples on what to look for in your web page and how to make the changes. How-to sections include images, links, headings, tables, forms and online documents. There is also a link to free testing tools like WebAIM’s WAVE accessibility evaluation tool that can check individual web pages. For more information consult the UWM Wordpress site at https://uwm.edu/wordpress/web-accessibility-resources/

UNIVERSAL DESIGN TIP

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIESWeight Watchers at Work Information SessionWednesday, February 6, 201912:00pm – 12:50pmCunningham Hall 795As we prepare to launch Weight Watchers at Work (Sponsored by the UWM College of Nursing Working Well Committee), we invite you to an information session to learn more and get your questions answered. RSVP at https://bit.ly/2R8VEFa

Sounding the Humanities: Podcast Production, Writing and Embodied InquiryThursday, February 14, 2019 3:00pm – 4:00pmSummary: Professor Steph Ceraso, Assistant Professor of Digital Writing and Rhetoric discusses an expansive approach to teaching with sound through the concept of multimodal listening and exploring the role of embodied inquiry in podcast production.

Bagels and Discussion about Writing with Sound: Challenges and RewardsFriday, February 15, 2019 9:30am – 11:30am Summary: Morning discussion session to talk about the challenges of “sonic pedagogy.”

“How Can I Be of Service?” Workshop?Thursday, March 7, 2019 11:30am to 1:00pmLibrary E281Register at: https://milwaukee.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4N0rklsAlhUq7IN

SEEKING STAFF DEVELOPMENT IDEASWe can learn from each other: we have a lot of expertise on our campuses. Would you be willing to give an informal 30-min talk about what you know or about how you do things? Some ideas from past workshops include Communicating our UWM Story and Target Marketing and Branding: How to Develop a Creative Strategy.

If you are interested, please email jcreight@uwm.edu.

The A.S. Connection team consists of the following members of the Academic Staff Communications Subcommittee:

Jean Creighton (Co-Chair), Melody Harries, Kristin Hildebrandt, Gina Lukaszewicz, Abbi Nye, Nicole Palasz,

Mingyu Sun, and Beth Traylor (Co-Chair). If you would like to join this committee, please contact Jean Creighton at jcreight@uwm.edu.